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Southeast Asia, Oceania, & Antarctica
Chapter 30
Physical Geography
Southeast Asia: Mainland & Islands• Mainland SE Asia lies on two
peninsulas• Indochinese Peninsula – rectangular
shape• Malay Peninsula – narrow strip of land
about 700 miles long, serves as a bridge from the Mainland and the islands
SE Asia
• Most of the islands are found in archipelagoes
• The Philippines and the islands of Indonesia are part of the Malay Archipelago
The Philippines - made up of 7,100-plus islands
SE Asia - Mountains
• Annamese Cordillera – run north to south on the Mainland
• On the islands, most of the mountains are volcanic (Ring of Fire)
SE Asia - Rivers
• Mekong River – starts in China and runs through several SE nations, forms a wide delta on Vietnam’s coast
• Millions rely on the Mekong for fishing and farming
Mekong River - Thailand
Mekong River in Cambodia – known for endangered giant catfish (can grow up to 10 feet long)
SE Asia – Natural Resources
• Fertile soil due to volcanic activity and flooding
• Fishing in the rivers and nearby seas• Petroleum• Tin• Gems
Australia: Continent & Country
• Mountains• Great Dividing Range• Run along the eastern coast
• Central Lowlands• Pastureland• Underground water called the Artesian
waters are pressurized and rise to the surface into ranchers’ wells without any pumping
Great Dividing Range
Australia
• Western Plateau• Covers nearly 2/3rds of Australia• Called “The Outback”• 3 deserts cover much of the region
• Great Sandy, Great Victoria, Gibson• Mammoth rock formations
Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large
sandstone rock formation in the Outback
Gibson Desert
Wildlife - Emu
Wildlife – Dingo
Wildlife – Platypus
Wildlife – Saltwater Crocodile
Australia
• Great Barrier Reef• Off of the northeastern coast• Made of coral formed by the limestone
skeletons of tiny sea animals• Long strip of coral-covered land that is
home to an array of brilliantly colored fish & underwater creatures
Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
Australia
• Natural Resources• 10% of the land is arable• One of the world’s leading producers of
wheat, cattle, & sheep• One of the world’s leading exporters of
beef, mutton, lamb, & wool• Uranium, bauxite, iron ore, copper, lead,
manganese, nickel, zinc, gold, silver, diamonds, & opals
Oceania: Island Lands
• Divided into 3 major island groups based on location, how the islands were formed, & the culture of its inhabitants• Melanesia – north & east of Australia• Micronesia – north of Melanesia & south of
Japan• Polynesia – from Midway island in the
north to New Zealand in the south
Fiji – part of Melanesia
Guam (U.S. territory) – part of Micronesia
Oceania
• High Islands• Formed as a result of colliding tectonic
plates• Part of the Ring of Fire known for its
earthquake & volcanic activity
Oceania
• Low Islands• Began as the result of volcanic eruptions• Coral has grown along the rim of an
underwater volcano, creating a ring-shaped island called an atoll
• At the center is a shallow lagoon• Low-lying so waves wash them in & out of
view• Little soil & few natural resources
Atoll in the Pacific Ocean
Oceania
• Continental Islands• Made of rock that has risen from
continental shelves on the ocean floor• Not formed by volcanoes, but many have
active volcanoes• Mineral found on the islands include oil,
gold, nickel, & copper
New Zealand
• Located 1,200 miles southeast of Australia• A group of mountainous islands• North Island
• Center of the island is a plateau of volcanic stone crossed by a chain of volcanic peaks (active)
• Freshwater lakes• Hills – sheep & dairy cattle
• South Island• Dominated by Southern Alps
Lake Taupo – North Island
Southern Alps – South Island
New Zealand• Natural Resources
• Fast-flowing rivers – hydroelectric power• Steam from volcanic hot water –
geothermal energy• Coal• Natural gas• Exporter of sheep & wool products• Pine forests• Pacific Ocean fish
Antarctica: A White Plateau
• Twice the size of Australia• Ice, as much as 2 miles thick in some places,
covers about 95% of the continent• Transantarctic Mountains & Antarctic
Peninsula divide the continent into two regions
• East – high, flat plateau• West – land is mostly below sea level
Antarctica
• Greatest resource – the scientists who conduct research there
• Research weather patterns & observe the sun & stars without obstruction
• Also look at the effect of human industrialization on the Earth’s ozone layer
• Mineral resources• Wealth of sea resources – krill (may one day
help feed the world’s hungry)
Transantarctic Mountains
Emperor penguins - Ross Sea, Antarctica
Research Station
Climate & Vegetation
• Australia• Desert – moisture is blocked by subtropical
high-pressure air masses• Steppe – surrounds the desert, wet & dry
season, acacia & eucalyptus trees dominate the landscape
• Coasts – southern coasts have a Mediterranean climate, the northeast have a humid subtropical climate, & the southeast have a marine west coast climate
Eucalyptus Trees
Climate & Vegetation
• Oceania• North of the Tropic of Capricorn• Tropical rain forest climate• Wet & dry seasons (makes agriculture
difficult)• Risk of typhoons
Climate & Vegetation
• New Zealand• Marine west coast, except in the mountain
regions• Rain throughout the year & mild
temperatures
Climate & Vegetation
• Antarctica• One of the coldest places on Earth• Also, one of the highest & driest continents• Plateau is drier than Australia’s deserts• Dryness makes the air colder• During the long winter, temperatures may
drop to -100°F
Climate & Vegetation• Antarctica
• Ice is always moving, inching slowly toward the ocean
• In the warmer, moister parts of the continent, it moves more quickly, often breaking into pieces
• Between the pieces, huge cracks called crevasses develop
• A small area lies in the tundra climate zone – temps may reach almost 60° F & mosses & lichens are able to grow
Antarctica
The bottom of a crevasse.
