Download Geography 213 South Asia, SE Asia, E Asia, China and Japan

Geography 213
South Asia, SE Asia, E Asia, China and Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Oceania
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Regions of south asia map
Regions and sub regions
Gangees valley of india, most of population concentrated/highest
One of the two cores in Pakistan panjab, extends into india, population and economic activity
India= superpower of the region, one of largest/fastest growing economies of the world 5/6% growth in
last 15 years, open foreign investment. High technology, productivity
Federal country- usually complex countries, city, linguistics, economic development. A lot of large cities
1.1 billion people estimated by 2025/2030 will take over as most populated country in the world
China is almost at a point with no population growth (one child policy?)
Population growth roughly 2%, faster growing than china
Government is democratic, cannot do as much as effectively as china (totalitarian state)
India = compared to other parts of developing world= highly industrialized
British colony, introduced industrial areas, and india has kept them, modern high tech industry
transformation
Bengal/Calcutta=original british industrial area
Bombay, commercial capital of india, was also british area
Chennai (madras) also industrial region, center of Indian high tech industry, electronics, software
developments. Most affluent part of India, highly educated population
A lot of services of the west have been outsourced
1-800 #s telemarketing offices. Cheap labour
Rest of the country is mostly subsistence peasants 70% countryside, one of the reasons india isn’t one
of the most affluent countries of the world
25/30% urbanized, 300 million people
Large portion of those are middle class, but still poor peasants
A lot of slums in India, in every large city
Pakistan
• Biggest different between India is culture
• Indian subcontinent, second largest country in south asia in terms of population close to 200 million
people
• Muslim country, islam= religion. 85-90% of population
• Roughly 3% growth, population and economic
• Economic growth a lot slower than india
• 70% rural, economy not as prosperous as india
• High illiteracy rate over 65%, higher for women
• Two cores: Punjab, 7.5 million people in Lahore (city), agriculture is most productive in Pakistan
• Original capital city of pakistan was Karachi (15 million people), still large city in the south. Commercial
capital, second core= SIND
• Political legacy of instability
• Dictatorships and military governments
• Democratic government periods
• Officially right now it is a democracy, imperfect democracy, influenced by the army, some corruptions
• Both india and Pakistan are in possession of nuclear weapons
• Have been disagreements between the two in the past, Kashmir conflict
Bangladesh
• Was a part of east Pakistan until 1973
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Reason for declaring independence, was because they were being discriminated against by west
Pakistan
Independence movement during 60’s and early 70’s
Republic like india and Pakistan
Republic= head of state is elected/appointed. Usually elected
Head of state in a monarchy= hereditary, Canada= Queen Elizabeth II, USA= republic
Flood plain, particularly the southern part
Most densely populated rural populated area in the whole world= Dhaka, majority of population lives in
slums/poverty
Some cities in china and india increase by 1 million/ year
Sri Lanka
• Equatorial region of south asia, tear shaped island
• Was also a region of british rule
• Different name= serria leone?
• About 1/3 of country in southeast is culturally associated with south east asia, Buddhist?
• Mainly agricaulteral economy, tropical produce, tea wheat
• 70% Buddhist, 15% tamil hindu and 15% other faiths
• Legacy of ethnic tensions and insurgency (tamil tigers)
Himalayan states- Nepal and Bhutan
Nepal
• predominately hindu country, population lives in southern part of country, adjacent to gangees valley
(india in the south)
• buddism significant in the mountains
• Tibet- Buddhism is the main religion there
• Landscape of Himalayas, attracts a lot of people, tourism, wanting to climb mount everst
• Majority of country population= sustustence peasants
• Traditionally=monarchy
• Changed a few years ago when the monarchy was overthrown, incident* one of the members of the
royal family, went crazy and shot most of the members of his family
• Republic right now**
• Significant pop growth 3%/year
• Bhutan: to the east of Nepal, isolated, land locked. Traditional monarchy, limited degree of
development. Country is opening up to tourism. Absolute monarchy. Benevolent ruler, wuite popular in
country
Southeast Asia
• Large extent and ocean. Tropical and oceanic environment 90% of area
• Equator runs central through the island part of the region, east= pacific, west= indian ocean
• Realm of peninsulas
• Northern part of the region NW Berma (Myanmar) all the way to Vietnam, island areas are a large part
of the border area between the pacific and indian ocean (Indonesia and Philippines)
• Mainland Northern part of southeast asia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
• Insular: Singapore, Indonesia Brunei (one of the smallest countries in the world but also one of the
richest- sultan= head of state, monarchy-half a million people, oil*), Philippines, Singapore is even
richer, higher GDP (due to trade, services, manufacturing= higher economic activity)
• Singapore connected to asia by a causeway, island. Major port, at one time it was the busiest seaport
in the world- ideal area. Tropical country
• Malaysia: both mainland core and insuler
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A type climate dominates, min seasonal temp difference –equatorial rainforest, tropical monsoon
(western part of mainland and insular) high precipitation and humidity (high moisture levels), subtropical
Vietnam, northern Berma= similar to climate of south east US, florida etc
Tropical climate except at high altitudes
Similar to amazon, central congo
Uniform weather year round, no seasons
Closer to the equator= AF climates
More into the continent= less precipitation
All year round agriculture
Insular= all the islands, mainland= attached to china/india
Borders correspond to different nationalities
Complex topography – when you look at the mainland the mountains are major dividers, climate and
settlement
Most of the mountains in the mainland= 2000m or higher, most of the pop live between the valleys of
the mountains in the main flood lands of the mountains.
Mainland divided by mountain valleys and therefore rivers
Major river plains and delta west to east as you get out of the mainland: Irrawady (MyanmarBurma),Chao Phraya (Thailand), Mekong (Cambodia, southern Vietnam), Red River (northern Vietnam)
Hochimin city- comes from the leader, the father of modern Vietnam, previously city of Saigon, was a
communist dictator
Most of the population lives in the lowlands with some of the best soil (Indonesia, island of java=best
soil, one of most densely population islands/areas in the world. Similar to pop of Ganges valley, 100km
long 300km wide 100million people, most peasants=agricultural potential
Indonesia= most tectonically active areas in the world, volcanic soils= extremely fertile
Some of the biggest volcanic explosions, Tova 74,000 years ago, one of the biggest volcanic
explosions that world has ever experienced. Estimated amount of material thrown into the atmosphere=
many years= no summers, a lot of the plants the primitive people relied on extinct (Island of Java?
spelling)
Earthquakes all the time
Southeast Asia= population cluster
o Indonesia- 230 million
o Philippines 90 million
o Vietnam 85 million
o Thailand 65 million
Predominantly rural- roughly between 50 and 75%
Many large cities over 10 million, Yangon (Rangoon), Bangkok, manila (principle city of Philippines),
Jakarta, hi-chi-minh city (Saigon)
Great cultural and ethnic variety and complexity- Indonesians, malay, Filipinos- thai – Vietnamese
Large Chinese minorities, largely urban (southeast asia)
o Business, merchant, entrepreneurial classes
o Concentrations: Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, java, Philippines
A religious complexity
o Buddhism: Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia
o Islam: Indonesia
o Christian: Philippines (Muslim minorities)
o Multi-faith: Malaysia- Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu
November 13, 2013
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¾ population in Singapore= Chinese, very high GDP, Malaysia 32% Chinese, Thailand 14%
Numbers vary but chinese migration is still prominent
Other % a lot of European descent
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Mainland is much more complex
Philippines= 400 million people?
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From colonialism to independence
Portuguese, Spanish, British, French, Dutch, Japanese, America
Portuguese first contact= Magellan 1521
Spanish acquired Philippines during 1520s
British and Burma (Myanmar) and Malayan peninsula (malaysia) 1800s
Dutch: Dutch east indies mid-1600s, acquired islands, present day Indonesia, called the spice islands.
Able to rule that part of the world commercially through DEIC.
Americans: Philippines after the Spanish American war (1898), spain lost the war and Philippines, as
well as influence/control over Caribbean islands. Americans kept Philippines as their colony until
independence 1946.
Japanese WWII
Area called French-indo china
Mainland, French dominated eastern side, british dominated west
Thailand (sian?) central, remained undominated, maintain independence throughout colonial period.
Maintained by both british and the French as a buffer between the French/british interest. Deliberately
maintained as individual country to keep French and british from fighting for it. At the time it was a quite
powerful country
Independence: Indonesia late 1940s, French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, laos):1954, after a long
war with the French (ho-chi-minh), Burma:1948, Malaysia/Singapore: 1963, Independent Singapore:
1965
Recent conflicts:
o Vietnam war 1960s-1975 the domino effect theory: if one country in this part of the world falls to
communism, very high chance that the countries around it will become communist. a cold war
conflict, most important outside of Europe. One of the most brutal wars after WWII. Americans
were trying to prevent the spread of communism in asia. North communist Vietnam, vs. south
supported by united states- not willing to put enough resources (not only reason, also strong
opposition)= US lost the war. Vietname= Russia supported
o Cambodia: the khmer rouge (china supported) (extreme left wing) late 1970sm most radical
communist regime, maoist regime, one of the most brutal in history, 2 million people
exterminated- starvation, execution, harsh treatments. Depopulated all Cambodian cities to
countryside to work. All people associated to old regime/against them= all educated people in
country (higher than elementary), wearing glasses= sign of being education= subject to be
executed. Vietnam invaded 1979, established new regime
o Sino-vietnamese border war 1979
o A variety of different political regimes and economies
Dutch could not hope to control a large territory (weakening economy etc) Indonesia independence
Rivalries within SE Asia, important theatre outside Europe for Cold War
Eventually Cambodia= democratic. Vietnam= communist, growing rapidly, open to foreign investments
and ideas, high economic importance
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Burma (Myanmar)
• Was British colony until 1948, very underdeveloped, agricultural country live in Irrawady River valley
and delta (yangon) Since 1961= paranoid military dictatorships which kept the country isolated
from most of the world. Has been changing in last couple of years has been democratizing. On the
way to becoming democratic republic. Peasant country. Commercial capital=Rangoon (was political
capital), in the south roughly 10 million people
• Naypyidaw= political capital, to escape opposition against military rule, establish a capital city away
from that type of influence, valley of Irrawady river
Thailand
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Buffer between French and English, never been a colony. Constitutional monarchy: has a king but
political power rests in government/parliament
Core: Chao Phraya (river) lowland, centred on Bangkok, largest city, commercial and political capital
Thai king= longest reining monarchy in the world, has been reigning since early 20s, is 80 years old
right now
Compared to Burma, Thailand is much more economically developed* one of the more important/ richer
countries in SE Asia
60% population still engaged in farming, subsistence farming, especially in outlying areas in the north
and the east. Rapidly transitioning to commercial farming
Large exporter of pineapples
Tourism*
November 15 2013
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Main tourist area in Thailand is in the south, core area= economic
Laos in Cambodia= sparsely populated country
Vietnam
• Largest country in the region in terms of population
• Elongated country, longer than wider
• Chile= another elongated country
• Capital city-____ 7 million people, red river valley and delta
• Tailong bay north shore Vietnam
• Meekong river= most important river in SE asia
• City of ho-chi-minh city (*Saigon), not the capital anymore but 80% larger than the capital
• Still a difference between the north and the south of Vietnam
• Legacy of communism
• Opening up to capitalist system, capitalist economy in communist system
• Still predominately agricultural poor country in terms of GDP/capita
• Huge difference between the two cores and the rest of the country
• Economic development roughly 5-10%/year
• Still struggling with the legacy of the war, and previous colonial war of independence
• Biggest thing holding Vietnam back is population almost 100 million people
Malaysia
• Two provinces
• Multireligious/national country
• Core of the country is on the western side of the mainland
• Capital city called the KL____
• Whole country doing pretty well economically
• Similar to gov form of Thailand, constitutional monarchy
• Few military coups
• Affluence and economic development
• Agricultural country
• Subsistence agriculture-rice based
• More and more commercialized
• Urbanizing
• Equatorial country
• Wet seasons
Singapore
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City state about 10 million people
Very developed country
Similar in form to Hong Kong
Independent from Malaysia since 1965
Multiethnic
Government=authoritarian, but business-friendly
SE asias chief port, financial and commercial hub
GNP per capita over US$35,000
Comparable GDP to European
¾ Chinese
Chinese Buddhists dominate instead of muslim
Cant be classified as democracy
Extremely clean city
Now very modern and developed
Would not be served if your hair was longer than shoulder (men), and you wouldn’t be served if you
were shirtless (1970s), guy started spray painting cars, got caught, locked up- punishment= 50 lashes
with a bamboo stick on the bum, gets kicked out of country
People willing to put up with stricter laws for higher standard of living and healthy
90% urbanization roughly attributed to high standard of living
Largest muslim country shia
13 000 islands, majority of population spread over 4 islands
strong colonial legacy
Blend of democracy and dictatorship
One island dominant= not largest in area, half population lives on that island –java, core of indonesida,
Jakarta capital city= 15 million people
Volcanos, tectonically active area
12 month growing season- densely settled and high production
Growing rapidly economically
Benefited from tourism, rice agriculture, one of the major oil exporting countries in the world
Population pressure is a serious problem
Developing country
Rather low standard of living, countryside subsistence peasants
Government trying to alleviate population pressures be encouraging migration from java to other less
populated islands
November 18th 2013
East Asia
• One of the most important regions of the world
• Two dominant nations: Japan and China
• China is similar in size and latitude to the united states, distribution of climatic regions, not entirely.
China does not have western coast*
• US= 400 million, China= 1.3 Billion
• The pacific rim: economic dragons: south korea, Taiwan, hong kong (part of the PRC)
• A throwback to Stalinism: North Korea
• Topography: China- mountain barriers around the periphery- western and northern china-deserts (takla
makan, gobi) – japan: generally mountainous (always had population/resource pressures)
• Country of contrast (china)- core= north chian plain (lower chain of yellow river)
• Gobi desert: eastern most extenstion of desert belt that originates in sahara, across middle east, into
south east asia, on to china to takla makan desert in the west and then gobi desert.= sparsely
populated
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Highest mountain plateau in world Tibet- Seezghan, plateau created same time as Himalayas
NE Afghanistan mountains/china border
Southern and southwestern china= highland country as oppose to lowland area that dominates the east
near pacific ocean
One of largest rivers in the world- one of the biggest dams in the world (supplies roughly 13% OF
China’s electrical supply)
In eastern margins (along pacific coast--The pacific rim: the ring of fire, 3 tectonic plates, significant
tectonic and volcanic activity
China’s economy is booming
Writing introduced in china 2000-2500 BC
Japan= largest number of earthquakes year to year
Tokyo 30 million people ? one of largest urban areas in the world…right in the midst of tectonic
activities*
A lot of volcanoes
Climate: generally temperate (mid-latitude/humid or subtropical climates) monsoon influences in
eastern china, japan*. China: most important similarities with the united states. Western China:
highlands, mid-latitude desert. Eastern China: a latitudinal zonation of climatic patterns
CHINA=C-Type Climate, south eastern chunk where a huge portion of population lives
Yangzi river valley in southern china, ~90% of population lives (C-climate)
Monsoon influences and patterns in china different? to patterns in india etc. wet season, dry season.
Monsoon asia =60% of worlds population
Western china in to the interior= dry climate, more continental, arid, semi desert and desert area (Btype climate), H= unclassified Highlands
West and southwest= mountain areas
US and China, gets more dry as you move west
South to north= more continental and harsher, huge differences between winter and summer
Siberia~ northernmost part of china, very warm summers, but harsh winters
Population: worlds largest and most populous cluster, almost 1.5 billion in total, two distinct
concentrations Japan and China
China
o Eastern ½ of china- “west china” over 1 billion, dry china in the west
o In major river plains and valleys, along the coast
o Han Chinese: over 90% of the total
o Minorities along the fringes
o High rural densities, up to 1000 pers/km2
o urbanization over 30% rapidly increasing
o one child policy annual growth down to under 1% (1978?)
o Beijing to the south and around there is one of the most densely populated areas and best area
for agriculture*, very fertile soils
o Yangzhi river, valleys and plains very very fertile
o NESW dividing line, wet china vs. dry china
o Seechewan? Basin, very fertile area
o Tibet- sparsely populated
o 70% of population still lives in the countryside, maybe closer to 50% now. Areas in the west
along the coast= area of most economic development and growth (and population)
o Shanghai, hong kong, Beijing= some of the most progressive areas in the world
o Shanghai= mouth of yangzhi river, east china sea coast, largest city in china and in the world15 million people? Booming city
o Growing by 800,000/year
o Shang zhen= fishing village 70’s, small town , now= 8million people***
o Very rapid urbanization attributed to economic growth
o Mandarin roughly 50 million people
Cantonese spoken mainly in south eastern part of china, both Chinese languages, can’t speak
one if you speak the other, but you can sort of understand
Japan- 125 million. Negative growth, rapidly aging
World’s longest life expectancy- over 80 years for both men and women
Over 80% urban
The world’s second largest economy until recently (currently third)
Still huge difference between china and japan
Japan- developed country, population is stable
Non-existent immigration to japan
Automated jobs, robots
Japan still way ahead of china
Japan was totally destroyed after WWII
Core of japan- concentration of industry, economic activity, largest cities, highest population,
urbanization= east coast japan
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Regionalization of East Asia
1) China proper- the eastern ½ of China, concentration of population and economic activity, and a bit
of central but mainly coastal, pacific rim region
2) Tibet (Xizang)- a high mountain plateau, southern west, borders northern india, preservation of local
culture has been threatened by Chinese presence
3) Xinjiang- the western frontier region, transition to central asia, north west, different from china
proper in terms of ethnicity and religion, distinctly different area of china from rest of the country
4) Mongolia- a buffer between Russia and china, second oldest communist country in the world
(1920s) regime collapsed for same reason it did in eastern Europe, more orientated towards china.
Natural resources- metals
5) The jakota triangle- centered on japan, a dynamic region of economic prosperity- Benelux
similarities of name: Ja-japan, Ko Korea (south), Ta Taiwan- Taiwan become one of the most
affluent counties in the world. Economic cores. One of the most prosperous regions in the world…
not part of it: North Korea- isolated
China: Historical Geography
Longest continueous history in the world, started in early second millennium BC, history more than
4000 years old
Invention of writing in early second millennium 1800-1700 BC
Associations with other early civilizations in the world
Hydro-civilizations- based on major rivers
Shang (1766-1080 BC) the first organized political entity, north china plain
Han (206 BC- 220 AD): ancient china’s “golden age”-Well established bureaucracy and imperial
administration, economic expansion, agricultural growth
Tang and Sung (618-1279): medieval china- peak when Europe was in decline (dark ages after fall of
roman empire, time of recession, primitive agriculture), this was one of highlights of chinese history,
expanded tremendously, best organized and best run country in the world
HAN , TANG AND SUNG=most prosperous dynasties
Yuan (13-14th centuries): mongol control* expansion, created the largest land based empire that the
world has every known, took control of political affairs of china
Ming (14th-17th centuries)- china prosperous again
Qing/ Manchu (1644-1911) gradual loss of power and territory
Forbidden City in Beijing, very wealthy*
Ruled Vietnam, Burma, areas lost when china became a republic
A republic-1911:decades of turmoil, elected non-hereditary head of state
The civil war: nationalists (the cool min tang? Party, organized by “father of china” sun yut sen?- leader,
kiyan kai shec) vs. the communists (communist Victory 1949) dominated political affairs of the country
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The “long March”
Japanese expansion and WWII (1931-1945)- japan became a superpower of the region and started to
expand abroad by conquest, 1910 occupied Korea, 1930s spilled over into china. By late 1930s japan
was able to conquer north east china and establish colonial rule, public state Manchuria?
Japanese had superior quality and quantity of military
Eastern china was occupied by japan for 1.5 decades?
The People’s Republic of China
• 1949: defeat of the nationalists (Kuomintang)
• PRC vs. Taiwan
• 1950s: a soviet style communist system established, Mao Zedong in charge
• Late 1950s: the “great leap forward”- policy introduced, attempt to overcome the backwardness of
China, agrarian, need to improve industrial development
• Early 1960s: a rift with the soviet union- become competitor, soviets refused to share their nuclear
secrets with the Chinese, Soviet internally had changed, China still “Stalinist”, USSR somewhat
revisionist? Chinese radicalism, developments needed to be sped up
• 1966-1972: the “cultural revolution”
• Mao dies in 1976: a power struggle ensues, the reformists win (Deng Xiaoping)
• Taiwan nationalist government and the people’s republic of china run by Mao Zedong* two
governments, at UN, China represented by government from Beijing
• Early 1980s and now- huge transformation, predominately peasant, agricultural economy, now it is
fastest growing, second largest economy in the world*
• Development since the late 1970s
o Economic opening up of china
o The “four modernizations” a major economic revival- opening up of china – modernization of
industry, agriculture, military, trade- the whole economy*
o New economic policy: capitalist economy, Communist political control
o A significant and rapid economic growth- hasn’t happened throughout entire country equally,
mainly Eastern, Pacific Coast urbanization
o Rise in living standards
o One child policy to control population growth- now has stable population
o Establishment of so called special economy zones (SEZ): tax breaks, export incentives, foreign
investment- along the coast and coastal provinces from north Korea/Russian border to southern
area near Vietnam= where economic development is happening*, constantly expanding
o 14 “open” cities, open coastal areas: Shanghai dominant
o Sichuan basin= spectacular economic growth (more mainland)
o More privatization, establishment of new modern industry, still great deal of state ownership
November 25 2013
• China: Coastal zones standard of living is incredibly higher than in the mainland
• Western impoverished in comparison to the east
• Levels of urbanization as way to gauge standard of living
• Western interior most of population lives on countryside
• Huge gap between east and west
• Economic growth applied mostly to east*
• NW CHINA= Islamic, eastern: secular in urban areas, china= predominantly Buddhist
• Free market economy is doing quite well in the east as opposed to the west
• economic affairs in eastern= capitalist market, open to the West
• west= communist control, closed to the West, lack of funds for improvement
• Present day china= economically “two countries in one”
• Significant differences in development and living standards between coastal areas and the interior
persist
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A large urban-rural gap
800 million peasants 400 million urban dwellers
Population control goal: stabilize by 2050 at 1.3 billion
Problems of social dislocation, changes in china have been happening way too rapidly, the people
haven’t had a chance to adjust to the situation, the younger people in urban areas= recent immigrants
from countryside, traditional china values
Environmental destruction, pollution problemsair pollution, out of the ten most polluted cities in the
world, 7 are in China***
Beijing second largest city in china, put in restrictions on automobiles allowed to enter city center, shut
down factories in surrounding area, intense smog*
Chong Hing one of largest cities in interior, air was very thick
Soil erosion, deforestation in china is a big problem, loss of agricultural land, water pollution…all about
growth and development
Biggest emitter of carbon in the world
Has over 10 cities over 1 million
Coal production in china is the highest in the world
Oil and gas being produced, not sufficiently to satisfy domestic demand (most along coast)
Not exactly poor when it comes to energy resources
XIANGGANG=HONG KONG, GUANGZHOU= another big city in GUANGDONG PROVINCE
JAPAN
• Population 125 million
• Descended from a mongoloid stock
• Slightly negative population growth
• Highly homogenous ethnically and linguistically
• Problems of overcrowding and underdevelopment, population vs. space
• Strong Chinese cultural influences
• China USED to be bigger economy but japan just took over in dominance
• Empire established in early 2nd millennium: shoguns
• Number of children per family around 1
• Trying to solve problem of population decline
• 70% of world total industrial robots in their industry
• Distinct Japanese culture
• Immigration minimized/almost non-existent
• 98% ethnic Japanese*
• Government has not considered immigration as a solution to population decline problem
• Estimated by middle of century japan will shrink to 110 million
• *better problem to have than out of control population growth
• Japan has had a problem with overdevelopment and the small amount of space
• Lack of agricultural land/ overdevelopment for the space that is available
• Industrial development has been done at the expense of agricultural land
• Country is rather poor of natural resources, particularly in enegery resources…one of biggest importers
of oil from Indonesia,____, and middle east
• Busiest interactions between japan and middle east
• Japan, history= much shorter than china
• Written history only goes back about 1300 years, by that time china had been a superpower for
hundreds of years
• Resemblance of Chinese and Japanese characters (alphabet)
• Hard to travel through japan if you don’t have anyone with you that speaks Japanese
• Japan after WWII, complete destruction after 1945, Americans established their regime in japan, didn’t
want to abolish the monarchy, the emperor was considered a war criminal, knew that if they replaced it
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with a republic they would never be able to pacify japan. Emperor is like a semi-god, japan Is still a
constitutional monarchy- called a “diet”
Japan had been isolated until middle 19th century, Portuguese 1540s limited contact
Shoguns= conservative warriors
Tokugawa Shogunate- early 17th century, isolation
A gradual opening up mid 1800s
The Meiji Restoration 1868
o The beginning of rapid modernization, the fall of the shogunate, feudalism abolished in 1877,
limited democracy, leading role of military (military figures making all the decisions)= rapid
industrialization: Japan a world economic and military power by the early 1900s. Theoretically
they were putting the emperor as leader of country as opposed to shogun rule, but emperor still
in background because power was in hands of the reformers* of military and aristocracy
Osaka= second most populated city in Japan
Territorial expansion prior to WWII- Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), Sakhalin, Kurile Islands (north area, near
Korea), Manchuria, Coastal China
Reasons for expansion- desire for world power status, access to raw materials for exoanding industries,
new markets for Japanese industrial products
WWII: conquest of eastern China, SE Asia, western Pacific (1941-1945)
The defeat: the U.S occupation (1945-1953)
Pearl Harbour, December 1941- could not compete with economic and military power of United States,
tried to avoid it*
The Post War “Economic Miracle”
o The power of the military broken, a parliamentary democracy established, a constitutional
democracy
o The original impetus for economic growth: the Korean War
o Extensive U.S financial aid
o Free access to the U.S markets and technology
o Originally low-wage economy
o U.S restricted Japanese military growth
o Japanese recovery program was opened up, because of the availability of the American market
to the Japanese, took full advantage* to rebuild the devastated economy
o Emphasis on technical education
o Long range economic planning
o Economic growth averaging up to 10% a year from the 1950s to the 1980s
o The strongest growth: textiles (1950), electronics and automobiles (1960s) , computers and
robotics (1970s and 1980s)
o 1990s: a significant slowing down: “the bubble bursts” – speculative growth in sticks and real
estate prices, a near collapse by 1990s in real estate values
o A relatively slow economic growth since the 1990s
o Overall result Japans economy the second largest in the world until 2010 (now third)
o Economy=more regulated than other capitalist economies
o Labour costs of the rest of the world caught up with Japan, a lot of industries had to be
outsourced
o Toyota= largest car manufacturing in the world, Japanese company
Other East Asian Countries
• South Korea
o One of the economic “dragons” of East Asia
o Rapid economic expansion since the 1970s
o Nominally a democracy, with authoritarian tendencies
o Supported by U.S
• North Korea
o A rigid, Stalinist communist dictatorship
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o Isolated, economically backward
o Soviet and Chinese client state
Taiwan
o Controlled by Kuomintang since 1948
o An economic “dragon”- similar to South Korea
o The standard of living approaching MDC levels
November 29
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South Korea population= 2x North Korea
GDP/cap= 40,000, close to Japan and Western Europe/North American companies
N/S Korea border= most heavily guarded border in the world
South Korea- good agriculture, support of US, Problem= North Korea
Seoul= roughly 30km from North Korean border
Since the Korean war and WWII- first hot war of cold war, started by NK attacking SK, June 1950
South Korea= pulling ahead affluence, economic development and wealth, GDPrapidly
Soeul= Northern area of SK, where economic development occurs
NK= communist, Stalinist dictatorship established in 1945, same family 3rd generation
Kim Il Sung still president, died in 1994..monarchy, one family rule, hereditary, father to son
One of the largest military forces in the world, 1.2 million soldiers, population= 25 million
National budget, 25% towards military, secret police, network of labor camps similar to soviet gulag and
nazi concentration camps
Taiwan
• Coast of east china, since 1949= government of China in place since
• Taiwanese government calls itself part of PRC- Peoples Republic of China
• Done very well, standard of living- similar to South Korea
• South Korea, Taiwan, Japan= wealthiest counties in East Asia
• Taiwan= more integrated into China economic developments, investments, mainland Chinese and
Taiwan investments back and forth
• PRC considers Taiwan rogue province that will once again be a part of China
• Support/ protection of Taiwan by US
• Independent country- declaration of independence not formally declared
• China threatens to invade in Taiwan separates from China
• Core= in the north, interior= mountainous
• Taipei= capital, core= very modern
• Earthquakes, tectonic activity, volatile island, tropical typhoons/hurricanes
• The Jakota Triangle= Japan, South Korea, Taiwan= very prosperous area
• East coast of china becoming part of jakota, whole east= economic sphere
Australia and New Zealand
• Similar to Canada political background, economies, cultural etc..not climate
• Anglo saxon culture- british colonialism
• Relatively remote from world population and economic centers
• British style parliamentary political system
• Low ration of population vs. resources (lots of resources)
• Marked coastal population concentration and development
Australia
• Oceanic environment dominates Australieas populated fringes and new Zealand
• Highly urbanized societies
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Economically advanced
Primary industries important increasing economic integration into “Pacific Rim” economic zone
Densely settled on Eastern Coast and south east, then a cluster near pert on south west coast
NZ= mid latitude and oceanic, similar climate to central and southern japan and UK, doesn’t have cold
winter areas, milder in NZ
80% of population lives in urban areas
Aussie= more dependent of export of raw materials, primary industries= important agrictultural society
Agricultural areas and resources- Aussie does not have a lot of energy*, imports most oil and gas from
Indonesia, Brunai and Middle East
December 2, 2013
Australia
• Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide (Population centers, in order)
• Territory v s. state- northern territory of Australia
• Topography- a vast, dry, plain-like interior, a mountainous eastern fringe (Australian alps-dividing range)
• Central/western lowland, stable tectonics
• Climate
o Warm, arid climates prevalent- precipitation levels vary across Australia*Western/central
Australia= desert** driest continent in the world
o An arid continent with an incomplete humid fringe
o B-type interior: hot desert, semi-arid grassland, majority of continent
o Mediterranean: SW and south central coasts
o Tropical monsoon: roughly north of 20 deg S
o West tropical: NE coast
o Subtropical: SE coast, warm climates dominate the continent
o C climate around periphery
o A climate in north (small area) tropical climate with distinct dry and wet seasons, monsoon
area, seasons reversed compared to northern hemisphere
o NE= Coral Sea
o Limited agricultural potential, best along fringes (where most population lives), best for irrigationGreat Artesian Basin, just west of the mountains, two rivers*originate in the mountains
• Historical Geography
o First aborigines- about 55,000 years ago from SE Asia
o First European- Abel Tasman in the mid-1600s (no settlement attempted) Dutch explorer, never
landed*
o Captain Arthur Philip- 1788: a British penal colony along the SE coast (Botany Bay- now a part
of Sydney), criminals settled there^
o Inland penetration during the 1800s
o Separate colonies established in 1861
o 1901- independence: Commonwealth of Australia- still connected to Britain, British
parliamentary system, similar to Canada*
o Canberra- the capital city by 1927
o By the late 1900s: a republican movement
• Immigration- until early 1970s- “White Australia” policy, only immigrants from Europe, Caucasians
were omitted to Australia, racist. Opens up to general immigration after 1970ssince then there has
been a significant Asian immigration
• Aborigines still isolated, some assimilated, minority, distinct race, remote areas of Australia
• Sydney always been largest city, more than Melbourne
• Australia= constitutional monarchy, more than half the population are in favour of getting rid of the
monarchy to be a republic, presumably elect a president*
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Referendum 1999- would you late to keep the political state or break ties with Britain and create a
republic? Similar to Quebec referendum 1995, 50.5% voted for retaining monarchy, 49.5% for creating
republic…now increased support for republic*
Low natural increase of population, growth fueled by immigration
7/10 most poisonous snakes in the world are indigenous to Australia
Australia’s Sub-Regions
The Dry Interior (The Outback)
o Over 70% of Australia’s territory
o Arid, hot, sparsely populated
o Desert- west, centre; semi-arid grassland elsewhere
o Murray- darling river system
Tropical Monsoon North
o Wet summers, dry winters
o Sparsely settled: poor agricultural potential
The Humid Eastern Fringe
o The core: concentration of population and economy
o Two competing metropolises: Sydney, Melbourne
Australia is an exporter of Wheat
New Zealand
• About 5 million people
• Most remote country in the world
• Distinctly British heritage, outside of the UK, most British country in the world
• 1,600 km SE of Australia
• Two principle islands, North and South
• Topography- generally rugged landscape, mountainous, South Island: Southern Alps- peaks over
3,500m
• Climate- Marine West Coast (a mid-latitude maritime climate) sub tropical
• Similar to Great Britain, U.S Pacific Northwest (little warmer because it is closer to the equator)
• H-type in the southern highlands
• Auckland- 1.2 million people? Largest city north Island
• Capital city= Wellington 400,000 people
December 4, 2013
• Historical Geography
o First settled approximately 1,500 years ago
o No evidence of permanent settlement before the 9th century A.D
o Successive waves of Polynesian immigrants from 11th-18th centuries
o Relatively advanced Maori society by the 1700s
o First European contacts: Tasman 1642, Zealand= provinces in Netherlands, New Zeeland, then
became anglicised Zealand
o First European to land: James Cook 1769, British Explorer
o Since the late 1700s- colonization, mainly from Great Britain
o British sovereignty in 1840: beginning of main European immigration waves (the Waitangi
Treaty: the peace between the British and the Maoris- entitled to their land etc. but the British
would take sovereignty, would become a British colony) Maoris did not accept British, very
reluctant
o Present: a constitutional monarchy
• Population and settlement
o Total population over 4 million
o North Island- 75% of the population
Over 75% urban, very important agriculture focus, main economic pursuit of NZ, food
processing industry
o Roughly 85% of European ancestry, mainly British
o Maoris- the native population, about 12%
o Heritage and background, similar to Australia
o Auckland the dominant urban centre (1.1 million- the only “true” metropolis”)
o Christchurch- the largest centre on South Island
The Economy
o Agriculture: the main economic activity
o Animal husbandry and related industries
o Dairy farming
o Sheep- over 70 million, both islands
o A large beef cattle industry
o Two-thirds of the production exported
o One of the most productive and efficient agricultural systems in the world
o Refrigeration***
o One of the highest standard of living in the world
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Pacific Oceania
• Islands of the pacific ocean
• 99% water, tropical ocean
• Equatorial environment
• Islands close to the equator, Hawaiian islands, to tropic of Capricorn, most uniform climatic regime
anywhere in the world, Af type, A-type, no difference in weather throughout the year
• Sun, clouds, rain, wet equatorial climate
• Not as humid, like the congo/amazon…due to the sea breezes, tropical paradise
• Largest overall area*, not population or land
• Polynesia= greek= many islands
• Marshall islands, guam? Most dependent on US economically
• Papua New Guinea= 8 million people, largest land
• Melanesia- darkest skin population in pacific
December 6, 2013
• A typical island
• Population around 130,000
• Area around 2,000 km2
• An ex-colony of European powers (France-New Caledonia(rich in nickel),Tahiti, Bora Bora, Polynesia,
Melanesia) or remain under their power
• Dependent on foreign aid* without most of the republics would not be economically sufficient
(Micronesia, marshall islands, Guam) American military presence and financial support is vital to the
survival and well-being of those islands- strategic presence
• Economies
o Export of indigenous products
o Export of mineral resources: copper, gold, nickel
o Export of plantation crops: copra, sugar, pineapples, coconuts
o Dependence on foreign aid critical (mainly military)
o Recent rapid growth of tourism* French Polynesia, Fiji
• Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands
• Most islands uninhabited
• Physical Geography
• Two distinct island types
o High islands- larger volcanic origin
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o Low islands- a volcanic base, coral formation above water
Climate
o Totally dominated by the tropical ocean
o Equatorial (Af) climate prevalent
o Minimal diurnal and seasonal temperature differences
o Adequate precipitation throughout the year
o Trade winds on both sides of the equator
NE/SE Trades- winds
European Colonization and Exploration
o Origins of indigenous inhabitants: SE Asia, around 3,000 BC
o First European explorers: Portuguese (Magellan), Spanish- early 1500s
o 17th 18th centuries: Dutch (Tasman), French (La Perousse), British (Cook)
o Early European control only minimal: whalers, traders
o A gradual penetration- weakening of the indigenous cultures
o Last 30 years: a gradual process of de-colonization
o France: the most resistant
Melanesia- biggest islands of the pacific, south east, north of Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Britain
o Greek: “black islands”
o Dark skinned indigenous inhabitants
o By far the largest (in total land area) and most populous island group
o Papua New Guinea: the largest pacific island country, linguistically diverse: over 700 distinct
languages spoken, English spoken (modified by other languages- Pigeon English?) great
mineral wealth, copper and gold
o Solomon Islands, Vanuatu (New Hebrides south east of melanesia): undeveloped
o New Caledonia: a French protectorate, rich in nickel
o Fiji: 50% Melanesians, 45% east Indians (sugar plantation labour force)
Micronesia
o Greek: “tiny islands”
o Island groups- mariana islands, marshall islands, federated states of Micronesia, Nauru one of
the richest islands (natural resource- phosphate mining- birds poop), Kiribati
o Largely small, coral islands (guam:the largest)
o Before WWII: the Japanese mandate
o Now largely independent politically, but dependent on the U.S economically
o Main economic activities: copra, fishing, tourism
o Foreign aid critical
Polynesia
o Greek: many islands
o Boundary: Hawaii easter island- new Zealand
o Larger in total area than Melanesia and Micronesia combined
o A number of distint island groups, widely dispersed
o Principal island groups: tonga (a monarchy), American (U.S) and Western Samoa, Cook Islands
(NZ), French Polynesia (society islands, Tahiti)
o Polynesians: lighter skinned than melanesians