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Question of the Day 3/23
• Turn your paper sideways and create this
chart in your notes. Take up the whole
page.
What I
know
about
East Asia
What I
would
like to
know
about
East Asia
What I
learned
today
about
East Asia
Intro to East Asia
Cy-Woods HS
EAST ASIA
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China
Japan
North Korea
South Korea
Mongolia
Taiwan
The region is over 3500 miles from north
to south. Geographically, this means the
region’s climate varies widely.
Houston’s
approx.
latitude
What area(s) is East Asia’s climate most
like in the U.S.?
The region is part of the most active fault lines on
Earth, the “Ring of Fire.”
Click
on
Map for
video
Physical Geography
• Flooding is a problem
with many of China’s
rivers
• Volcanic activity and
earthquakes also
shape the region
Click on photos for videos
– Earthquakes
– Tsunamis
Physical Geography
East Asia has various kinds of land features
Tian Shan Mtns
Gobi Desert
Japanese islands
Human-Environment Interaction
The Three Gorges Dam
•China’s largest construction
project
•Built on the Yangtze River
The Largest Dam in The World - YouTube
•
Positive Effects
– Controls flooding
– Generates electrical power
– Makes it easier for ships to reach interior China
•
Negative effects
– People forced to move
– Very expensive
– Land under water and animal habitats disappear
History
• In the 1300’s, the Silk Road opened a diffusion route
between Europe and the East. While the Europeans
found many goods that they wanted (silk especially,)
the Chinese found little they wanted from Europe.
Though their
culture turned
inward, the
Chinese
invented many
items that
diffused to the
West.
Gunpowder/fireworks
Printing (books)
Paper
Noodles
Compass
The Great Wall of China
• Built and maintained
from about 500 BC1600s
• Built to protect the
northern borders of
the Chinese Empire
against intrusions by
various nomadic
groups from the
north
• 5500 miles long!
Population
Cartogram
Japan is really about the size of California while China is
about the same size as the USA.
Population
• In many East Asian countries,
overcrowding is a problem.
• The population density is high,
particularly in Japan.
Population
• In China and Japan both,
the population must live
on less than 20% of the
total land area. Why?
– Mountains and
desserts
• How do they adapt?
– Build Up!
Population
Most megacities are in South and East Asia
The population issue in East Asia is critical, although
China and Japan have vastly different problems.
With over 1.3 billion people, China instituted a
“one baby” policy to reduce population growth.
Has it worked? What is a by-product of the
policy (see population pyramid.)
Population in Japan is shrinking so the government is
offering incentives for people to grow their families.
Some companies encourage shorter work hours, bonuses for new births and paying
for school. Why is it important for Japan to have a growing population?
Culture
Many of the
alphabets of East
Asia use a series of
symbols, or,
pictograms rather
than the letters
from which most
western languages
are created.
Culture
How do most East Asians still make a living?
•Subsistence farming
Most people still live in small farming villages.
Terrace farming
Culture
• Collectivist
cultures (Asia)
– Group is stressed over
the individual
– It is important to
preserve family honor
– Open expressions of
emotion are not
encouraged
– Education and learning
are highly valued
• Individualistic
cultures (U.S.)
– Stand up for what you
know is right
– Make decisions based
on what is best for you
Government and Economies
• Mao Zedong ruled China
from 1949 until the
1980’s as a strict
Communist country.
• His command economy
programs such as the
Cultural Revolution and
the Great Leap Forward
devastated the country,
killing millions.
• China continues to be a
communist country
today
While China still has a Communist government, their
economy has turned towards capitalism. Today they
are one of the largest exporters in the world.
The USA trade deficit with
China is over 200 billion
dollars (2005.)
Asian Tigers/Dragons
The term is used in
reference to the highly
free and developed
economies of Hong Kong,
Singapore, South Korea
and Taiwan.
South Korea
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Singapore
In 2013, the combined economy
of the Four Asian Tigers
constituted 3.81% of the
world's economy with a total
GDP of 2,366 billion U.S. dollars
Why so successful?
Each place has a history of
rapid industrialization,
strong export policies and
Confucianism that
places emphasis on a strong
work ethic.
Though China and North Korea are communist
nations, Japan and South Korea have strong
democracies and free market economies. Capitalism is
being introduced into the Chinese economy.
Emperor Akihito &
Empress Michiko of
Japan – a constitutional
monarchy
Japan has the second largest
economy in the world
Tokyo
Mt. Fuji
Many believe that the 21st century will be the
“Asian Century.”
(both South and East Asia)
Tokyo
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Seoul
Seoul