East Asia Physical PPT Notes

• Warm-Up
• East Asia Physical – In 2011, a tsunami (tidal wave)
Geography 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?
 Mountains
The 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
 Plateaus
Mongolian Plateau
Plateau 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.
 Lowlands
China’s Northeast
Plain and the North
China Plain
• East Asia’s only
extensive lowland
areas
 Deserts
Gobi 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 & Islands
In 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 Systems
East Asia has several major rivers, most in China
Huang 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.
 Ocean Systems
Ring of Fire
• major area in the basin of the
Pacific Ocean where a large number
of earthquakes and volcanic
eruptions occur.

Japan Current
• a north-flowing ocean current on
the west side of the Pacific Ocean;
warm the land masses of Japan
 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.
 Agriculture
• Terraced Farming
– Mountainous land
– Farmers cut terraces
(series of steps) into
the mountains
– Make more land
available to farm,
keep the soil from
eroding or wearing
away
 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