EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA European Name? Far East

When you think of the “Far East”, what countries come to mind?

The region is over 3,500 miles from north to south. Geographically, this means they have a number of_(b)_________________. How does this affect them climatically? a. 3,500 mles Houston’s approx latitide b.latitudes

The varied landforms that makeup E & SE Asia Vast deserts World’s highest mtns. Archipelagos and volcanic activity Dense jungles Remains of Krakatao.

The region is part of the most active fault lines on Earth, the “Ring of Fire.”

The building blocks and the destroyers of the region. Earthquakes and Volcanoes.

Most islands of the region are the peaks of oceanic, volcanic mountains.

Himalaya means: House of Snow Note the demarcation line between the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas. This is a result of: subduction

CULTURE Why is a common term for East Asia the “Orient.” The ancient Greeks “oriented” their maps towards the East, where the sun rises. E

The topography of China has served to keep many invaders (and diffusion) out. Deserts Great Wall Mountains Oceans keep land based invaders out. The Mongols were the exception to this rule.

Name a great East Asian explorer similar to Columbus, Magellan, De Gama? In fact, up until the 1400’s, Chinese ships roamed the Indian Ocean. Then, the emperors turned inward, closed off contact and became: xenophobic The Chinese always felt they were the center of the world.

How do most E & SE Asian still make a living? Most still live in small farming villages. Intensive subsistence farming (they farm every available area of land) Terraced farming

Culture: Many of the alphabets of East Asia use a series of symbols, or, pictograms, rather than the letters we are familiar with.

Though their culture turned inward, the Chinese invented many items that diffused to the West. Printing (books) Gunpowder Paper Compass Noodles

In the 1300’s, the Silk Road opened a diffusion route between Europe and the East. While the Europeans found many goods that they wanted (silk especially,) the Chinese found little they wanted from Europe.

Culture In many East Asian countries, overcrowding is a problem. The population density is high, particularly in Japan. In China and Japan both, the population must live on less than 20% of the total land area. Why? Mountains and deserts. How do they adapt? They build up.

POPULATION CARTOGRAM Note: Japan is really about the size of California while China is about the same size as the USA.

The population issue in East Asia is critical, although China and Japan have vastly different problems. With over 1.3 billion people, China instituted a “one baby” policy to reduce population growth. Has it worked? What is a by-product of the policy (see the pyramid.)

How is the population pyramid of Japan different from its neighbor China? What could you attribute the difference to? Japan is a nation state. How does this affect their population?

Political and Economic Mao Zedong ruled China from 1949 until the 1980’s as a strict Communist country. His command economy programs such as the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward devastated the country, killing millions.

With the exception of China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Laos, countries of E & SE Asia are generally democratic. Like China, Vietnam has opened its economy to a form capitalism (free market.) 2007

While China still has a Communist government, their economy has turned towards capitalism. Today they are one of the largest exporters in the world. The USA trade deficit with China is over 200 billion dollars (2005.)

Japan is the #2 economic power in the world. One of the most densely populated countries. Tokyo National symbol of Japan-Mt. Fuji A mix between the modern and traditional.

Many Japanese businessmen work long hours and want to avoid a long commute home. An innovation in Japan has been the “capsule hotels.” These have caught on and can be found in major cities. About 120 yen to the dollar.

While the economies of East Asia are growing rapidly, their GDP per capita remains low compared to the West. Exceptions?

Infant Mortality Rate is Still High in S & E Asia USA 7 per 1,000

Singapore is a city/state that is located a the tip of the Malay Peninsula. It is considered one of the safest and cleanest cities in the world.

What does Singapore’s relative location have to do with their success? LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

Beginning in the 1980’s, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong experienced an economic boom, becoming developed countries (*Hong Kong is now part of China.) These countries were called the “economic dragons.”

Today the economies of Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan are built on technology, but like the new “dragons”, their initial success was built on: Cheap labor costs.

Many believe that the 21st century will be the “Asian Century.” Tokyo Shanghai Kuala Lumpur Hong Kong

With nearly 35% of the world’s population, the region is a study in contrasts

North Korea is a poor country in contrast to the wealth of South Korea. A Communist dictatorship, ruled by Kim Jong Il (Dear Leader) keeps a tight reign on the people. Statue of the Great Leader Rush hour in Pyongyang. The all consuming enemy? N K has gone nuclear Millions have starved to support a huge military.

Much of the Indo-China peninsula was once controlled by Europeans. SOUTHEAST ASIA Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were the battlegrounds between the USA and communists in the 1960’s and 70’s. French (Siam) British The jungle terrain and guerilla warfare made combat difficult for Americans. When the USA left in 1973, there was a “democratic” government in control in South Vietnam. They were overrun by North Vietnam in 1975.

With the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese fled, becoming refugees in many countries. Many ended up in the USA. There is still a controversy among Vietnamese today regarding the “proper” flag to fly for Vietnam. Vietnam has been a poor communist country, but has opened its economy in the past 15 years.

Indonesia is a contrast between old and new. Large rainforests One of the w orld’s tallest buildings. Petronas Towers. The tsunami devastated Sumatra. The world’s largest Muslim population.

Indonesia – the world’s fourth largest population.

Tibet was annexed into China in the 1950’s. The Chinese have made every effort to eliminate the Tibetan culture and make people more “Chinese.” Tibet has hundreds of Buddhist monasteries, many of which were destroyed by the Chinese. Lhasa is the main city of the Buddhist faith.

A lack of space and an innovative, educated population works to use their limited space to its fullest.

EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA