ASIA
Dec 28, 2015
ASIA
Physical Geography
South Asia• Includes the countries of: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan,
Bangladesh and Maldives
Landforms
• India is a sub-continent
• Himalaya Mountains—highest mountains in the world
• Mt. Everest—highest peak in the world located in Nepal (29,000 ft)
• Khyber Pass—used to be the only crossing into India and Pakistan
Major River Systems
• Ganges River—sacred river of Eastern India– Fed by the snowcapped
Himalayas– Annual flooding during
monsoon season– Empties into the Bay of
Bengal• Indus River—flows mainly
through Pakistan– Home to the ancient Indian
civilization– Empties into the Arabian Gulf
Climate and Vegetation
• Tropical and sub-tropical in the East (Indian Rainforest)
• Dry in the West– Great Indian Desert
• Monsoons—Seasonal winds (wet, dry and cool seasons)– Wet season brings moisture
from the sea over land– Dry season blows cool air
from the Himalayas
East Asia• Countries include: China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea,
Taiwan and Mongolia
Islands and Peninsulas
• Japan is a mountainous archipelago (4 main islands)– Mt. Fuji (dormant volcano)
• Japan sits along the Ring of Fire and experiences 1000s of earthquakes and tsunamis every year
• Taiwan is a former part of China
• Korean Peninsula
Landforms
• Several mountain ranges are located in China
• The Gobi Desert is located in Northern China and Southern Mongolia
Major River Systems
• Huang He River (Yellow River) runs through central China– Carries yellow top soil
called loess downstream– Irrigates North China
Plain• Yangtze River is located
in southern China– 3 Gorges Dam
Southeast Asia• Includes the countries of: Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia,
Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Brunei
Landforms
• There are several nations in Southeast Asia that are made up of islands: Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia
• Malaysia is also part of a peninsula (Malay Peninsula)
• The landscape is dominated by mountain ranges with volcanoes
• Most of the region experiences a tropical rainforest climate
Water• This area is surrounded by many seas and oceans including:
South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Celebes Sea, Banda Sea, Java Sea, Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Thailand and Gulf of Tonkin
Climate and Vegetation
• Most of Southeast Asia is covered with tropical rainforest
• Much of the land is dedicated to agriculture