South and East Asia Geography

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South and East Asia Geography
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1. Describe the distribution of population in
South and East Asia.

• In South and East Asia, most of the people are
  living near the major water sources, such as the
  Ganges River in India, the Huang He/Yellow River
  in China, the Yangtze River/Chang Jiang in China,
  and the Indus River in Pakistan. There is also a
  greater population near major cities, such as
  Hong Kong and New Delhi.
• You can find a lower population density in desert
  areas, such as near the Gobi Desert and
  Taklimakan Desert. This is also true in steppe
  and highland areas like those in central China.
  Mountainous areas, such as those within the
  Himalayan Range, and areas with a cooler climate,
  also see lower populations.

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Population Distribution in Asia
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2. What two countries have the highest
population? Why?

• The two countries in South and East Asia with the
  highest population are India and China. China is
  currently the highest populated country, followed
  by India. It is expected that India will surpass
  Chinas population within the next few years.
• These regions have high populations because of
  the resources they have to offer. The eastern
  region of China is filled with many rivers and
  has land conducive for farming. India, having
  the Ganges River, also has land conducive to
  farming. These are also countries with rich
  histories and thus people are more likely to stay
  there.

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3. What is the major resource of the two most
populated countries in South and East Asia?

• The Major resource in the two most populated
  countries in South and East Asia is other
  minerals.

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4. Why do you think the areas labeled limited
economic activity are unable to produce/practice
what the other regions are able to do?

• The areas labeled limited economic activity are
  found in desert-regions and regions that do not
  have a climate conducive to growing crops and/or
  mining minerals. In the Indo-China peninsula
  (where you find Thailand and Vietnam) there is a
  large forested area, which does not provide for a
  good farming area.

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5. Do you think the climate of South and East
Asia is comparable to that of the United States?
Why/why not? How do you know?

• The climate in South and East Asia is very
  comparable to that of the United States. Besides
  the fact that you can find climate maps that show
  their similarities, these regions are located on
  the same latitudes and thus are the same distance
  from the equator and the poles. Since this is
  the case, we see the same types of climates in
  these regions (even though they are on opposite
  sides of the world!).

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Climate Map
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6. Why is India labeled as a subcontinent? What
countries make up the Indian subcontinent?

• India is labeled as a subcontinent because of the
  fact that it is a huge piece of land (even though
  its not quite as big as a continent). The fact
  that it is a prominent structure jutting out of
  the rest of Asia makes it stand out.
• The countries that make up the Indian
  Subcontinent include India, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
  Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

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7. What is the highest mountain in the world and
where is it located?

• The highest mountain in the world is Mount
  Everest, which is located in the Himalayas.

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8. What type of economic activities can be found
near the Ganges River and Indus River?

• The Ganges and Indus Rivers are home to fertile
  soil and farming. The people that live in these
  regions are typically farmers and produce much of
  the food for their countries.

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9. What is a monsoon and how does it affect South
and East Asia?

• A monsoon is a seasonal wind that brings either
  moist or dry air to an area.
• Summer monsoons bring heavy rain to India.
• Winter monsoons bring cool, dry air to India.
  There is very little precipitation at this time.

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10. What physical feature covers most of China?

• Mountains and deserts cover most of China!

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11. Describe the Taklimakan Desert and the Gobi
Desert.

• The Taklimakan Desert is very sparse with
  terrible sandstorms. This is one or the most
  dangerous places on earth!
• The Gobi Desert is made up of rock and gravel and
  is the coldest desert in the world.
• Why do you think the Gobi is so cold??

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12. What is loess and what is it used for?

• Loess is a fertile, yellowish soil that is used
  to fertilize the land in China.
• Loess is a helpful tool to the farmers of China.

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13. What is the nickname for the Huang He? Why?

• The Huang He, or Yellow River, is nicknamed
  Chinas Sorrow because of the fact that it
  floods annually and has killed many people and
  ruined farm land.

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14. What is a typhoon and how does it affect
China?

• A typhoon is a violent storm, similar to a
  hurricane. It brings lots of wind and rain.
• Just like with hurricanes in the United States,
  typhoons can be devastating to a region.