East Asia Powerpoint Flashcards
Tibetan Plateau
located in southwestern China highest and largest plateau in the world (average elevation over 14,000) region of mountains and uplands known as the “roof of the world” vital source of water supply
Gobi Desert
stretches across parts of Mongolia and China bare rock (not sand) rain shadow desert (moisture is blocked by the Himalayas) cold (receives snow in the winter; expanding due to desertification)
Yangtze River (Chang Jiang)
longest river in Asia
flows from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea
prone to flooding
Yellow River (Huang He)
second longest river in Asia
flows from the Tibetan Plateau to the Yellow Sea
the river gets its name from the large amounts of silt it carries (a brown-gold color)
prone to flooding
Arid and semiarid climates (northwestern and interior regions)
Himalayas block moisture
deserts and grasslands
have a herding tradition (settled agriculture and herd mobility) to best utilize infrequent and unevenly distributed rainfall
Horses
Horses were an important part of Mongolian history and culture
used for travel, herding, hunting, and sport
Mongolians the best horseman in the world;
“Takhi” (spirit) horse represents Mongolian cultural heritage
Highland (southwest)
Plateau of Tibet
high elevations (cool summers, cold winters)
nomadic pastoralism
Continental (northeast)
Mixed forest Productive agriculture (wheat, barley, cotton, corn)
Mild Temperate (southeast)
Monsoon rains (flooding)
Rice culture
Hills/Mountains sculpted into terraces provide more cultivatable land
Fish farming
Fish-Rice culture
raising fish in wet rice ponds
- maximizes the production of both proteins and grains
- plants provide shade and organic material for fish
- fish eat pests, oxygenate the water and produce fertilizer
Natural Hazards
Region is tectonically active
Part of the “Ring of Fire” – a circular pattern of earthquakes and volcanoes that surround the Pacific plate
Region is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis
China Greenhouse Gases
world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases (total GHG - not per capita GHG)
produces approximately 30% of the world’s total CO2 emissions - mostly from the use of coal
per capita GHG emissions are lower than many developed countries (including the US)
world leader in renewable energy
Asian Brown Cloud
blanket of air pollution that hovers over most of the tropical Indian Ocean, South, Southeast and East Asia
almost 2 miles thick
caused by large amounts of aerosols (such as soot and dust) produced in the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass
affects agriculture, weather, health
global implications – pollution can travel across the Pacific and impact places as far away as North America
Flooding
ongoing problem.
Rivers carry lots of silt and deposits it in slow parts of rivers
buildup creates instability which leads to flooding
Ex. Yellow River responsible for most catastrophic floods
Three Gorges Dam
built on the Yangtze River for flood control and hydroelectric power construction... displaced people decreased water supply downstream flooded farmland negatively affected wildlife
Wildlife Issues
habitat loss due to urbanization, farming and logging
illegal trade in animals/animal parts
bear bile and tiger parts used in traditional medicines
exotic pet trade
ivory (from hippos, walruses, sperm whales, elephants) used for ornaments and jewelry
-Chinese ivory ban in 2018 somewhat successful
Japanese Whaling
despite ban, Japanese whalers often violate these restrictions with claim of “scientific purposes” (false)
