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The Physical Features of Asia
Chapter 24, Section 1
Long-Term Learning Targets
I can describe the differences in
population density around different
parts of East Asia (lowlands,
deserts, coasts, highlands and
mountains.)
I can explain the reasons for the
population distribution of Southwest
and Central Asia.
Supporting Learning Targets
I can describe the physical
processes that shaped the
continent of Asia.
I can list the best places and
landforms for people to live near in
Asia.
I can describe why Asians prefer to
live by these landforms.
Setting the Scene
Two hundred million
years ago, the land now
called the Indian
subcontinent was
attached to the east
coast of Africa.
Then the subcontinent
shifted and cracked
apart, creeping toward
Asia at one inch a year.
Setting the Scene
About 40 million years
ago the Indian
subcontinent collided
with Asia, crumpling the
land where they met to
form the Himalayan
Mountains.
The Himalayas contain
the tallest peaks in the
world and scientists
estimate they continue
to grow 2 inches a year.
Mountain Beginnings
• The two most
important rivers of
Central Asia, the
Ganges and the
Indus, begin high in
the Himalaya
Mountains.
• The Ganges flows
across northern India
while the Indus runs
westward from the
mountains into the
country of Pakistan.
Mountain Beginnings
• The Ganges and Indus carry minerals from the
mountains and make the Indian plains fertile
enough to support a huge population.
Rivers in the Dry World
• The regions of
Southwest and Central
Asia are nicknamed
“The Dry World”
because they contain
some of the largest
deserts on earth.
• There are several
deserts larger than the
state of Texas in Asia,
like the Rub al-Khali
and the Gobi.
Powerful Physical Processes
• Though there are few plants
in most of the dry world,
some of the most fertile soil
in the world lies along the
Ural, Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers in West Asia.
• Because this is the only
fertile land in the area, most
of the people in the area live
in these river valleys.
• These rivers also provide
important transportation
corridors.
East Asia
• Natural forces also shaped
the islands of Japan as
earthquakes forced some
parts of the earth to rise and
some to sink.
• Erupting volcanoes piled up
mountains of lava and ash,
forming new mountains.
• Most islands in the Pacific
are the tops of underwater
volcanoes.
Life Giving Rivers
• East Asia has many
rivers which provide
both water and
transportation.
• In China, the Yangtze
River flows nearly
4,000 miles to the
South China Sea and
is the only river in
East Asia that is deep
enough for cargo
ships to sail on.
Life Giving Rivers
• More than
400 million
people live
along the
banks of the
Huang He,
which runs
through a
fertile region
called the
North China
Plain.
Geography and Population
• The population of East Asia is not
spread evenly across the land
because few people live in the deserts
or mountains.
• Yet almost 1.5 billion people live in
East Asia.
• This means the population density of
the lowland and coastal areas is very
high.
Geography and Population
• In East Asia, level ground is scarce and must
be shared by cities, farms and industries.
• Almost ½ of the population is crowded into less
than 3% of the region.
• Much of China’s population is located along its
east coast.
Geography and Population
• Although East
Asia is largely
rural (and ¾ of its
people live in the
country) some of
the worlds largest
cities are located
there.
• In Japan, 80% of
the people live in
cities.
Mainland Southeast Asia
• The nations of mainland
Southeast Asia are
Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar and Thailand.
• The region is 1/5th the size
of the U.S. and covered
with forested mountains.
• Most people in Southeast
Asia live by growing crops
in narrow river valleys.
Humans and the Physical Environment
Chapter 24, Section 2
Muhammad bin Abdallah
Al Shaykh raises crops on
what was once desert land
in Saudi Arabia.
After digging a 600 footdeep well, Muhammad had
to plant date trees and
alfalfa to keep the soil
rooted and protected from
the desert heat and winds.
When all of this was
finally done, Muhammad
was able to plant more
sensitive crops like
tomatoes, cucumbers and
corn.
Setting the Scene
Adapting to Harsh Conditions
• Southwest Asia is a place of
climate extremes. Its
summers are incredibly hot
and its winters are bitterly
cold.
• Even in a single day, the
temperature can change
drastically.
• This is because Southwest
Asia is one of the largest dry
regions on the earth.
Adapting to Harsh Conditions
• In Southwest Asia
there is very little
arable land (land
that can produce
crops) for farming.
• However, most
workers in
Southwest Asia
work on farms and
agriculture is very
important to the
region.
Adapting to Harsh Conditions
• There are many
obstacles to farming in
Southwest Asia.
• Most of the soil is not
fertile
• In many places there
is not enough water to
farm.
• In other places,
mountains make
farmland uneven and
rocky.
The Influence of Climate
• Climate affects life in
East Asia much more
than it does here. A
good example is the
Huang He, or Yellow
River.
• The Huang He runs
through a fertile region
of Asia called the North
China Plain.
The Influence of Climate
• The North China Plain, one of
the most fertile regions of
China, is covered with deposits
of brownish-yellow soil.
• The river picks up the soil from
its banks and takes on a
brownish-yellow color.
• The river is nicknamed
“China’s Sorrow” because it’s
banks often overflow during
monsoon season and
devastates the surrounding
lands.
The Influence of Climate
• Monsoons are
winds that blow
across Asia at
certain times of
the year.
• Because they
greatly change the
area’s weather,
Monsoons
strongly influence
the climate of East
Asia.
The Influence of Climate
• In the summer, Pacific winds
blow west toward Asia. They
bring hot, humid weather and
heavy rain.
• In the winter, the winds come
from the opposite direction
and bring cool, dry air to
Asia.
• These winter monsoons can
cause intense dust storms
and, if they cross the ocean,
they can cause downpours
and blizzards.
Stormy Asia
• The monsoons in Asia
provide water for half of
the world’s population
and affect everyday life.
• Students in India start school in June when the
rain is falling and have vacations during the
stiflingly hot weeks when it would be too hard to
concentrate in class.
• Mudslides from the mountains can also destroy
entire villages and strip the land of its trees.
Stormy Asia
• Much of
Southeast
Asia has a
tropical wet
climate and is
covered with
rain forests.
• Winter winds there blow across the South China
Sea and pick up moisture, which then rains down
upon the area.
• Again, the rain is a mixed blessing. The hills are
lush, but crowded with vegetation. Oftentimes,
monsoon winds and rain destroy property.