World Cultures

Unit III: S.E. Asia

Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________________

Physical Geography of South East Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica

pgs. 689-692
1.

What is an archipelago and identify an example?

- Set of closely grouped islands which sometimes form a curved arc. The Philippines
and the islands of Indonesia are examples of archipelago.

1.

What rivers and resources exist in South East Asia? Why is this important?
- The rivers of Thailand are important because they are used for transporting goods
and also traveling. The Mekong is also important because China and several South east
nations rely on it for farming and fishing. Fertile soil is an important resource. Part of
the region `have minerals like petroleum, tin, and gems.

1.

What is Oceania? About how many islands exist in Oceania?

- Oceania are the Pacific islands. There are more than 20,000 islands included.

1.

What are high islands? What are low islands?

- High islands are made from volcanoes and Low islands are made of coral reefs.

1.

What resource problem exists in Oceania?

- They are not rich in resources. Low islands have poor soil and most of those low
islands lack minerals. The lack of resources make it difficult to develop industry.

1.

Describe the difference in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Even though it
has limited natural resources, what has allowed New Zealand to thrive?
- North Island has hilly ranges, and a volcanic plateau but has less mountainous
ranges than South. South includes the Southern Alps. This range has 16 peaks, all over
10,000 feet high and has more than 360 glaciers. They have many rivers that lead into
the ocean which is beneficial to them because it has allowed people to build dams that
generate electricity.

1.

How is Australia different from New Zealand? (Be specific. What is found here that is
not found in New Zealand?)
- Australia has fewer rivers than New Zealand, forestry is not a major industry in
Australia but they are rich in minerals. They are the leading country for bauxite,
diamonds, opals, lead and coal.

1.

The 5th largest continent is Antarctica. Compare East and West Antarctica (underneath
the ice).
- East is a plateau and is surrounded by mountains and west is a group of separate
islands that are linked by the ice that is covering them.

1.

What is interesting about Antarctica's ice sheet? What resources may lie beneath?
- It is the largest supplier of fresh water in the world. They believe that minerals,
coal, and petroleum may lie underneath of it.

Climate and Vegetation

pgs. 694-701
1.

What sort of climate exists in most of South East Asia and Oceania?
- the weather is mostly tropical so lots of rain.

1.

What are the two categories that exist in the climate of South East Asia and Oceania?
- year round rains and wet and dry seasons.

1.

Describe a monsoon.
- winds that cause wet and dry seasons.

1.
How does the climate affect the tropical plants and vegetation that exists in South East
Asia and Oceania?
- there is very diverse vegetation. In oceania there is not a very diverse selection in
food.

1.

Look at the 5 Themes Box (Human-Environment Interaction). What is Terraced

Farming? Why would this be interesting to historians?
- On the sides of the hills, there are terraces and ledges.

1.

Describe the climate in Australia and New Zealand. How is Australias climate similar to

South East Asia and also New Zealand?

- they both have generally dry climate.

1.

Why is of Australia a dry desert? What is the outback?

- Because it receives less than 10 inches of rain each year. It is an unpopulated
inland region.

1.

What is the White Desert? What sorts of life lives in it?

- Its around the south pole which makes it the coldest and driest continent.