Name _____________________________________________
Pd_______
PHYSICAL FEATURES OF SOUTHEAST/EAST ASIA
Landforms of Southeast/East Asia (pg 688-690)
LANDFORM/TERM
DEFINITION
1. “Roof of the World”
2. Archipelago
3. “Ring of Fire”
4. Cordilleras
Read the following selection about physical features in this region. In the space to the right, write the ways in
which the physical features have influenced the regions of Southeast/East Asia.
How have the region’s physical features influenced…. (pg. 690-691)
Seas and Oceans:
The long, winding coastlines of East Asia and
Southeast Asia are washed by two major
oceans --the Indian and the Pacific—as well as
by many seas. Oceans and seas have influenced
the region’s history. Japan, for example,
developed a unique culture partly because its
surrounding seas kept it isolated from the
Asian mainland.
The physical features of Japan influenced
the country by _________________________
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Oceans and seas have also been important for
the region’s economies. They have served as
routes for trade. The South China Sea,
stretching south from Taiwan to Southeast
Asia, carried much of the world’s shipping
traffic.
Oceans and seas influence the region
because they __________________________
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The region’s island and coastal areas also
depend on the sea for food. Japan, South
Korea, Taiwan, and China have the world’s
biggest deep-sea fishing industries.
The oceans and seas in this region influence
the economy because they _______________
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Rivers:
The most important river in East Asia flow
through China. The Huang He is northern
China’s major river system. Throughout
China’s history, the Huang He has regularly
flooded the land, destroying homes and
drowning many people. As a result, the
Chinese called the Huang He, “China’s
sorrow.”
China also has another great river called the
Chang Jiang. The Chang Jiang is Asia’s
longest river. The Chang Jiang provides water
for a large farming area where more than half
of China’s rice and other grains grow. It is also
an important trade route. Ocean-going ships
can travel far upriver, and barges carry goods
even farther.
The Chinese built a huge dam on the Chang
Jiang. This dam, the Three Gorges Dam, is the
world’s largest dam. The Three Gorges Dam
helps to prevent floods and supplies a large
amount of hydroelectric power. However,
when it was created it made a lake that forced
over a million people from their homes
because it covered a vast area with water.
The Huang He influences the region because
it ____________________________________
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The Chang Jiang influences the region
because it _____________________________
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The Three Gorges Dam influences the
region because it _______________________
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