Monsoon AsiaBy: Elizabeth, Kari, Sharon,

Jessica, Dakota, Annika, Edgar, and Omar

History

• World’s earliest civilizations arose here• Rulers united parts of the region into empires• Colonized later by European countries

– Now have gained their independence• First civilization in Indus River Valley in 2500 BC

– Vanished by 1700 BC• China was split into kingdoms• Ruled by dynasties• Qin

– Built Great Wall• Mauryas conquered and united India in 320 BC• Mughals then ruled India from 1526 to 1700s• In 1400s Europeans colonized Monsoon Asia• India freed in 1947 and Southeast Asia in 1950s

Culture• Very diverse and cultural region, from

the food they eat, to traditions they have

• Food is a very important part of the culture• Art, dance, music, and cinema• Much of the population of Asia is very

friendly with one another, and they look out for each other greatly

• Respect is highly valued and taught in, and is common courtesy towards others, especially towards elders

• Education is highly valued, and many parents enforce this value to their children.

Language

• Bengali• Bhatanese• Khmer• Mandarin• Hindi• English• Bahasa

Indonesia• Japanese• Korean• Lao

•Chinese•Malay•Tamil•Sinhala•Thai•Vietnamese•Bahasa Melayu•Khalkha Mongol•Napali•Filipino

Population

• Population• 3.7 billion–More than half world’s people

• Mostly rural• Many religious traditions• Hindu, Islam, Christian, Buddhism

(main religion), Indigenous, Judaism, Shinto, Confucianism

Economy• Mix of old and new• Farming and fishing• Industry and finance centers• Commercial fishing by seacoast• Resources

– Coal• Produces most on earth

– Petroleum– Hydroelectric power

• Land use – Subsistence farmers– Rice, tea, cotton, spices, tobacco, 90% of world’s rubber– Commercial fishing– Shrimp, tuna– Nomadic herding– International trade– Machinery and consumer goods– Japan is world leader in production of cars and electronics

Geography• Mountains are the most commanding

feature of the landscape• Rugged Himalayas form Monsoon

Asia’s western border• Mt. Everest- highest mountain in the

world, 29,035 feet• Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra are

the main rivers– Meet to form one of the world’s largest

river deltas• Ghats Mountain Range• Chang Jiang- third longest river in the

world, China• Taklamakan and Gobi (one of world’s

largest) deserts• Japan’s islands formed by volcanoes

Climate• Shaped by Monsoons

– Strong winds that create rainfall patterns• South

– Arid to tropical• Northwest

– Dry• Himalayas

– Highlands climate• South

– Tropical wet• North Central

– Humid subtropical• East

– Highlands climate– Humid continental

• Southeast– Tropical

Vegetation• Varies as climate and elevation does• Drier parts

– Desert scrub• Tropical zones

– Rainforests• Highlands

– Ice and snow• Central

– Tropical grasslands• Lower Himalayas

– Mixed forest• Tropical climate zones

– Broadleaf evergreen forests• North

– Deciduous forest• Southeast

– Rainforests and tropical grassland– Bamboo