Chapter 25
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF
EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA
THE LAND
Landforms
of East Asia
 Mountains,
Plateaus,
Plains and
Archipelagos

PENINSULAS & ISLANDS
MOUNTAIN RANGES
The
Himalayas
are the
highest
mountain
range in the
world.
 Home to
Mount
Everest, the
tallest
mountain on
the planet.

TIBETEN PLATEAU
Known as the “Roof top of the World”
 Average elevation of 4572 m

LOWLANDS
Most of East Asia’s population lives on the fertile
lowland areas.
 Ex.
 China @
Manchurian
Plains

RING OF FIRE
An archipelago or chain of islands were formed
millions of years ago by under sea volcanic
activity.
 ROF - Plate movements cause many earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions in this area..

LANDFORMS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Southeast
Asia
consists of a
mainland,
peninsulas
and
thousands
of islands.
SEAS & RIVERS
The most important rivers are found in China.
 They begin in Tibet and flow east to the Pacific
Ocean.


China River System:
YELLOW RIVER
The Huang He (Yellow River) is located in
northern China.
 It is “yellow” because it carries tons of fine,
yellow-brown soil called loess.
 The river makes the North China Plain a major
wheat growing area.
 The river has historically flooded and killed
many people.

YANGTZE RIVER
The Chang Jiang is Asia’s longest river. (5741
km).
 It travels through gorges and canyons and
empties in Shanghai.
 The river is important for farming and as trade
route.

THE THREE GORGES DAM
Will be completed this year and will be the
largest dam in the world.
 2.3 km wide and 185 m high.
 It will be used to prevent floods and supply
hydroelectric power to thousands of people
 Over a million people had to be moved to build
the dam.

RIVERS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

Major rivers include: Irrawaddy (Myanmar),
Chao Phraya (Thailand) and Mekong River.
NATURAL RESOURCES

Energy Resources
 Oil
resources can be found in China, Vietnam and
the South China Sea.
 Petroleum can be found in Indonesia, Brunei and
Malaysia.
 Coal can be found in North and South Korea, China,
Japan and the Philippines.
 Hydroelectric power is used in Japan and China.
MINERALS
Tin ~ Indonesia, Malaysia and China are
leading producers.
 Iron Ore ~ China has one of the world’s largest
deposits.
 Tungsten ~ used to make light bulbs can be
found in the Philippines.
 Sapphires and rubies are mined in Myanmar,
Thailand and Cambodia.
 Teak ~ is a wood used for buildings and ships
found in Southeast Asia.
