Chapter 26: The Physical Geography of East...
Transcript of Chapter 26: The Physical Geography of East...
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT—
East Asia and the United States are
important trading partners. Many
American companies manufacture
goods in East Asia, and East Asia
exports a variety of its own products to
the United States.When you go shop-
ping, notice the many items, ranging
from cars and computers to clothing
and furniture, that have been produced
in East Asia or that are made of prod-
ucts exported from the region.
To learn more about
East Asia and its impact on your
world, view the World Regions
video “East Asia.”
East AsiaEast Asia
World Regions Video
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Dancer in Hong Kong
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East Asia occupies much of the Asian mainland south of Russia. Chinatakes up four-fifths of this region.With the exception of Mongolia,the other East Asian countries—Japan, North Korea, South Korea, andTaiwan—all lie on peninsulas and islands.
Towering mountains, such as the Himalaya and the Kunlun Shan, domi-nate the region’s western landscape. Between these two ranges lies the
Plateau of Xizang, the world’s highest plateau.Two majorrivers—the Yellow and the Yangtze—begin on the plateauand flow down onto fertile plains in eastern China.
Vast East Asia encompasses great variety in climate andvegetation, from the subarctic forests of northern Mongoliato the tropical rain forests on China’s southernmost tip.Monsoons bring rain to coastal areas each summer, but themoist winds rarely reach the region’s deep interior. In thisarid heartland lie the parched and windswept Gobi andTaklimakan deserts.
What Makes East Asia a Region?
1 A snug coat warms a boy in thechill, high-elevation air of Tibet,an area in southwestern China.Often called the “roof of theworld,” Tibet is perched on thelofty Plateau of Xizang, alsoknown as the Plateau of Tibet.Valleys in Tibet are higher thanthe mountains of most countries.
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Ancient limestone hills risebehind a rafter on the Li River,in southeastern China. On theraft are two large birds calledcormorants, which are trainedto dive for fish. Rivers and seasare important sources of foodthroughout East Asia.
With frost on its fur, a Japanesemacaque snoozes in a hotspring. Also called snow mon-keys, Japanese macaques areadapted to the chilly climate ofnorthern Japan, where coldwinds scoop up moisture fromthe Sea of Japan and fling itback to Earth as snow.
Neatly terraced paddies followthe contours of steep hillsidesin China. China is a huge coun-try, but only about 10 percentof its land can be used forgrowing crops. Terraces allowfarmers to grow rice in placesthat are fertile but sloping.
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East Asia can trace many of its cultural features to anancient civilization that arose in China around 2000 B.C.In the centuries that followed, powerful dynasties ruled
China, creating an enormous empirethat influenced the cultural develop-ment of the entire region.
Today, East Asia is home to aboutone-fourth of the world’s people.Most live crowded together in theregion’s fertile river valleys andcoastal plains.Within each country,people tend to be ethnically similar.
During the twentieth century, thepolitical and economic paths of EastAsian countries diverged. China andNorth Korea adopted communistforms of government, while Japan,South Korea, and Taiwan developedcapitalist, free-market economies.
Descended from Dynasties
A huge portrait of Communistleader Mao Zedong hangsabove the Gate of HeavenlyPeace, overlooking TiananmenSquare, in Beijing, China. In1949 Mao stood at this site andestablished the People’sRepublic of China underCommunist rule.
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Neon lights glow as the sunsets over Tokyo, the capitalof Japan. One of the largest,busiest, and most crowdedcities in the world, Tokyo isJapan’s center of commerceand culture. About one-fourthof Japan’s population lives inthe Tokyo area.
Built as a barrier to stopinvaders from the north,China’s Great Wall was startedaround 221 B.C., during the Qindynasty. The wall winds forthousands of miles over plainsand mountains and alongdesert borders. Erected entirelyby hand, it is the longest struc-ture ever built.
Standing serenely, an offshoretorii, or gate, marks the entranceto one of Japan’s most famousShinto shrines. Shinto is anancient religion that originatedin Japan. Its followers worshipkami—deities found in rivers,rocks, trees, and other elementsof nature.
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East Asia
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PHYSICAL
G O B I
NORTHCHINAPLAIN
ShandongPeninsula
SICHUANBASIN
MANCHURIANPLAIN
Hainan
WuyiShan
Leizhou Peninsula
Qin LingMountains
Bei Shan
Plateau ofTibet
DzungarianBasin
HentiynMts.
Hokkaido
Honshu
Shikoku
Kyushu
RyukyuIslands
TAKLIMAKANDESERT
Tar im Bas in
A L T A YM O U N T A I N S
HI
MA L A Y A
T I A N S H A N
Taiwan
JAPANESEALPS
K U N L U N S H A N
Gre
ater
Khi
ngan
Ra.
Hangay Mts.
Xi R.
Yellow
R.
Amur R.
Ussu
ri
R.
Yalu
R.
Ya
ngt
ze
R.
Mek
ong
R.
Salween R.
Gan
R.
Songhu
aR
.
Tarim R.Liao R.
Wei R.
X
ia
ng
R.
P a c i f i c
O c e a n
Sea
of
Japan
East
China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
Luzon Strait
Gulf
of
Tonkin
Taiw
an
Str
ait
South
China
Sea
Bay of
Bengal
Sea
of
Okhotsk
Phil
ippin
e Sea
DongtingHu
ARCTIC CIRCLE
TROPIC OF CANCER
60°E60°N
50°N
40°N
30°N
20°N
10°N
80°E100°E 120°E
140°E 160°E
Mt. Everest29,035 ft.(8,850 m)
Mt. Fuji12,388 ft.(3,776 m)
K2(Godwin Austen)28,250 ft.(8,611 m)
M O N G O L I A
R U S S I A
C H I N A
JAPAN
NORTHKOREA
SOUTHKOREA
SOUTHEASTASIA
S O U T H
A S I A
Two-Point Equidistant projection
N
1,000
1,0000
0
mi.
km
Elevation Profile
Beijing
PLATEAUOF TIBET
Seoul
MT. FUJI
Sea level
2,000 m
4,000 m
6,000 m
8,000 m
6,562 ft
13,123 ft
19,685 ft
26,247 ft0 mi.
0 km 500
500
SEA OFJAPAN
PACIFICOCEAN
YELLOWSEA
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POLITICAL60°E
60°N
50°N
40°N
30°N
20°N
10°N
80°E
100°E
120°E 140°E 160°EARCTIC CIRCLE
TROPIC OF CANCER
Pacific
OceanBay of
Bengal
Sea of
Japan
East
China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
South
China
Sea
Sea of
Okhotsk
Philippin
e Sea
Xi R .
YangtzeR.
YellowR.
Amur R.
Tu
ul
R. Songhua
R
.
Liao R.
Red
R.
Mek
ong
R.
Salween R.
Tarim R. G O B I
North ChinaPlain
Hainan
Hokkaido
Honshu
Shikoku
Kyushu
Okinawa
Ryukyu Is.
TAKLIMAKANDESERT
ALTAYM
OUNTAINS
K U N L U N S H A N
H
I MA L A Y A
T I A N S H A N
Ulaanbaatar
BeijingPyongyang
Taipei
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Hangzhou
Tianjin
TaiyuanZibo
Zhengzhou
Guangzhou
Macau
Chongqing
Chengdu Wuhan
Nanjing
Harbin
Shenyang
TokyoYokohama
Sapporo
KyotoKobe
Fukuoka
Seoul
Pusan
Taegu Osaka
M O N G O L I A
R U S S I A
C H I N A
JAPAN
TAIWAN
NORTHKOREA
SOUTHKOREA
C E N T R A L
A S I A
S O U T H
A S I A
SOUTHEASTASIA
The People's Republic of Chinaclaims Taiwan as its 23rd province.
Two-Point Equidistant projection1,000
1,0000
0
mi.
km
N
National capitalMajor city
1. What physical feature separatesMongolia from China in the southeast?
2. What Chinese cities are located alongthe Yangtze River?
StudyMAP
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East Asia
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POPULATION DENSITY60°E
60°N
50°N
40°N
30°N
20°N
10°N
80°E100°E
120°E160°E
TROPIC OF CANCER
ARCTIC CIRCLE
Pacific
Ocean
Sea of
Japan
Se a o f
O k h o t s k
East
China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
S o u t h
C h i n a
Se a
Ulaanbaatar
Lhasa
Macau
Naha
Haikou
Beijing Pyongyang
Inchon
Taipei
Hong KongNanning
ShanghaiHangzhou
Tianjin
Guangzhou
Chongqing
Guiyang
Kunming
Wuhan
Jinan
Dairen
Zhengzhou
Nanjing
Harbin
Shenyang
Tokyo
Seoul
Pusan
Osaka
Qiqihar
Changchun
Sapporo
Taiyuan
ChangshaFuzhou
Nanchang
Baotou
Ür¨umqi
Lanzhou
Chengdu
Xi'an
Qingdao KitakyushuHiroshima
Sendai
C E N T R A L
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S O U T H
A S I A
S O U T H E A S T
A S I A
R U S S I A
Two-Point Equidistant projection1, 000
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mi .
km
N
Cities(Statistics reflect metropolitan areas.)
Per sq. mi.Per sq. kmOver 100
50–100
25–50
1–25
Under 1
Uninhabited
Over 250
125–250
60–125
2–60
Under 2
Uninhabited
Over 5,000,000
2,000,000–5,000,000
1,000,000–2,000,000
250,000–1,000,000
Under 250,000
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ECONOMIC ACTIVITY60°E
60°N
50°N
40°N
30°N
20°N
80°E100°E
120°E140°E 160°E
TROPIC OF CANCER
ARCTIC CIRCLE
Ryukyu Is.
Sea of
Japan
East
China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
South
China
Sea
Se a o f
O k h o t s k
Guangzhou
Wuhan
ShanghaiNanjing
Beijing
Tianjin
Shenyang
TokyoYokohama
KyotoKobe Osaka
Taipei
Hong Kong
Chongqing
TaiyuanLanzhou
Ür¨umqi
Lhasa
Harbin
Qiqihar
Changchun
Qingdao
Pyongyang
Seoul
Pusan
KitakyushuHiroshima
Ulaanbaatar
M O N G O L I A
R U S S I A
C H I N A
JAPAN
TAIWAN
NORTHKOREA
SOUTHKOREA
C E N T R A L
A S I A
S O U T H
A S I A
SOUTHEAST
ASIA
Camels
Corn
Rice
Goats
Wheat Sheep
CamelsSoybeans
Wheat
Wheat
Tea
Sugarcane
Hogs
Corn
Corn
Oats
Barley
Rice
Rice
Rice
Rice
Rice
Rice
RiceRice
Rice
Yaks
Two-Point Equidistant projection1,000
1,0000
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mi.
km
N
1. Where is East Asia’s greatestpopulation concentration?
2. What are three important cropsgrown in China?
StudyMAP Land UseCommercial farmingSubsistence farmingNomadic herdingHunting and gatheringManufacturing and tradeCommercial fishingLittle or no activity
Resources
Petroleum
Coal
Iron ore
Tin
Tungsten
Bauxite
Copper
639
1,273,300,000344 per sq. mi.133 per sq. km
3,696,100 sq. mi.9,572,899 sq. km
127,100,000872 per sq. mi.337 per sq. km
2,400,0004 per sq. mi.2 per sq. km
145,869 sq. mi.377,801 sq. km
604,826 sq. mi.1,566,499 sq. km
Yuan
Yen
Tugrik
CommunistState
ConstitutionalMonarchy
Republic
MandarinChinese
Khalkha Mongol
JapaneseManufactured
Goods
Copper
Machinery
Machinery
Machinery
Fuels
Won
Won
CommunistState
Republic
22,000,000472 per sq. mi.182 per sq. km
48,800,0001,274 per sq. mi.492 per sq. km
46,541 sq. mi.120,538 sq. km
38,324 sq. mi.99,259 sq. km
Korean
KoreanElectronicEquipment Machinery
PetroleumMinerals
MandarinChinese
22,500,0001,608 per sq. mi.621 per sq. km
13,969 sq. mi.36,179 sq. km Machinery
New Taiwan Dollar Republic Textiles
Beijing
CHINA
Tokyo
JAPAN
MONGOLIA
Ulaanbaatar
Seoul
Pyongyang
NORTH KOREA
SOUTH KOREA
TAIWAN** Taipei
COUNTRY *
AND CAPITAL
FLAG AND
LANGUAGE
POPULATION
AND DENSITYLANDMASS
MAJOR
EXPORT
MAJOR
IMPORTCURRENCY GOVERNMENT
COUNTRY PROFILES
**The People’s Republic of China claims Taiwan as its 23rd province.* COUNTRIES AND FLAGS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE
FOR AN ONLINE UPDATE OF THIS INFORMATION, VISIT GEOGRAPHY.GLENCOE.COM AND CLICK ON “TEXTBOOK UPDATES.”
▲
Women inspecting cloth in textile mill, Kyoto, Japan
East Asia
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�
Turn on your TV, pop a tapeinto your VCR, play a CD onyour stereo—chances areyou’re using a product
that was made in Japan. Japan is oneof the world’s leading manufac-turers of electronic goods.
Not only are many of our elec-tronic gadgets made in Japan—quitea few were also invented there.That’s the case with the portablepersonal stereo, the small tape orCD player with the lightweightheadphones that people wear just about everywhere.
It’s hard to imagine that a little over 20 years ago, personal stereosdidn’t exist. If you wanted to listen to music, your options werelimited to home stereos, bulky boom boxes, or car audio systems.And, of course, all those around you had to listen, too, whether theywanted to or not.
Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka changed all that.Thesetwo Japanese engineers founded one of Japan’s largestelectronics companies. One day in the 1970s, Ibukawalked into Morita’s office lugging a heavy taperecorder and a pair of big headphones—state-of-the-artequipment at the time. Ibuka explained that he loved to
GLOBALCONNECTIONEAST ASIA AND THE UNITED STATES
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ELECTRONICS
listen to music, but he didn’t want to disturb other people. It was the clunky taperecorder and earmuff headphones, or nothing at all.
Ibuka’s dilemma made Morita think more seriously about an idea he’d beenconsidering.Why not create a small, lightweight tape player with tiny head-phones, so that people could conveniently take their music everywhere with-
out bothering others? Morita instructed his engineers to remove the recording unitand speaker from a small cassette tape player, replace them with a tiny stereo amplifi-er, and then develop a very compact set of headphones to go with the device.
Others at the company shook their heads, doubting that anyone would buy a tapemachine that couldn’t record. Still, in1979, the first portable personal stereohit the market.Within months, it was a
runaway success. Morita’s companycould hardly keep pace with the demand.
Now many companies make personalstereos, which are among the most popular
electronic devices in the world.This Japaneseinvention has changed the way people every-where listen to music.
Personal stereos for sale in a kiosk in Japan▲
▲
California surfers listening to personal stereos
GeoJournalAs you read this chapter, use your journal to note the landforms and climate regions of East Asia. Write a series of descriptiveparagraphs about these geographic features.Be sure to create a vivid, detailed descriptionof each feature.
Chapter Overview Visit the Glencoe WorldGeography Web site at tx.geography.glencoe.comand click on Chapter Overviews—Chapter 26 to preview information about the physicalgeography of the region.
The Land
A Geographic ViewChina’s Wild WestThe curving road went on for another two miles across barren,rocky ground and ended at ameadow dotted with grazing yaks.We had entered a vast valley edgedby a massive mountain, moreshoulder than peak, its flank half-buried in sand. The meadowhad been touched by spring, andat that seam of whitish sandand faint new green was a village. The low houses, strung along the base of themountain, looked as if theyhad been there since the beginning of time.
—Thomas B. Allen, “Xinjiang,”National Geographic, March 1996
The wild and varied landscape of the western Chineseprovince of Xinjiang (SHIHN•JYAHNG) reflects the many contrastsand paradoxes of East Asia’s physical geography. East Asia encom-passes high mountains, rugged highlands, long and mighty rivers, barren deserts, fertile deltas and floodplains, miles of coastline, andcountless islands dotting many seas. In this section you will read aboutEast Asia’s landforms and rich natural resources.
Land and SeaThe People’s Republic of China makes up about 80 percent of the
land area of East Asia and has the world’s largest population—about1.3 billion people. Of the world’s countries, only Russia and Canadacover more land area than China. Mongolia, China’s northernneighbor, occupies about 13 percent of East Asia’s land. Mongolia’s
Guide to ReadingConsider What You KnowEarthquakes, volcanic eruptions, andocean flooding occur frequently inEast Asia. What geographic factorsare the most likely causes of thesenatural hazards?
Read to Find Out• How are East Asia’s landforms
affected by the region’s locationon the Ring of Fire?
• How do the landforms of Chinadiffer from the rest of East Asia?
• What important natural resourcesare present in the region?
Terms to Know• archipelago
• tsunami
• loess
Places to Locate• Mongolia
• Hong Kong
• Macau
• South China Sea
• Korean Peninsula
• Japan
• Pamirs
• Himalaya
• Plateau of Tibet (Plateau ofXizang)
• Tarim Basin
• Taklimakan Desert
• Gobi
• Yellow River (Huang He)
• Yangtze River (Chang Jiang)
• Xi (West) River
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Mt. Fuji, Japan
Outdoor classroom in Xinjiang, China
population is less than 1 percent of China’s, mak-ing the country one of the world’s most sparselypopulated. The rest of East Asia is shared by thecountries of Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, andSouth Korea. Hong Kong and Macau, twobustling ports on China’s southern coast, wereonce European colonies and are now part of China.
Peninsulas, Islands, and SeasAlong the coast of East Asia, many peninsulas and
islands dot the westernmost Pacific Ocean. Theselandforms divide the ocean into smaller bodies ofwater, including the Yellow Sea, the Sea of Japan, andthe East China Sea. The South China Sea, stretchingsouth from the island of Taiwan to the Philippinesand the peninsula of Southeast Asia, carries one-third of the world’s shipping traffic.
The Korean Peninsula juts southeast fromChina’s Manchurian Plain, separating the Sea ofJapan from the Yellow Sea. The peninsula, home toNorth Korea and South Korea, consists mainly ofmountains surrounded by coastal plains.
Four large, mountainous islands and thousandsof smaller ones form the archipelago (AHR•kuh•PEH•luh•GO), or island chain, of Japan. Honshu isthe central and largest island, with Hokkaido to thenorth and Kyushu and Shikoku to the south. Most ofJapan’s major cities are on Honshu. SurroundingJapan are the Sea of Okhotsk on the north, the Sea ofJapan and the East China Sea on the west, and thePhilippine Sea on the south. On the east and south-east is the Pacific Ocean.
The Ring of FireAn arc of islands east of China marks where the
Pacific, Philippine, and Eurasian tectonic plates
meet. These islands are part of the Ring of Fire, acircle of volcanoes bordering the Pacific Ocean.Most of these mountainous islands, includingJapan and Taiwan, were formed by volcanic activ-ity. Plate movements there cause frequent andoften violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.Japan has about 50 active volcanoes and numeroushot springs formed through volcanic activity.
More than 1,000 small earthquakes shake Japanevery year. Major quakes occur less often, but theymay cause disastrous damage and loss of life inJapan’s crowded cities. When an undersea earth-quake generates a tsunami (soo•NAH•mee)—ahuge tidal wave that gets higher and higher as it
East Asia is about one and a half times the size of the conti-nental United States.
Tsunami Damage Waves as high as an eight-story building caused devastation to Okushiri, Japan,in 1993.
Region What factors make the Ring of Fire suscep-tible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions?
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approaches the coast—many lives may be lost. Atsunami that struck the Japanese island ofHokkaido in 1993 took 200 lives. Because earth-quakes and tsunamis are difficult to predict, peo-ple along the Ring of Fire rely on special buildingmethods and emergency preparedness to helpreduce casualties.
Mountains, Highlands,and Lowlands
Mountain ranges and highlands mark the inlandregions of East Asia. Most extremely rugged high-lands areas are sparsely populated and have formedbarriers to the movement of people and ideas. The
region’s only extensive lowland areas are China’sManchurian Plain and North China Plain. Narrowlowland plains also line many coastal areas.
East Asian MountainsNumerous mountain ranges fan out from an area
of high peaks and deep valleys called the Pamirs inwestern China. The ranges that begin in thisremote interior region include the Kunlun Shanand Tian Shan. (Shan is Chinese for “mountains.”)Farther north, the Altay Mountains form a naturalbarrier between Mongolia and China. To the southand west, the world’s highest mountains, theHimalaya, separate China from South Asia. Theyinclude many peaks higher than 25,000 feet
TROPIC OF CANCER
Yello
wR.
Y
angt
zeR.
Xi R.
Mt. Everest29,035 ft.(8,850 m)
Mt. Fuji12,388 ft.(3,776 m)
M O N G O L I A
C H I N A
TAIWAN
NORTHKOREA
SOUTHKOREA
JAPAN
Pacific
Ocean
120°E 100°E 80°E
40°N
50°N
30°N
20°N
Sea of
Japan
East
China
Sea
Yellow
Sea
South
China
Sea
Sea of
Okhotsk
TaklimakanDesert Tarim Basin
PLATEAUOF
TIBET
K U N L U N S H A N
HI
MA L A Y A
Tian Shan
Altay M
ountainsG O B I
ManchurianPlain
NorthChinaPlain
RyukyuIslands
Okinawa I.
Hainan
PamirsChangbai
Mountains
SichuanBasin
KoreanPeninsula
Hokkaido
Honshu
Shikoku
Kyushu
Japan Current
Qin LingMountains
Kuril
Current
N
1,000
1,0000 mi.
0 kmTwo-Point Equidistant projection
MAP STUDY
East Asia: Physical-Political
Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps
National boundaryMountain peak
Feet10,0005,0002,0001,000
0
MetersElevations
3,0001,500
600300
0
2. Applying Geography Skills How have theYellow and Yangtze Rivers impacted the lives of the Chinese?1. Interpreting Maps What rivers flow across the
North China Plain?
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(7,620 m) above sea level. Mount Everest, theworld’s tallest peak at 29,035 feet (8,850 m), spansthe border between China and Nepal.
The Kunlun Shan bends to become the Qin(CHIHN) Ling Mountains, crossing central Chinafrom west to east. To the east, the lower ChangbaiMountains of Manchuria extend into the KoreanPeninsula, where they are called the NorthernMountains. Coastal plains surround the high moun-tain interiors of Japan and Taiwan. Mount Fuji, at12,388 feet (3,776 m), is a dramatic, cone-shaped,dormant volcano rising above the central plains ofJapan’s Honshu Island. Also called Fujiyama,Mount Fuji is an important spiritual symbol toJapan’s people.
China’s Plateaus, Basins, and DesertsChina contains the region’s most diverse land-
forms. The Plateau of Tibet, in China’s southwestquarter, is East Asia’s highest plateau region.Because the Chinese name for Tibet is Xizang
(SHEE•ZAHNG), the plateau is also known as thePlateau of Xizang. Its average elevation is about15,000 feet (4,600 m). Other rugged highlandsstretch north and eastward at lower elevations,averaging 4,900 feet (1,494 m). In the far north, the Mongolian Plateau’s extensive highlands aremostly grassy pasture, ideal for grazing. Two visitors described the vast landscape and animals:
“ They appeared suddenly from a ravine,two nomad horsemen driving a herd ofsheep across the path of our truck. Onand on the animals came, a sea ofbrown, black, and white against thegolden grasses of the broad plain.”Cynthia Beall and Melvyn Goldstein,
“Past Becomes Future for MongolianNomads,” National Geographic, May 1993
Broad expanses of flat wastelands, including thedeserts and salt marshes of the Tarim Basin, liebetween the Kunlun Shan and Tian Shan. West ofthe Tarim Basin is the Taklimakan Desert, a dry,sandy desert. To the northeast is another desert, theGobi, whose frequent dust storms make life difficultin southern Mongolia and north central China.China’s high, interior deserts are dry and cold. Bycontrast, the huge, fertile Sichuan Basin between thePlateau of Tibet and the North China Plain has a mildclimate and long growing season, making it animportant agricultural area.
River SystemsEast Asia’s rivers serve densely populated urban
centers as transport routes. They provide hydro-electric power for energy, and the fertile soil intheir basins is used for farming.
China’s Rivers China’s major rivers begin in the Plateau of
Tibet and flow eastward to the Pacific Ocean. TheYellow River, known in Chinese as Huang He(HWAHNG HUH), is northern China’s major riversystem. This river is called “yellow” because it car-ries tons of fine, yellowish-brown topsoil called loess(LEHS), blown by winds from the western desertsinto the air and water. When deposited, the richsoil—along with water from the river—makes the
the arts of EAST ASIA
Japanese Woodcuts Woodcut printinginvolves cutting a picture into a blockof wood, applying ink to the surfaceof the cut block, and printing the pic-ture on paper or some other surface.Japanese printmaking enjoyed agolden age around the turn of thenineteenth century.
Evening Snow, Mt. Fuji (about 1830) by ToyokuniII depicts a natural harmony within the environ-ment that is typical of Japanese art. Compare this view with the photograph on page 644.
Yellow River Tributary A tributary of the Yellow River winds through central China, carryingthe sediment that gives the Yellow River its name.
Place How do China’s rivers compare with those in Japan and Korea?
C h a p t e r 2 6 649
North China Plain a major wheat-farming area. Alsocalled “China’s sorrow,” the Yellow River oftenfloods its basin. Throughout history, it has floodedlarge areas, killing hundreds of thousands of people.
Central China’s Yangtze (YANG•SEE) River,known in Chinese as the Chang Jiang, is Asia’slongest river at 3,965 miles (6,380 km). It flowsthrough spectacular gorges and broad plains andempties into the ocean at Shanghai. The Yangtze, amajor transport route, provides water for a largeagricultural area where more than half of China’srice and other grains grow. When completed in 2009,the river’s Three Gorges Dam will be the world’slargest dam (see the feature on pages 698–699).
The Xi (SHEE), or West, River is southernChina’s most important river system. Near theports of Guangzhou and Macau, the soil depositsof the Xi form a huge, fertile delta, one of China’sfast-developing areas.
The world’s longest artificial waterway, China’sGrand Canal, was begun in the 400s B.C. Over thecenturies, the canal has been expanded and rebuilt.Today, the Grand Canal moves people and goodsalong a 1,085-mile (1,746-km) course from Beijing inthe north to Hangzhou in the south.
Rivers in Japan and Korea In contrast to China’s long rivers, the rivers of
Japan and Korea are short and swift. They flowthrough mountainous terrain, often forming spec-tacular waterfalls. During the wet season, they pro-vide hydroelectric power. South Korea’s chief riversflow from inland mountains westward toward theYellow Sea. The Han River flows through SouthKorea’s capital, Seoul. In North Korea the Amnok(or Yalu) River flows west, forming the border withChina.
Culture
The Power of Wind and WaterFor centuries East Asians have chosen building
sites and designed homes using feng shui (FUHNG
SHWAY), from the Chinese words for “wind” and“water.” By combining observations of the naturallandscape with traditional spiritual teachings, theChinese harmonize their buildings with the sur-rounding landforms, especially mountains andrivers. First used to locate favorable gravesites,feng shui is now used by architects, real estateagents, building contractors, and interior decora-tors worldwide.
Natural ResourcesEast Asia’s rich mineral resources are unevenly
distributed. China’s huge land area contains thegreatest share and widest range of minerals, includ-ing sizable reserves of iron ore, tin, tungsten, and
Student Web Activity Visit the Glencoe World GeographyWeb site at tx.geography.glencoe.com and click on Student WebActivities—Chapter 26 for an activity about the physicalgeography of East Asia.
Checking for Understanding1. Define archipelago, tsunami,
loess.
2. Main Ideas On a table, fill indetails about major features ofthe physical geography for eachcountry in East Asia.
Critical Thinking3. Comparing and Contrasting How
are East Asia’s coastal, island, andpeninsula areas similar? How dothey differ from inland areas?
4. Drawing Conclusions How doesthe technique of feng shui reflectEast Asian beliefs about humansand their environment?
5. Predicting Consequences Whatconsequences do you think willresult from East Asia’s use of itsocean resources?
Analyzing Maps6. Place Study the physical-political
map on page 647. How does theelevation of the North China Plaincompare with that of the Plateauof Tibet?
650 U n i t 9
Area Physical Geography7. Soil Building Describe the
soil-building process thattakes place in northern China’s Yellow River basin.How does this process influence the natural envi-ronment, the people, andeconomy of the area?
Applying Geography
gold. Large oil deposits lie in theSouth China Sea and in the Takli-makan Desert in the west. Abun-dant coal deposits also lie innortheastern China. Coal is minedin the Korean Peninsula and Mon-golia. North Korea’s rich depositsof economically useful mineralsinclude iron ore and tungsten.South Korea has relatively fewmineral reserves, though largedeposits of graphite are foundthere. Taiwan’s mineral reservesare small, and its coal reservesare almost exhausted.
Productive farmlands andforests are unevenly distributed inEast Asia. For example, only 10percent of China’s land is suitablefor agriculture. The southern “ricebowl” yields two harvests per year,making China the world’s leadingproducer of rice. With nearly 25 percent of its landsuitable for farming, South Korea produces twocrops per year, one of rice and one of barley, in theprime farmland of the coastal south. By contrast,Mongolia can use less than 1 percent of its land forcrops. Japan also has very limited farmland and poorsoil. Only one-fourth of Taiwan’s land is suitable forfarming, but every available space is planted, chieflywith rice. Taiwan has valuable forests of cedar, hem-lock, and oak.
East Asia’s island countries and coastal areasdepend on the sea for food. Japan, South Korea,Taiwan, and China have the world’s biggest deep-sea fishing industries. China alone harvests about18 million tons (16.3 million metric tons) of fisheach year. Seafood farming has become a majorindustry in East Asia.
Squid Harvest Coastal fishers in Japan drytheir squid catch in the sun.
Region Which countries have the biggest deep-seafishing industries?
C h a p t e r 2 6 651
Guide to ReadingConsider What You KnowAs you read in the last section,large areas of East Asia border thesea. How do you think climate andvegetation in coastal areas differfrom those in inland areas?
Read to Find Out• What accounts for East Asia’s
wide variety of climates?
• How do winds, ocean currents,and mountains influence the climates of East Asia?
• What conditions cause theextreme climates in much of China?
• What kinds of natural vegetationare found in East Asia’s varied climate regions?
Terms to Know• monsoon
• Japan Current
• typhoon
Places to Locate• Taiwan
• Hainan
• Qin Ling Mountains
Climate andVegetation
A Geographic ViewWeathering UncertaintyOf course, living with uncertain circumstances is nothing new forMongolia’s nomads. For centuriesthey have weathered one of theearth’s harshest and least pre-dictable environments. Winterwinds at camps high in moun-tain valleys can howl at minus20°F to minus 50°F, and suddenblizzards can bury pasturesand starve herds.
—Cynthia Beall and Melvyn Goldstein,“Past Becomes Future for MongolianNomads,” National Geographic, May 1993
The nomads of Mongolia are among the few peopleswho have adapted to living in East Asia’s harshest climate regions.Following their herds across the high grasslands, these nomadic peo-ples take shelter in tentlike structures called yurts, built to be portableyet withstand the howling winter winds. Wind is a powerful forcethroughout East Asia, a region that depends on seasonal wind pat-terns for life-giving rains. In this section you will learn how physicalfeatures shape the climate and vegetation of this vast region.
Climate RegionsLatitude and physical features––such as mountain barriers, high-
lands, and coastal regions––shape East Asia’s climates. Each climateregion has distinct characteristics and unique vegetation. Dry high-lands and grasslands dominate the north and west, with humid andtemperate forests to the south and east.
Mongolian nomad on a camel
90°E 100°E 110°E 120°E 130°E 140°E80°E50°N
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Ocean
Sea of
Japan
East
China
Sea
South
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Sea
Ulaanbaatar
Pyongyang
Taipei
Tokyo
SeoulBeijing
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Chongqing
Lhasa
Kashi
Yumen
Wuhan
Nanjing
Shenyang
Osaka
ChangchunÜr¨umqi
Lanzhou
KunmingFuzhou N
Two-Point Equidistant projection1,000
1,0000 mi.
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652 U n i t 9
Mid-Latitude Climates The southeastern quarter of East Asia, including
Taiwan and parts of China, the Koreas, and Japan,has a humid subtropical climate, with warm or hotsummers and heavy rains from the Pacific mon-soon. In contrast, the northeastern quarter, includ-ing the northern parts of the Koreas and Japan, hasa cooler, humid continental climate. Summers maybe warm, but winters are cold and snowy.
Natural forests in mid-latitude climates consistof needle-leaved and broad-leaved evergreens and
broad-leaved deciduous trees. Deciduous treesand broad-leaved evergreens also flourish in thehumid subtropical regions. Bamboo, a treelikegrass, grows abundantly in many of the warmerareas. This tough, versatile plant has more than athousand uses, from herbal medicine, food, anddecoration to construction of homes, skyscrapers,and bridges. Bamboo also provides the only foodsource for two of East Asia’s rare mammals, thegiant panda and the smaller, raccoon-like red panda.Other economically important native plants are the
MAP STUDY
East Asia: Climate Regions
Tropical rain forest
SteppeDesert
Tropical
DryHumid subtropicalHumid continental
Subarctic
Highlands (climatevaries with elevation)
Mid-Latitude
High Latitude
Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps
2. Applying Geography Skills Why are Mongoliaand parts of inland China characterized by drysteppe and desert climates?1. Interpreting Maps Which areas of East Asia are
located in the humid continental climate region?
C h a p t e r 2 6 653
mulberry tree, whose leaves provide food forsilkworms, and the tea bush. Bamboo, tea, andsilk are significant to East Asia’s culture andeconomy and have become identified worldwidewith the region.
Desert and Steppe Climates Far away from the moist winds of the coast,
deserts spread across Mongolia and inland north-ern China. Moisture that might reach these areas isblocked by the rain shadow effect caused by the
surrounding mountains. Deserts are not alwayshot––the Gobi and Taklimakan are often cold andwindy. In the northern and northwestern desertand steppe climates, temperature variation can beextreme, falling as much as 55°F (31°C) from day-time to nighttime. In the Gobi, temperatures aver-age 73°F (23°C) in summer and 0°F (–18°C) inwinter, but they may range from 100°F to –30°F(38°C to –35°C). Grasses and sparse trees are thenatural vegetation of the large steppe climate eastof the deserts and in most of Mongolia.
Wuhan
Chongqing
Kunming
ShanghaiNanjing
Fuzhou
Beijing
Tokyo
Osaka
Hong Kong
Lanzhou
Ür¨umqi
Kashi
Lhasa
Changchun
Shenyang
Pyongyang
Seoul
Ulaanbaatar
Taipei
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40°N
30°N
RECNACFOCIPORT
Pacific
Ocean
Bay of Bengal
Sea of
Japan
East
China
Sea
South
China
Sea
N
Two-Point Equidistant projection1,000
1,0000 mi.
0 km
MAP STUDY
East Asia: Natural Vegetation
Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps
2. Applying Geography Skills How does thenatural vegetation of northern China comparewith that of southern China?
Tropical forest
Deciduous and mixeddeciduous-coniferous forest
Coniferous forest
Temperate grassland
Desert scrub and desert waste
Highlands (vegetation varieswith elevation)
1. Interpreting Maps Where can tropical forestvegetation be found in East Asia?
654 U n i t 9
Highlands Climates The climate in mountainous areas changes with
elevation. Generally, the higher the elevation of anarea, the cooler it is. East Asia’s highlands climates,therefore, are usually cool or cold. On the Plateau ofTibet, with an elevation of 13,000 to 15,000 feet (3,962to 4,572 m), the average high temperature reachesonly about 58°F (14°C). Small alpine meadows withgrass, flowers, and trees dot the lower mountainslopes. Above the timberline, where no trees grow,only mosses and colorful lichens thrive.
Tropical Rain Forest ClimateThe island of Hainan, off China’s southern coast,
has a tropical rain forest climate. This area experi-ences year-round high temperatures and a very
Rice Seedlings A farmer tends to rice plantsin a flooded paddy.
Region How is rice important to East Asian culture?
rainy summer monsoon. In tropical areas palmsand tropical hardwoods thrive alongside broad-leaved evergreens and tropical fruit trees. Lushrain forest covers much of Hainan.
History
The Roots of Rice and SoyRice and soybeans––two of East Asia’s most
important food crops––were first cultivated fromwild vegetation. Archaeologists have found evi-dence of rice cultivation in southern China as earlyas 5000 B.C. It then spread north to Japan, south toIndonesia, and west to India. Rice became a majorfood source for China’s ancient civilization as wellas for others in East and Southeast Asia. Soybeans,a valuable source of protein for people and live-stock, were also first cultivated in East Asia around5000 B.C. China’s ancient peoples considered soy-beans one of the five foods necessary for long life.
MonsoonsIn East Asia the air mass above the world’s larg-
est continent and the air mass above the world’slargest ocean meet. The movement of these airmasses causes prevailing winds, called monsoons,that bring seasonal weather patterns to East Asia.Along with inland highlands, mountains, and oceancurrents in coastal areas, monsoons greatly influ-ence East Asia’s climate.
Monsoons blow in a steady direction for approxi-mately half the year and then switch directions. Thesummer monsoon in East Asia blows from southeastto northwest, bearing heat and humidity fromthe Pacific Ocean. From April through October,especially near the coast and occasionally as farnorthwest as Mongolia, the winds cause intensedownpours that provide more than 80 percent ofthe region’s annual rainfall. From November toMarch, the winter monsoon brings cold, arctic airthat usually blows from northwest to southeast.Inland, the winds tend to be dry, carrying clouds ofdust from the Gobi. Along the coast, these windspick up moisture in the Sea of Japan and bringheavy snow to Japan and the Korean Peninsula,especially in the north.
The East Asian economy depends on summermonsoons to bring the rains for crops. If the sum-mer monsoons are late or do not bring enough rain,
serious crop failures may occur. Too muchrain brings disastrous flooding, as occurredin 1998 in the Chinese city of Harbin:
“ In north east China, Harbin . . . facedanother [overflow] as the third floodcrest in recent weeks swept down theSonghua River.”“China Floods ‘Worst Ever’,”
BBC News, August 22, 1998
In some parts of East Asia, mountainsweaken the effects of the monsoons. TheQin Ling Mountains of central China, forexample, act as a clear dividing line. South of theQin Ling, the climate is warm and humid, and riceis the chief crop. To the north the mountains blockthe summer monsoons, so the climate north of theQin Ling is cooler and drier, and wheat is the chiefcrop. The high mountains of the eastern KoreanPeninsula act as a similar barrier against the wintermonsoons, giving Korea’s east coast warmer win-ters and lighter snowfalls.
Ocean CurrentsOcean currents, too, influence climate. Two such
currents shape Japan’s climate. The warm-waterJapan Current, or Kuroshio, flows northwardalong the southern and southeastern coasts of theJapanese islands and adds moisture to the winter
C h a p t e r 2 6 655
Checking for Understanding1. Define monsoon, Japan Current,
typhoon.
2. Main Ideas Draw a Venn diagramlike the one shown below. Use itto describe the similarities anddifferences in climate for westernand eastern parts of East Asia.
Critical Thinking3. Analyzing Information Why is
Mongolia more suitable for herding than for farming?
4. Predicting Consequences Whateconomic effects would occur ifthe summer monsoon arrivedmonths late in China?
5. Identifying Cause and Effect Howdo ocean currents affect EastAsia’s climate?
Analyzing Maps6. Region Compare the maps on
pages 652 and 653. What kinds of vegetation characterize highlatitude climates?
7. Effects of Elevation Write a paragraph analyzing howmountains, plateaus, andlowlands affect East Asia’sclimate and vegetation.
Applying Geography
East Asia(western part)
East Asia(eastern part)Both
monsoon as it warms the land. The cold KurilCurrent, or Oyashio, flows southwest from theBering Sea along the Pacific coasts of Japan’snorthernmost islands. It brings harsh, cold wintersto Hokkaido’s east coast. In summer, when thecold ocean current meets the warm one nearHokkaido, a dense sea fog develops.
The interaction of ocean currents and winds fre-quently gives rise to violent storms calledtyphoons, which form in the Pacific and blowacross coastal East Asia. Like hurricanes in thewestern Atlantic and Caribbean, typhoons tend tobe most severe between late August and October.High winds, storm surges, and torrential rains dur-ing typhoons may cause heavy damage. Occasion-ally, though, a winter typhoon brings welcomerains during the normally dry part of the year.
The Gobi
Learning the SkillA multimedia presentation
uses several types of mediato present information. Thesemedia may include audio, text,and graphics, such as slides,transparencies, animation, orvideos.
Any multimedia presentationshould have a definite purpose.Before you begin to develop apresentation, state the purposebriefly in one or two sentences.Identifying the purpose willguide your research and helpyou select the media to use.
Choosing the appropriatemedia from those available willhelp you communicate informa-tion most effectively. Showing avideotape of a graph during apresentation will probably notcapture your audience’s atten-tion. An overhead transparencymight be a better tool for dis-playing a graph. To prepare apresentation on the recentmigration patterns of EastAsians, for example, you mightdisplay a combination of mapsand photos showing past andpresent migrations.
Use these questions to developmultimedia presentations:
• What is my purpose?
• Which forms of media willbest show the kind of infor-mation I want to present?
• Which media are available?
• What computer softwareprograms do I need, if any?
• Does my computer supportthese software programs?
Practicing the SkillAnswer the following ques-
tions about developing multi-media presentations.
1. What media tools would bemost effective for a presen-tation about an importantleader in East Asia?
2. What media tools would bemost effective for explainingpopulation changes in EastAsia?
3. What are some possibleadvantages and disadvan-tages of showing a Website during a multimediapresentation?
Developing Multimedia PresentationsYou can take advantage of all available technologies and
media forms to create classroom presentations. A multi-media presentation can engage the senses and capture the attention of your audience.
656 U n i t 9
Work with a group to plan andproduce a multimedia presenta-tion on a political, economic, orsocial issue in an East Asiancountry. Use the information inthis chapter, and research printand Web sources to prepare yourpresentation. Share each presen-tation with the class.
SUMMARY & STUDY GUIDE
Key Points• East Asia’s location at the meeting point of tec-
tonic plates leaves the region vulnerable toearthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.
• The region of East Asia consists of China, Mongolia, and North and South Korea on theAsian continent, plus the island countries ofJapan and Taiwan.
• East Asia’s rivers provide important transpor-tation systems and support fertile farmlands.
• East Asia is rich in minerals, but they areunevenly distributed.
• Limited farmlands, long coastlines, and largepopulations have made the region dependenton the sea for food.
Organizing Your NotesCreate an outline using the for-mat below to help you organizeyour notes for this section.
Terms to Know• monsoon• Japan Current• typhoon
Key Points• East Asia’s natural vegetation tends to parallel
the region’s climate zones.• East Asian countries rely on seasonal winds
known as monsoons. The summer monsoonsbring more than 80 percent of the region’srainfall.
• Ocean currents affect the climates of coastaland island regions. Powerful typhoons form in the Pacific and blow across coastal East Asia
in later summer and early fall.• East Asia’s varied
vegetation includesneedle-leaved andbroad-leaved evergreentrees, tropical plants,bamboo, tea, mulberrytrees, and grasses aswell as tropical rainforest vegetation.
Organizing Your NotesUse a table like the one belowto help you organize importantdetails from this section.
Terms to Know• archipelago• tsunami• loess
SECTION 1 The Land (pp. 645–650)
SECTION 2 Climate and Vegetation (pp. 651–655)
C h a p t e r 2 6 657
The Land
I. Land and SeaA. Peninsulas, Islands, and SeasB.
II. Mountains, Highlands, and LowlandsA.B.
III. River SystemsA.B.C.
IV. Natural Resources
Type of Climate Zone Location Vegetation
Humid Subtropical
Humid Continental
Desert
Steppe
Highlands
Tropical Rain Forest
Li River, China
Critical Thinking1. Making Generalizations How has the
uneven distribution of natural resources mostlikely affected the economies of countries inthe region?
2. Analyzing Information Why might thecountries surrounding the South China Seacompete for control of its waters?
3. Identifying Cause and Effect Use agraphic organizer like the one below to fill inthe effects that mountains have on the climate of East Asia.
Reviewing Key TermsWrite the letter of the key term that best matcheseach description.
a. archipelago d. monsoonb. tsunami e. Japan Currentc. loess f. typhoon
1. large, fast-moving wave caused by an under-sea earthquake
2. chain or group of islands
3. seasonal wind
4. powerful, hurricane-like storm generated inthe western Pacific
5. warm-water stream that affectsthe climate in Japan
6. fine, windblown topsoil
Reviewing FactsSECTION 1
1. On what landform are Northand South Korea located?
2. What is the largest and most densely populated of theJapanese islands?
3. Describe the natural hazardsthat result from East Asia’s loca-tion at the meeting point ofthree tectonic plates?
4. From which part of China domost of the region’s greatmountain ranges extend?
5. What are China’s four majorriver or waterway systems?
SECTION 26. Which economically important
plants thrive in East Asia’s mid-latitudes?
7. What climate factor influencesEast Asia in seasonal cycles?
8. How are economic activitiesaffected by climate in East Asia?
9. Which ocean current brings coldwinters to Hokkaido?
Locating PlacesEast Asia: Physical-Political Geography
Match the letters on the map with the places and physical features of East Asia. Write your answers on a sheet of paper.
1. Yellow River2. Yangtze River3. Mongolia4. Honshu
5. Yellow Sea6. Plateau of Tibet7. Himalaya8. South Korea
9. Taiwan10. North China
Plain
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ASSESSMENT & ACTIVITIES
658 U n i t 9
East Asia’s Mountains
Effects on Climate
Effects on Climate
Effects on Climate
C h a p t e r X 659
Self-Check Quiz Visit the Glencoe WorldGeography Web site at tx.geography.glencoe.comand click on Self-Check Quizzes—Chapter 26 toprepare for the Chapter Test.
Using the Regional AtlasRefer to the Regional Atlas on pages 636–639.
1. Region What rivers drain the ManchurianPlain?
2. Location Compare the physical and eco-nomic activity maps. What fossil fuels arefound on the North China Plain?
Thinking Like a GeographerFlooding on China’s Yellow River periodicallycauses damage and loss of life. Use what you knowabout the physical geography of the region towrite a paragraph explaining the causes of theflooding and suggesting possible solutions.
Problem-Solving ActivityProblem-Solution Proposal Conduct researchon the growth of urbanization and manufacturingin East Asia. Analyze the effects of these processeson the climate of the region. Determine to whatextent climate changes in East Asia can be relatedto global warming. Then prepare a proposal thatsuggests ways to avoid or reverse the causes orharmful consequences of climatic changes.
GeoJournalComparison-Contrast Essay Use GeoJournaldata from this and previous units to write adescriptive essay that compares and contrasts cul-tural patterns of East Asia to those of two otherglobal regions you have already studied.
Technology ActivityCreating an Electronic Database Use
Internet and library resources to research recentsignificant earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic erup-tions, and typhoons in East Asia. Use a databaseprogram to organize your data into a table withheadings for location, type, and severity of eachevent. Then write a paragraph describing theeffects of physical processes, such as the waveaction of tsunamis, on the specific locations.
Choose the best answer for the following multiple-choice question. If you have troubleanswering the question, use the process ofelimination to narrow your choices.
C h a p t e r 2 6 659
On a contour map, the closer the linesthat show elevation (isolines), thefaster the terrain rises and the steeper
the topography. Where lines are far apart, the changein elevation is more gradual. To answer the questioncorrectly, first find Hsinkao Shan on the map. Deter-mine the side of the mountain where the lines seemfarthest apart. Then choose the answer that bestdescribes your observation. It also may be helpful tonotice where the map lines are closest. You can theneliminate these choices from the answers.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1. If you were to hike straight up HsinkaoShan, what would be the most gradualroute to take?
A From the westB From the southC From the northD From the east
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0 km
50
50
120°E 122°E
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2222°°NN
24°N
TROPIC OFTROPIC OFCANCERCANCER
TROPIC OFCANCER
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PHILIPPINEPHILIPPINE
SESEAA
SOUTHSOUTH
CHINCHINAA
SESEAA
PHILIPPINE
SEA
SOUTH
CHINA
SEA
Hualien
Hsinkao Shan
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