South, Southeast, and East Asia Physical Geography

South, Southeast, and East Asia Physical Geography

Mountains A. B. C. Mountains are important in Asia because they influence: Population patterns Movement of people and goods Climate

Himalaya Mountains The most important mountain range in Asia is the Himalaya Mountains. The Himalayas separate India from China. The Himalayas block clouds that are formed by monsoons from entering Western China. The Himalayas isolate Tibet and make transportation difficult.

Mount Everest The highest point in the Himalayas Everest is 29,035 feet high Over 60 million years old There are 18 different climbing routes It takes 40 days to reach the summit to allow your body to adjust to the high altitude.

Mountains A. B. C. D. Some other mountains in Asia are: The Hindu-Kush The Eastern and Western Ghats in India The Tian Shan Mountains Mount Fuji in Japan

Hindu Kush Mountains The name Kush, which means death, was probably given to the mountains because of the dangerous passes between the peaks. Some of these high-altitude passes were used by Alexander the Great and others in their invasions of India. The mountains have permanently glaciated peaks and little vegetation.

The Eastern and Western Ghats in India Two mountain ranges forming the eastern and western edges, respectively, of the peninsula of India. Eastern Ghats have a gentle slope Western Ghats have steeper elevations with many swiftly flowing rivers and waterfalls.

Tian Shan Mountains Also called Tien Shan, Celestial Mountains or Heavenly Mountains Length of 1,553 miles from east to west Stretches through 4 countries China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

Fuji Mountains Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan at 12,388 ft. The mountain is located on the island of Honshu and it is considered sacred by Shintos. An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707 08 Mt. Fuji is noted to be one of the most symmetrical in nature

Plateaus and Uplands Most of Western China is on a plateau called the Plateau of Tibet. Farther north is the Mongolian Plateau. The Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Islands are both very mountainous.

Plateau of Tibet Also referred to as the Tibetan Plateau Highest plateau in the world Average elevation of 16,000 ft Nicknames The roof of the world The third pole Asian water tower Covered with glaciers, lakes, rivers, grasslands & fertile farmland

Mongolian Plateau Cover approximately 1,000,000 sq miles Is made up of the Gobi Desert and Steppe (raised farmland) Shared between Mongolia China Russia

Korean Peninsula & Japanese Islands Korean Peninsula 70% is covered with mountains Highest mountains are found in the north and east Active volcano Baekdu Mountain (9,002 ft) - lies on the border between North Korea and China Japanese Islands Covered with mountains most heavily forested Only 15% of Japan is suitable for farmland which is also where most people can live.

Rivers and Bodies of Water Many rivers in Asia start in the Himalaya Mountains. Rivers erode away the mountains and carry sediment (little bits of dirt) down to the flat plains at the base of the mountains. The sediment makes the soil by the rivers fertile and a good place to farm.

Rivers and Bodies of Water A. B. C. The most important rivers in South Asia are: The Indus The Ganges The Brahmaputra

Rivers and Bodies of Water The Ganges and Brahmaputra start in the Himalayas and flow into the Bay of Bengal. Both rivers flow through Bangladesh and as a result, this country often floods during the monsoon season.

The Ganges Is about 1,557 miles long & 200 to 400 miles wide The Ganges river basin has the highest population of any river basin in the world containing over 400 million people! Is considered sacred by Hindus

The Ganges Hindus build temples on the banks of the Ganges River. One city, Varanasi, is considered sacred by Hindus and the focal point of pilgrimages. Hindus often pray in the water and when they die many are cremated and the ashes cast into the river.

The Ganges The Ganges River has become one of the most polluted rivers in the world due to: A. Pesticides and fertilizers that spill into the river. B. Chemicals and metals from factories. C. Raw sewage D. Human use

Varanasi on the Ganges River

Brahmaputra river One of the biggest and most important rivers in Asia It flows over a course of 1,800 mi through China India Bangladesh The Brahmaputra is considered the fifth strongest river in the world

Indus River Pakistan s longest river 1,988 mi long Provides water for agriculture, food production and supports industry Also serves as main source of drinking water for people

The Rivers of China China has three major rivers that begin in the Himalayas and flow into the East China Sea or Yellow Sea. River Chinese Name Yellow River Huang He Yangtze River Chang Jiang West or Pearl River Xi Jiang

The Rivers of China The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers flow through an area that is flat in elevation called the North China Plain. This area has intensive farming and the two rivers are connected by The Grand Canal.

Chang Jiang River (Yangtze) Longest river in both China & Asia 3rd longest river in the world Travels 3,915 miles Most important river in China Source Plateau of Tibet Mouth East China Sea

Huang He River (Yellow) 2nd longest river in China Travels 3,395 miles The type of dirt found here is called loess. It is a rich soil that is yellow in color and normally deposited by the wind. Source Plateau of Tibet Mouth Yellow Sea

The Yellow River

Xi Jiang River (West or Pearl) Travels 1,216 miles smaller than other rivers in China but delivers high volume of water The part of the river contains shells which are pearl colored. This is what gives the river its name Mouth South China Sea

Other Rivers of China Amur River Source: Great Khingan Mountains in Northern China Mouth: Sea of Japan. This river is also a border between China and Russia.

Rivers in Southeast Asia Mekong River The longest river in Southeast Asia. Source: Himalayas Mouth: South China Sea Flows through 4 countries China Laos Cambodia Vietnam

Bodies of Water Asia is surrounded by bodies of water. One important body of water is the Sea of Japan. Located between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. In Korea they refer to it as the East Sea.

Lake Baikal Located in Siberian Russia Deepest lake in the world 5,387 ft deep World s largest and oldest freshwater lake in the world One of the world s clearest and puriest bodies of water.

Bay of Bengal Is the largest bay in the world This bay forms the southern border of Asia

Deserts Asia s major deserts break the stereotype of rolling sand dunes radiating with heat and feature trees, plantations, mountains and occasional frost.

The Gobi Desert Gobi means waterless place The largest desert in this area is the Gobi Desert. Approximately 500,000 sq mi Shared between China & Mongolia 5th largest desert in the world Lies in a rain shadow of the Himalayas. Cold desert located on a plateau 3,000-5,000 ft in elevation Only 5% of desert is sand dunes Mostly made up of mountains,

Taklamakan Desert Known as Place of Ruins or Sea of Death Warmest & driest desert in China Less than ½ in of rainfall per year Covered mostly by sand dunes days are boiling hot nights are freezing cold One of China s natural borders

Karakum Desert Translation - Black Sand Covers 90% of the country of Turkmenistan Heavy winds and sandstorms create large sand dunes long, hot dry summers warm winters only 2.75-6 in of rainfall a year Some of the world s largest deposits of oil, natural gas and sulfur. Geological accident created the Door to Hell crater

Islands A. B. C. D. A group of islands is called an archipelago. There are many archipelagos in Asia such as: Japan Philippines Indonesia Maldives

Japan Phi lipp Maldives Indonesia ines

Maldives The islands are atolls, the tops of submerged volcanoes surrounded by coral reefs. The Maldives are located off of the southwest coast of India in the Indian Ocean. There are over 1200 small islands in the archipelago. Only 200 are inhabited

Taiwan Taiwan is a large island off of the coast of China. Taiwan used to be called Formosa by the Portuguese. The Democratic Republic of China is a country that is on the island. Some people just call the country Taiwan in order to avoid confusion.

Other Islands Some other major islands in Asia are: Taiwan Hainan Sri Lanka Singapore

Singapore Singapore is an island at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. The country of Singapore is located on the island and it has become very wealthy because it is on a strategic waterway, The Strait of Malacca.

Ring of Fire Part of Asia is on The Ring of Fire, an area around the Pacific Ocean where many tectonic plates meet. This area is at a greater risk for having earthquakes and active volcanoes. Parts of Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines are located on the ring of fire