Unit 11 – SE Asia and ANZOAPhysical Geography

Vocabulary• Archipelago – chain of islands• low island – made of coral reefs• high island – created by volcanoes• Atoll – coral island that surrounds a lagoon

Vocab continued…• Outback - dry interior of Australia

Southeast Asia

• Climate – Tropical Wet, Tropical Wet & Dry– Monsoon winds cause Wet and Dry Seasons

• Vegetation – thick Forests• Resources

– Lots of natural ports– fertile soil

Landforms• Indochinese Peninsula

• Malay Peninsula

• Mekong River

• Annamese Cordillera

Oceania• Landforms – mostly islands• Climate – Tropical Wet and Dry• Vegetation – not diverse, generally poor soil• Resources – natural beauty (tourism)

New Zealand • Landforms– North Island = Forests and

Farmland– South Island = Mountains +

Glaciers– Filmed Lord of the Rings there!

• Climate – Receive rainfall year round, mild temperatures

• Vegetation – Forests, not tropical

• Resources – very few minerals

Australia • Landforms– Mostly flat– low mountains

• Block rainfall

– Few large rivers– 1/3 desert

• Climate– Humid Subtropical to Desert

• Vegetation– Varies based on location

• Resources– World’s leader in Bauxite

(used to make aluminum), Diamonds, Opals, Lead, and coal

Antarctica• Landforms

– Mountains

• Climate– Ice cap– Earth’s coldest and driest

climate (polar desert)

• Vegetation– Lichens and Mosses

• Resources– Largest supply of

freshwater in world (ice)

Unique Physical Features• Great Barrier Reef– 1,250 mile long chain of reefs and

islands– Rich in species of coral and fish

• Uluru Rock (Ayers Rock)– 1142 feet high– One of the oldest known rock

formations in world.– Major tourist attraction– is situated almost exactly in the

middle of Australia. It is owned by the Uluru Aboriginal tribe

– Sandstone and lead (lead oxidizes and makes it appear reddish)

Human Environment Interaction• Nuclear Testing– 1946-1958, USA used

Marshall islands as testing grounds for nuclear bombs

• Rabbit Invasion– 1859 Thomas Austin brings

24 rabbits to Australia to hunt for food

– 1900 Rabbit population = 1 Billion +

– Australia tried bringing in foxes, diseases…not working!

Australia Revealed

• There will be a quiz!