East Asia Physical PPT Notes
• East Asia Physical Geography
• Warm-Up– In 2011, a tsunami (tidal
wave) suddenly hit Japan with deadly force. Which of the following physical processes contributed to this occurrence?
– ocean currents– tectonic forces – Gravity
– In what ways do disasters in other parts of the world, affect us in the United States.
Physical Geography of East Asia
Where is East Asia?
MountainsThe tallest mountains in the world are found in this region!!!• ALTAI MOUNTAINS• HIMALAYAS• KUNLUN MOUNTAINS• TIAN SHAN MOUNTAINS• MT. EVEREST
What could have caused such a rugged terrain?
• Tectonic collisions– Limit the movement of
people– Increase their isolation
Altai Mts
.
PlateausMongolian PlateauPlateau of Tibet
• These regions tend to have low population, and cold and dry climates.
• They are the source of extremely cold weather for neighboring regions.
DesertsGobi Desert• 500,000 Sq Miles• Larger than Texas and
California Combined!• Extremes of temperature
ranging from –40°C (–40°F) in winter to +50°C (122°F) in summer
Taklamakan (Taklimakan)• Desert in Western China• Used for nuclear testing• Some oil and natural gas
resources
Great Wall of China
• Roughly 5500 miles long.
• Multiple walls built over many centuries
• Not physically connected along entire length.
• Built to keep out/deter invaders from north.
Peninsulas & IslandsIn East Asia, these are both often tectonically active, with many volcanos and earthquakes.
Important Peninsulas:• Korean Peninsula – N and S.
Korea
Important Islands:• Japanese Archipelago• Taiwan – Independent from
China• East Asian Islands developed
into trading economies• Why?
River SystemsEast Asia has several major rivers, most in ChinaHuang He (Yellow)
• Named for the yellow silt which colors the water
• Silt forms soil called “Loess”, rich and fertile• Millions have died from flooding over the
centuries.Xi Jiang (West/Pearl)
• Southernmost of the three• Feeds into estuary at Hong Kong
Chang Jiang (Yangtze)• 3,900 miles – Longest in Asia• Major Trade route since ancient times• Now dammed by the “Three Gorges Dam”,
one of largest constructs in the world.
Resources of East Asia• Land and Forests
– Limited land for Agriculture– Most Agriculture is in River Basins in the East– All countries have supplies of timber– Japan buys timber from other countries
• Mineral and Energy– Lots of coal– China’s resources have allowed it remain
isolated & self sufficient– Japan must trade for what it needs.
• Water Resources– Major rivers provide irrigation,
transportation, and hydroelectric power– Japan has developed a large fishing industry.
Summary Question
• How might China’s three large river systems have affected the development of agriculture and trade in the area?– Think about:• The obstacles that mountains and deserts
present to agriculture• The network of travel and communication
offered by a river system
3 Gorges Dam Movie
• Based on what you have seen…Do the positive effects of the Dam outweigh the negatives? Explain in 5-6 sentences.
