World Regional Geography April 19, 2010 Reading: Marston Chapter 9 pages 426-458 Chapter 1 pages 18-19 Goode’s World Atlas pages 189-199, 201-213 (East,

World Regional GeographyWorld Regional Geography

April 19, 2010April 19, 2010

Reading: Marston Chapter 9 pages

426-458Chapter 1 pages 18-19

Goode’s World Atlaspages 189-199, 201-213

(East, Southeast, and South Asia)

Atauro Island, East Timor

Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia

1. Political Boundaries2. History

A. Chinese/Indian InfluenceB. European ColonialismC. IndependenceD. The Vietnam WarE. Geopolitical Hotspot

3. Population Characteristics4. Environmental History

and Issues 5. Culture and Ethnicity6. Economic Development7. Gender

A. Gender EquityB. Gender & DevelopmentC. Southeast Asian Sex Trade

Garden of the Buddhas, Laos

Political BoundariesPolitical Boundaries

HistoryHistory• Chinese / Indian Influence

• Agriculture, trade, religion

• Hinduism (God-Kings)• Attractive to local chiefs

• Led to two types of cities• Port cities (trade)• Spiritual/ceremonial cities (religion)

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Temple complex dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. Built in the early 12th century.

History: European ColonialismHistory: European Colonialism

• Mercantile Period (1500-1800)

• Industrial Period (1800-1945)

• Six colonial powers• Portugal• Spain• Netherlands• Great Britain• France• United States

• Thailand (Siam)

History: European ColonialismHistory: European Colonialism

• Important trade routes• China – India• Malacca

• Important commodities• Spices (spice islands)

• Nutmeg• Cinnamon• Cloves

• Raw materials • Tin• Rubber• Hardwoods

• Rice• Coffee• Sugar

History: IndependenceHistory: Independence

• Japanese Occupation (WWII)• Weakens European hold on region

• Peaceful Independence• Philippines (from US)• Burma & Malaysia (from Britain)

• Singapore (from Malaysia)

• Indonesia• Violent opposition to Dutch

• French Indochina• Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia• Cold war politics & war

The Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War

• Communists in French Indochina fight for independence from Japan and France.

• Cambodia and Laos achieve independence following French withdrawal (1954).

• U.N. divides Vietnam into North and South Vietnam.• China and USSR support communist regime in

the North.• US supports capitalist South Vietnam.

• US pulls out in 1973, Vietnam united under communist rule.

The Spratly IslandsThe Spratly Islands• Series of islands (largely coral atolls) in the

South China Sea.• Islands claimed by six nations

• Brunei• China• Malaysia• Philippines• Taiwan• Vietnam

• Oil/natural gas• Rights to marine resources.

• Mainland: river deltas & port cities• Islands

• Java (Jakarta)• Luzon (Manila)

Population DensityPopulation Density

Population CharacteristicsPopulation Characteristics

RegionRegionPopulationPopulation

(Millions)(Millions)Birth Birth RateRate

Death Death RateRate

Natural Natural IncreaseIncrease

(%)(%)

Net Net MigratioMigration Raten Rate

Projected Projected Pop. Change Pop. Change

(2050)(2050)

South South East AsiaEast Asia 597597 2121 77 1.41.4 00 +39%+39%

RegionRegion IMRIMR TFRTFR % Pop % Pop <15<15

% Pop% Pop

>65>65Life Life

ExpectancyExpectancy MaleMale FemalFemalee

South South East AsiaEast Asia 3030 2.52.5 2929 66 7070 6868 72

RegionRegion HIV/AIDS %HIV/AIDS % % Urban% UrbanGNI PPPGNI PPP

(US$)(US$)

South East South East AsiaAsia 0.50.5 4343 4,5204,520

• Indonesia accounts for about 1/2 of the population• HIV/AIDS rising quickly (2% in Thailand) due to sex industry• Significant income variations

• Brunei: $50,200, Myanmar: $1,290

MigrationMigration• Transmigration

(Indonesia)• Government program• From urban to rural• Cultural unity • Consolidation of

political power

• Migrant workers• Indonesians to the

Middle East• Chinese• Refugees

• War, ethnic conflict, and poverty

Environmental History & IssuesEnvironmental History & Issues

• Tropical Rain Forest • Biodiversity 2nd only to Amazon

• Wallace’s Line • Agriculture

• Wet rice• Terraces• Irrigation• Slash & Burn

• Deforestation• Agriculture and forest products• Erosion, flooding, mudslides• Ecosystem destruction

Culture & EthnicityCulture & Ethnicity

• Diversity• 500 different ethnic and language groups

• Cultural cohesion• Majority populations within national boundaries

Culture & EthnicityCulture & Ethnicity

• Religion• Buddhism: Mainland• Islam

• Indonesia• Malaysia• Brunei

• Christianity• Philippines• East Timor

• Pockets of Hinduism• Burma• Indonesia (Bali, Java)

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

• Import Substitution• Encourage domestic industry• Decrease dependence on primary sector

• Shift to export-oriented growth• Strong ties to major trade routes

• Rapid growth in 1980’s• Asian economic crises in 1990’s

• Debt crises• Withdrawal of foreign investments• Very high unemployment

• Socio-economic issues• Urban / Rural inequality• Labor exploitation: sweatshops• Sex trade

Gender EquityGender Equity

• Developed vs. developing world • Power

• Reproductive rights• Patriarchal family structures• Access to education

• Division of labor• Women often perform the bulk of physical labor

• Planting & harvesting• Food preparation• Child-care

• Income gap• Violence against women

• Middle east (related to rights)• India (wealth, reproduction)• Rural regions of the developed world

Development & Gender EqualityDevelopment & Gender Equality

Southeast Asian Sex TradeSoutheast Asian Sex Trade• Women and children sold into bondage

• Domestic (sex-tourism)• International (sex-trafficking)