World Geography

1
World Geography
Chapter 30
Regional Atlas Introduction to East Asia and
the Pacific World
2
World Geography
Chapter 30 Regional Atlas Introduction to East
Asia and the Pacific World
Section 1 Historic Overview
Section 2 Physical Characteristics
Section 3 Climates
Section 4 Ecosystems
Section 5 People and Cultures
Section 6 Economics, Technology, and Environment
Section 7 Database
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Historical Overview
1
East and Southeast Asia were the sites of some of
humanitys earliest technological advances

• China had the most influence in the region
  because it was the birthplace of Confucianism and
  Daoism, and was united into huge empires
  throughout its history.
• Europeans colonized parts of the region, and
  after building up their militaries, extracted
  concessions, or exemptions from local law, from
  China.
• After industrializing, Japan conquered a large
  portion of the region before it was defeated by
  Western allies in World War II and stripped of
  its colonial possessions.
• Several countries established communist
  governments after World War II, but non-communist
  countries, and China after it adopted some
  capitalist reforms, enjoyed rapid growth and
  prosperity under market economies.

4
Physical Characteristics
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5
Physical Characteristics
2
East Asia and the Pacific islands have widely
varying physical features.

• The collision of tectonic plates has raised the
  Himalayas, Tibet, and a series of mountain chains
  in China.
• Southeast Asia has a complex geography of
  mountain chains, river valleys, peninsulas, and
  islands.
• The Pacific Ocean near Australia is dotted with
  volcanic islands that are part of the Ring of
  Fire.

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Climates
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7
Climates
3
Across much of the region, rain falls seasonally.

• Tropical wet, Tropical wet and dry
  stretch across Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and
  northern Australia.
• Humid subtropical covers southern portions of
  China, Korea and Japan, as well as the east coast
  of Australia.
• Arid and Semiarid lie in northern China and
  Mongolia.
• Mediterranean and Marine west coast stretch
  across southern Australia and New Zealand.

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Ecosystems
4
This region has a rich variety of plants and
animals in many different environments.

• Tropical rain forests cover Indonesia and parts
  of Southeast Asia, China, and Australia.
• Tropical grasslands and Temperate grasslands
  stretch across large parts of China and
  Australia.
• Desert and Desert scrub spread throughout parts
  of China and Australia.
• Mid-latitude forests cover Japan and the Korean
  peninsula, New Zealand, and parts of China and
  Australia.

9
People and Cultures
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10
People and Cultures
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East and Southeast Asia are some of the most
heavily populated parts of the world, while
Australia is the worlds most sparsely inhabited
continent.

• The wide variety of religions in East Asia
  reflects the regions great cultural diversity.
• Although China is densely settled, most of its
  population is rural, while most people in
  sparsely-populated Australia live in cities.
• Daily life is a blend of local culture and
  international influence.

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Economies, Technology, and Environment
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Highly industrialized Japan and Australia
contrast sharply with large populations of
subsistence farmers in China and Southeast Asia.

• Commercial farming and subsistence farming are
  predominant in China, Southeast Asia, and
  Indonesia.
• Manufacturing and trade are the most important
  industries in Japan, parts of China, and
  Australia.
• Livestock raising is practiced throughout much of
  Australia, while Nomadic herding characterizes
  much of China.
• China is the largest producer of hydroelectric
  power in the region.

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Database
7

• Chinas road and railroad networks are the
  largest in the region, and are often overcrowded.
• Japan has almost as many roads and airports as
  China, and Japans railroad system includes the
  reliable bullet train, which travels at speeds
  greater than 160 miles per hour.
• Australia has almost as large a road network as
  China, but far more airports, many of which are
  unpaved airstrips that service isolated
  communities in the countrys interior.
• Thailands road network is very crowded, and
  Thailand has about half as many airports as
  China, even though its population and area are
  far smaller than Chinas.