World Geography East Asia Notes

Physical 

Mainland

China occupies 81% of East Asia

Also has the world’s largest population

Mongolia – size of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado combined Population of only

2,400,000

Peninsulas and Islands

Korean Peninsula- North Korea – Communist Government- South Korea – Democratic Government

Taiwan – Island that once belonged to mainland China, which still claims it today

Japan- small island nation with large economic power

Hong Kong – Chinese Territory- Hong Kong was Britain’s, but was returned to China’s control in 1997

Mountains

Himalayas – Located along the western border of East Asia- World’s highest mountains

Kunlun Mountains - located in west China- source of Huang He (Yellow) and Chang Jiang (Yangtze) rivers

Qinling Shandi Mountains - divide northern China from the south

Rivers

Huang He (Yellow River)—Located in northern China flows into the Yellow Sea- Called Yellow River because it carries tons of loess ( yellowish brown topsoil)

Rivers

Chang Jiang(Yangtze River) – Asia’s longest river- Flows through China and empties into the East China Sea- major trade route, but floods often cause great damage

Japan and Korea have many short swift flowing rivers

 Water Resources

China’s long river systems are important to its economy- provide crop irrigation, hydroelectric power, transportation

Water Resources

Three Gorges Dam on Chang Jiang will control floods & create power (world’s biggest)- Negative effectsare that one to two million people will have to move- hundreds of historical sites & factories will be submerged (Water Pollution?)- some species (alligator, river dolphin, others) may vanish -Dam could cost $75 billion rather than original $11 billion estimated

Water Resources

Sea is important food source for East Asia- Japan has one of world’s largest fishing industries

Resources of East Asia

 East Asia is rich in Natural resources, but has uneven distribution

- China, Mongolia, North Korea have natural & mineral resources - Japan, South Korea, Taiwan have limited natural resources

Forests -Abundant in China, Japan, Taiwan, North and South Korea- Japan reserves forests by buying timber from other regions

China has large petroleum, coal, natural gas reserves (makes it self-sufficient)

Climates

Desert - Gobi Desert located in Mongolia is often cold and windy

Climates

Subarctic - Small subarctic zones on Mongolia’s and China’s Russian borders

Humid Continental - northeastern China, northern Japan, North Korea, & northern South Korea

Humid Subtropical - Southeastern China, southern South Korea, south Japan, north Taiwan

Climates

Tropical climate zone in East Asia is small- strip of land along China’s southeastern coast- island of Hainan, southern tip of Taiwan

Typhoon—tropical storm that occurs in western Pacific

Climate Review Questions

Which East Asian country has the world’s largest population? What type of landform is Taiwan? What type of Landform are North & South Korea? What are the world’s highest mountains & where are they

located in relation to East Asia? What is Asia’s longest River? What river is also known as he Yellow River? Where would you find a subarctic climate in East Asia? On what river is the Three Gorges dam being built? What are the positive effects that the Three Gorges dam will

have on China? What are the negative effects the Three Gorges Dam will have

on China? 

China 

History

Oldest continuous civilization- A settled society for 4,000 years -Stone Age cultures later ruled by dynasties—series of family rulers

1200s - arrived Europeans (Marco Polo)

1800s- European powers sought access to Chinese markets (Treaties)

1949 China became communist - Mao Zedong ruled mainland People’s Republic

 China’s Rural and Industrial Economies

China is largely rural society & agriculturally self-sufficient- river valleys have rich soil; 60% of workers on farms

Can only farm 13% of land due to mountains, deserts- grows enough to feed population

The Industrial Economy - industrial growth stunted under planned economy through 1970s-1980s open marketplace created fast-growing economy

 Culture

Chinese Inventions - Paper, printing, gunpowder, compass, porcelain, silk cloth

Confucianism – inspired by Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 B.C.) - orderly, educated society has respect for past, ancestors - children obey parents; parents obey government, emperor

Taoism—from Tao-te Ching book of Lao-tzu teachings (500s B.C.)- preserve, restore harmony in individual, universe

Indian Buddhism grew in China & was influenced by Confucianism & Taoism

 China’s Population

 One-fifth of world’s people live in China

population is about 1.3 billion

Many of China’s 22 provinces are bigger than most countries

-70% of people live in 12 eastern provinces

Health Care

 China has provided health care for huge populace since 1950

China has dual strategy in developing health-care system

People use traditional herbal remedies & acupuncture

Doctors use modern medicine, Western drugs & surgery- most cities have hospitals - village clinics have trained medical workers (“barefoot doctors”)

China Review Questions

What does Confucianism believe that all children should do?

What does Taoism believe is important? What is a dynasty?Who was the leader of Communist China until

1976?

Mongolia

 History

 Mongols were nomadic herders until Genghis Khan conquered Central Asia

1227 - Genghis Khan died & successors expanded empire

1300s - Empire broke up

History

1600s - China gained control of Mongolia- 1911 - Mongolians achieved independence

1924 - Mongolia became Communist - remained Communist until 1989 (fall of USSR)

Mongolia now moving toward democracy

Economic Prospects for Mongolia

 Many people herd & manage livestock (sheep, goats, camels, horses, cattle)- nomadic herding was economic base for centuries - cashmere industry uses soft wool of local goats

Developing industries while making difficult shift to market economy- Soviets guided economy for 70 years (state owned factories)

  

Daily Life in Mongolia

 Nomads once guided animals from grassland to grassland

Nomads live in tents called yurts, made of felt, leather- yurts are even found in capital of Ulaanbaatar

Many still raise sheep, cattle, goats; some are still nomadic- most live on farms and ranches with small villages in center

Mongolia Review Questions

What do goats in Mongolia produce?What is a yurt & in what East Asian country

are they used?

Tawain

Taiwan’s Link to China

Prehistoric people migrated to Taiwan from China, southeast Asia

1949 - Chinese Nationalists lost to Communists & fled to island - established Republic of China (not recognized by China)

Taiwan’s Economic Success

Prosperity based on manufacturing industries and trade

Has few resources but trained, motivated workers

Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea are economic tigers - nations with cheap labor, high technology, & aggressive exports

Taiwan’s Economic Success

Pacific Rim - economic, social region surrounding Pacific Ocean- East and Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, U.S. coast

  

Taiwan’s Culture

Population and culture is almost exclusively Chinese- capital city of Taipei has Buddhist temples, Chinese art museums

Well-educated population: many universities, 30 daily newspapers

Taiwan’s Culture

Most speak official language of Northern Chinese (Mandarin)

People combine a number of religious, ethical beliefs- 90% practice blend of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism

Baseball is popular in Taiwan, other parts of Asia (especially Japan)

Taiwan Review Questions

What three things are needed in order for a country to become an economic tiger?

What is the Pacific Rim?

North & South Korea

Korea’s History

Manchurians& Chinese migrated to area by 2000 B.C.

Korea was often invaded by China & Japan

1910 - Japan conquered Korea & ruled until WWII defeat in 1945

After WWII, northern Korea is controlled by USSR, southern by U.S.

1950 - North Korean troops invaded South Korea & began Korean War

-1953 treaty ended war & divided peninsula

  

Culture

Korea adopted many philosophical & religious ideas from China- Confucian, Buddhist influences

Communism molds North Korean culture

South Korea is influenced by Western culture

North Korean government only allows Communist or folk art

South Korean artists have more freedom of expression

 Population Patterns

Most people live on coastal plains & river valleys

South Korea has 45% of peninsula’s land & 66% of population

 Japan  

Japan’s History

First people came from South Pacific, or from Siberia

1853 - U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry ended Japan’s isolation

By the early 20th century, Japan is a major power (Fought U.S in WWII)

Expanding empire put Japan’s interests in conflict with U.S

After WWII - U.S. occupied Japan & brought political & economic reforms

Japan became democracy

  

An Economic Powerhouse

 Japan has world’s 2nd largest economy

Japan imports resources to manufacture products for export- exports autos, electronics, computers

Strong ties between business and government help economy

Japanese Culture

Chinese influence early language, religion, art, music, government

Japan has been open to Western influences since 1800s

Popular sports are baseball, golf, sumo wrestling, soccer, tennis

Japanese Culture

Most clothes are Western; traditional clothes for special occasions

Western music is popular, including rock, classical, & jazz- younger Japanese form rock bands

Life in Today’s Japan

Highly structured educational system- students in school six days a week; six weeks of summer vacation - six years of elementary, three of junior high, three of high school - Japan has more than 1,000 universities and technical schools

75% live in cities & 60% live on 2.7% of land

Life in Today’s Japan

Houses are small & sparsely furnished Many people in cities live in apartments

- family of four in a one-bedroom apartment is common

Some move to suburbs, but must commute several hours to work

Coastal cities reclaim land with landfill landfill is solid waste buried in layers of dirt

- Tokyo puts factories, refineries on landfill

Physical Forces in the Ring of Fire

Many Japanese cities are threatened by earthquakes - Japan is on the Ring of Fire—chain of volcanoes around Pacific Rim

Subduction -oceanic plate slides under continental plate

Since first records, at least 60 Japanese volcanoes have been active - Mt. Fuji, Japan’s best-known landform is a volcano

Physical Forces in the Ring of Fire

Earthquakes and Tsunamis - An average of 1,000 earthquakes occur in Japan each year - most are mild, but some cause many deaths, great destruction

1923 - Great Kanto earthquake and its fires killed 140,000 people - left Tokyo in ruins, damaged or destroyed 700,000 homes

Physical Forces in the Ring of Fire

Underwater earthquakes move ocean floor; can create tsunami - huge wave of great destructive power that can reach over 100 feet

Industrialization and Globalization

Nations industrialized & East-West trade increased after WWII- “Made in China,” “Made in Japan” labels are common in West

Regional economies merged &, global economy developed - global economy- nations are interdependent for goods & services

Economically powerful nations in Pacific Rim zone of prosperity - called the Jakota Triangle—Japan, Korea (South), Taiwan

Economic Problems Arise

Asian economies run on efficiency, innovation, and cheap labor

1995 report from UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) - over 500,000 East Asian children work in factories & beg on streets

Economic Problems Arise

Japan entered recession—an extended decline in business activity - Asian economic crisis spread through the world

World Bank lent money to East Asian countries that promised reform - ban on child-labor & forced-labor practices - Ending the use of sweatshops - places where people work long hours in poor conditions for pennies

Japan Review Questions

What percentage of Japanese people live in cities? What is Japan’s best known landform? What is the Ring of Fire? What is subduction? How are landfills created in Japan? What is a recession? What is a sweat shop? What did the World Bank do & what was the stipulation behind its

action? What did a UNICEF report say that East Asian children were doing? What is a global economy? What happened during the Great Kanto Earthquake? What is a Tsunami? What is the Jakota Triangle? What were shoguns?