East and Southeast AsiaNOTES

Where is Asia?

Southeast Asia: Physical Geography

• Countries that border the Himalayan Mountains include India, China, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

Mt. Everest – The world’s highest mountain

Kathmandu, Nepal high in the Himalayas

East Asia: Physical Geography• Some of the regions most important rivers

are the Ganges (in India) and the Yellow (in China).

Traditionally, it is believed that the Chinese civilization originated in the Yellow River basin,

therefore the Chinese refer to it as “Mother River.

East/SouthEast Asia – N Physical Geography Challenges

• 70% of the world’s fatalities from natural disasters occur in Asia because of its location near the Ring of Fire.

• Physical geography challenges in this region are drought, significant air and water pollution, and rapid urbanization.

Monsoons• Monsoons have a huge

influence on the weather and climates in Asia.

• Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring either moist or dry air to an area.

• Summer monsoons bring heavy rains from the south and fertile growing conditions to many places on the Indian Subcontinent.

• In the winter, the monsoons change direction. The winter monsoons bring dry air from the north, and little rain falls during this time of year.

New Delhi, India – Average Precipitation

Tsunami From the Japanese words for “harbor

wave”

• Tsunamis are very large and destructive waves, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption.

• The December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed nearly 230,000 people in fourteen countries.

• An Indian Ocean Tsunami warning system is being developed.

East/Southeast Asia: Political

• Asia has a variety of political systems, ranging from democracy to communism.

"For a prosperous, powerful nation and a happy family, please use birth planning." Government sign in

Ninchin. – Example of China’s One-Child Policy

India’s parliament building

East/Southeast Asia: Economics• Asia has been progressing economically

for decades.

• Many countries are still considered developing nations though.

Downtown Singapore

Dharavi slums in Mumbai, India

East/Southeast Asia: Religion• East Asia and Southeast Asia are homes to a

variety of religions—the dominant ones being Hinduism and various forms of Buddhism.

Costumed Hindu-girls in Nepal. The two small children represent the god

Krishna and his consort Radha. Sitting behind are the god Vishnu and his

consort Laxmi.

Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia – First a Hindu then a Buddhist

temple

China Political• China is ruled by the Communist Party of

China under a single-party system. • The government controls most areas of life: total

political censorship in national media (newspapers, internet). People who oppose the government risk punishment.

• Capital: Beijing• President: Hu Jintao Premier: Wen Jiabao

“Every communist must grasp the truth, Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” – Mao Zedong first communist leader of China

• There are tensions between China and Taiwan over it’s independence.

Fun Fact: “Ghost Month” in Taiwan takes place during the seventh lunar month in Taiwan. A traditional belief is that ghost are walking the earth during month. Many Taiwanese stay home and avoid moving, traveling, and getting married!

China Economics• China's large economy is

offset by its population, meaning the real gross domestic product per capita is at the level of a developing country.

• About half of the population is employed in agriculture.

• The 2008 global economic crisis led to a sharp decline in world demand for China's exports, a factor in pushing the economy into recession.

• Greater economic freedom has not led to more political freedom.

Peanut Farmers in China

Nanjing Road – one of the busiest shopping centers in the world

(http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china#video-lptv_duzer

China Religion• Government policy allows

Chinese to exercise religious beliefs within certain guidelines.

• Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, and Christians do practice, but some groups are prohibited.

• As many as 70 million people have some religious faith.

• Temples, mosques, and churches are open to the public, but public worship is frowned upon or even discouraged.

• Unauthorized or underground religious activities have led to imprisonment and other restrictions. The Temple of Heaven in Shanghai – a Taoist

temple built for annual ceremonies of prayer for a good harvest.

Japan Political• Political: Japan is a

constitutional monarchy. Emperor Akihito is head of state but has no governing power. The prime minister (currently Yukio Hatoyama) is head of government.

• The prime minister and a cabinet form the executive branch.

• Japan's legislature, called the Diet, consists of two houses.

Top: the Hatoyamas and the Obamas

Side: Emperor Akihito

The Diet – Legislative Body

Japan’s Economics

• Japan has one of the world's largest economies even though it has few natural resources and imports most raw materials.

• Also, because only about 12 percent of the land is suitable for cultivation, Japan imports nearly half of its food supply. Japan is a leading supplier of fish.

• Nearly all exports are manufactured items, including automobiles, electronic equipment, and televisions.

Crowded Tokyo Lexus – a Japanese automobile company

Japanese capsule hotel

Japan’s Religion

• Traditionally, most Japanese practiced a combination of Buddhism and Shinto.

• Shinto has no recognized founder or central scripture but is based on ancient mythology.

Itsukushima Shrine – Tori Gate-The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto deity of seas and storms Susano-o no Mikoto

Japanese Buddhist Monk Buddhist Pagoda

The Koreas.North Korea

• Political: North Korea is a communist state. Although Kim Jong Il has held power since 1994, he was officially elected in 1998 as the general secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

• Economics: North Korea remains one of Asia's poorest nations as a result of natural disasters, political isolation, and poor management.

• Religion: The government of North Korea has constitutionally confirmed freedom of religion. In reality, however, the effectual state religion since the 1950s has been the veneration of Kim Il Sung, the first Great Leader, and his son, Kim Jong Il (known as Dear Leader).

South Korea• Political: South Korea is a democracy.

• Economics: South Korea experienced rapid economic growth after the 1960s. In just one generation, South Korea rose from poverty to relative prosperity.

• Religion: Approx. 45% are atheist, 30% are Christian and 22% are Buddhist. South Koreans originally practiced Confucianism, but after various missionaries went to South Korea in the 1960’s, Christianity spread quickly.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-korea#video-ltv-369E92E845CA0F25