ASIA: PHYSICAL FEATURES
(CH 24 / Sect 1)
1. How have physical processes shaped the landscape of Asia?
The Himalaya Mountains and mountains in China northeast of India
were formed by the collision of the Indian subcontinent and Asia (plate
tectonics) about 40 million years ago. Further east, earthquakes and
volcanoes shaped the islands of Japan and other Asia island nations.
2. Why are rivers important natural resources in Asia?
Rivers provide transportation, carry water and mineral resources good
for farming, provide hydroelectricity, and in Asia also provide fresh fish
– an important food source.
3. How do geographic factors affect where people live in Asia?
Few people live in the deserts, highlands, or mountains; most people
crowd into the lowlands and coastal areas.
 Half the population of Japan lives on less than 3% of the
country’s total land.
 80% of the people in Japan live in cities.
 Seoul, South Korea is one of the most densely populated cities in
Asia.
subcontinent
large landmass that is a major part of a continent
Himalaya
Mountains
mountain range in Asia containing Mount Everest (highest
peak in the world); forms a barrier between South Asia
and the rest of Asia; created as a result of plate tectonics
Yangzi
only river in East Asia deep enough for cargo ships to sail
Huang He
runs through one of the most fertile regions of China (North China Plain)
and supports more than 400 million people living along its banks
Ganges River
begins in the Himalaya Mountains and runs through India;
important for farmers
Indus River
begins in the Himalaya Mountains and runs west through
Pakistan, carrying water to some of the driest areas of the Indian
subcontinent.
Tigris River
river that flows south from Turkey through Iraq; floods to provide fertile
farmlands; joins Euphrates to form a channel that is Iraq’s only access to
the Persian Sea
ASIA: PHYSICAL FEATURES
Euphrates River
(CH 24 / Sect 1)
river that flows south from Turkey through Iraq; floods
to provide fertile farmlands; joins Tigris River to form a channel that
is Iraq’s only access to the Persian Sea
AREA
Major
Landforms/
Vegetation
Major
Bodies of
Water
Major
Areas of
Population
Indian
subcontinent
plateau,
northern
plains
Ganges &
Indus
Rivers
river valleys,
northern
plains
Southeast
Asia
forested
mountains
South
China Sea
river valleys,
coastal areas
Southwest
& Central
Asia
deserts
Tigris &
Euphrates
Rivers
between rivers


Himalaya Mountains means “snowy range.”
Mount Everest grows 2” every year – proof that plate tectonics
continues even today.
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SUMMARY: Asia’s natural resources include rivers that provide water and transportation, and
fertile valleys where it is easiest for people to live and grow food.
ASIA: HUMANS AND THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
(CH 24 / Sect 2)
1. How does the physical environment affect people’s lives in Southwest Asia?
Region of extreme climates; water is scarce; little arable land. Farmers must
dig wells and irrigation channels to water crops; many select plants with long
roots. (Dates are an important crops, as is alfalfa.)
2. How does the physical environment affect people’s lives in East Asia?
Summer monsoons cause flooding (a blessing as it brings alluvial soil to the
farmlands; a curse as flooding destroys many villages). Winter monsoons
bring cooler, drier air and produce dust storms that last for days.
3. How does the physical environment affect people’s lives in South and
Southeast Asia?
Monsoons provide water for half the world’s populations and provide
needed water for rice crops; however, mudslides in Nepal and flooding in
Bangladesh destroy many villages. The tropical climate of Southeast Asia also
means typhoons – just like hurricanes, only in the Pacific Ocean.
arable land
land that can produce crops
monsoon
winds that blow across a region at certain times of the year
scarce
does not exist in sufficient quantities to satisfy all needs for it
I.
Aspects and effects of the physical environment
a. Southwest
i. Dry climate: people must adapt farming methods
ii. Limited arable land (irrigation required)
b. East, South, and Southeast Asia
i. Monsoons (East, South)
ii. Tropical climate (Southeast Asia)
_________________________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY: Throughout Asia, humans must adapt to difficult, and sometimes dangerous, physical
environments.
ASIA: GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND NATURAL RESOURCES
(CH 24 / Sect 3)
1. What natural resources do people use to make a living in South and Southeast
Asia?
Since most people make their living from the land, land and water are
important natural resources. Resources not only produce food for the family,
but cash crops to be sold.
2. What natural resources do people use to make a living in South and East Asia?
Pacific Ocean is an important resource for food in East Asia. Rivers and lakes
are also important, as almost twice the amount of freshwater fish is caught in
China than any other country. While there are many natural resources in this
area, many are too difficult or too expensive to obtain.
3. How does oil wealth affect people and economic development in Southwest
Asia?
Southwest Asia is the largest oil-producing region in the world with half the
world’s oil reserve. This provides people in countries with petroleum a high
standard of living; for those in the region living in countries without petroleum,
many come as migrant workers, sending paychecks to their families back in
their home countries.
cash crop
crop raised to be sold for money on the world market
aquaculture
sea farming
standard of
living
material quality of life
Area
South/
Southeast
Asia
Key Resources
Problems in using resources________
Countries begin to depend on
income from cash crops; when
prices fall, the crops do not
bring money, people go hungry.
tea, rubber
(cash crops)
East Asia
metals/minerals
expensive to obtain
Southwest
Asia
petroleum
not every nation has petroleum
SUMMARY: Land and water resources, along with oil, contribute to the way most people in South
and Southeast Asia make their living.