The Geography of Asia

The Geography of Asia

World’s largest continent!

World’s most populated continent

Asia

Covers 8.7% of Earth’s surface

17,212,000 sq miles

Regions of Asia

There are Six regions in Asia

China vs. the U. S. in Size

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000250Miles

China

United States

Size of South Asia vs. U.s.

Japan and the United States

The Two Koreas:North Korea and South

Korea

Divided in two at the

38th parallel

Altai Mts. Greater Khingan

Mts.

Himalayan Mts.

Kunlun Shan Mts.

Tian Shan Mts.

Western Ghats

Easte

rn Ghats

Hindu Kush Mts.

Karakorum Mts.

Ural

Mts

.Zagros Mts.

Caucasus Mts.

Mountains & Peaks

Japa

nese

Alp

s

Mt. FujiMt. Everest

The Ural Mts.• Run north to south

from Artic Ocean through Russia into Kazakhstan

• Natural boundary between Europe & Asia

• 1,600 miles long• 6,217 ft. (highest

elevation)

The Himalayasthe longest

mountain range in the world

Mt. Everest is 29,035 feet high

(highest mountain in the world)

Mt. Everest

Mt. Fuji

Mt. Fuji is 12,388 feet high (highest mountain on the island of

Japan)

Deserts & Plateaus

Gobi DesertTaklimaka

n Desert

Tibetan Plateau

Deccan Plateau

Thar Desert Yunnan

Plateau

Plateau of Iran

The Gobi desertThe largest

desert in Asia

• 932 miles long • covers 500,000 sq

miles

The Deccan Plateau

31,800 square miles in size. Elevation range: 2,000 – 8,000 feet high.

The Tibetan Plateau

The “Roof of the World.” average elevation is 16,400 feet.

Gobi Desert

Ganges River

Brahmaputra RiverIn

dus R

iver

Huang He River

Yangtze

River

Mekong

River

Ob

River

Tigris

RiverEuphrates

River

Bay of

Bengal

Arabian Sea

Indian Ocean

SouthChina Sea

EastChin

a Sea

Yellow

Sea

Seaof

Japan

Paci

fic O

cean

Bodies of Water

The Huang He River“Yellow River” (in English)

Located in China 3,395 miles long

3rd Longest river in Asia

The Yangtze RiverAlso called

“Changjiang”RiverMeans “long river”

3,915 miles longLongest river in Asia(3rd longest in world)

Three Gorges Damworlds largest hydroelectric

dam

The Ganges River

1,569 miles longLongest river in India

• Considered “holy” to Hindu religion• most densely populated river in the world• ranked one of the most polluted rivers in

the world

The Brahmaputra River

• 1,800 miles long• 2nd longest river in

India

The Indus River & valley

Origins of Early Civilizations

1,975 miles longPakistan's longest river

Lake Baikal

Located in Siberia, RussiaLargest freshwater lake by

volume(5,700 cubic miles)

Contains 20% of world’s fresh water

7th largest lake in world

Believed to be: clearest and oldest water in the

world!

Caspian Sea

Located in Central AsiaLargest lake in world(143,200 sq. miles)

Referred to as a “sea” due to its salinity (coined by the

Romans)

The Mekong River

2,703 miles longLongest river in Southeast

Asia7th longest in Asia

12th longest in the world

The Great Wall of China

• 13,171 miles long• Located in northern

China• Built to protect China’s northern border from attacks by military or nomadic groups• Considered a “World

Wonder”

Republic of SingaporeIndependent “Island

Country”Located in Southeast AsiaOne of the world’s busiest

commercial centers4th biggest financial center

5th busiest port3rd largest population

density

Climate Zones of Asia

Major Climate Zones - Tropical - Arid/Dry - Monsoon - Polar/Arctic - Temperate

Monsoon Precipitation Patterns

Different Climates and Seasons in Japan

Fall Winter

Spring Summer

Natural Vegetation of Asia

Terrace Farming of Rice

RainforestRainforests are located in Southeast Asia

Asia’s Resources and Raw Materials

- Oil - Water - Copper - Tin- Timber - Rice - Silver - Coal- Fish - Silk - Aluminum - Natural Gas

“Brown” China vs. “Green” China

Rice Dominant

Wheat

Dom

inant

Pasture and Oasis

Double-crop rice

Rice is the #1 agricultural product of Asia

Silk Cultivation

India is largest

exporter of silk in

the world!

Asia – “the Pacific Rim of Fire”

Home to:• 75% of the world’s active

volcanoes• 90% of the world’s

earthquakes

Volcanoes!

Earthquakes in Asia

Tsunamis – Tidal Waves

2004 Earthquake In Indonesia:

the Tsunami’s Devastation

Estimated 100,000 dead!

Japan’s Sub-Oceanic Trenches

Japanese Tsunami: March 11, 2011

15,854 deaths, 26,992 injured, and 3,155 people missing

Sandstorms and Dust Storms

China & India Compared to World

China has the largest population in the worldIndian has 2nd largest population in world

Population Density

Population Density

Top 10 Populated Nations

0 500 1000 1500

China

India

US

Indonesia

Brazil

Russia

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Japan

Nigeria

0 500 1000 1500

India

China

US

Pakistan

Indonesia

Nigeria

Bangladesh

Brazil

Congo

Ethiopia

2001 2050 Projections

BY 2050 INDIA WILL

HAVE THE WORLD’S

LARGEST POPULATION

Population Projections

500

700

900

1100

1300

1500

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 2025 2035 2045

thousands

Projections Show China Leveling off!

Why?

Answer: China’s One Child Law!

SAYONARA!