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Welcome to Eastern Asia! For centuries, parts of Eastern Asia were isolated from the world. Today, countries like China, Japan, and Taiwan are developing closer relationships with the Western world – in spite of political and cultural differences. In this unit, we will explore the unique features of the people and culture of Eastern Asia as well as the physical processes and systems that shape the region. Eastern Asia remains a collection of independent yet interrelated nations pushing forward through the 21st century.

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"From the blue gleaming steppe you come to visit us in the Gobi. When you visit us in the Gobi, you are cordially invited to our yurt. The doors of our white yurt are always open. With best wishes we invite you: take a seat on the north side of the yurt, and the genial Gobi girl will entertain you with freshly brewed tea with camel's milk. Visit us in the Gobi, the home of countless herds - the fabulous Gobi."

Sarangerel Tserevsamba - khöömii by Amra (From the album, Gereg)

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The Gobi Desert is one of the amazing wonders of Eastern Asia. The following video is a compilation of hundreds of photos of the Gobi Desert accompanied by a traditional Mongolian song of praise, called a magtaal. Magtaals are sung to pay tribute to nature, the spirits of nature, or individual aspects of nature – such as mountains, rivers, or animals. This magtaal is sung to the Gobi desert in the rhythm of the camel’s footsteps.

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Eastern Asia is the term given to the easternmost region of the continent of Asia. China is the largest country of the region and, therefore, exerts the most influence on the culture of Eastern Asia. Eastern Asia is densely populated and is also home to a wide variety of languages and religions. Japanese and Korean cultures are unique but are obviously influenced by Chinese art, literature, and religion.

China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan are usually the countries that are considered part of the region of Eastern Asia. The area of Eastern Asia also includes the region of Hong Kong and Macau – both have a unique place in the Eastern Asia realm. Hong Kong, formerly a Crown Colony (belonging to Great Britain) on the coast of southern China, Hong Kong was handed back over to China in 1997. Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China since December 20, 1999, and, like Hong Kong, benefits from the principle of "one country, two systems."

The area of Eastern Asia encompasses almost 12 million square kilometers and includes a population of over 1 ½ billion people! Although the term Eastern Asia can include different countries, the following countries and protectorates are generally considered part of Eastern Asia:

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Tokyo, Beijing, Pyongyang, Seoul, Taipei, and Ulan Bator are probably familiar Asian city names. These are the capitals of the countries that make up Eastern Asia. However, in addition to these six cities, there are many more important cities in the region.

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Osaka and Yokohama are incredibly vibrant metropolitan centers in Japan. Yokohama has a population of over 3.5 million people. After Japan opened up to the West, Yokohama developed rapidly due to its great location as a port city on Tokyo Bay.

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Shanghai is the largest city in China. There are over 20 million inhabitants in this ancient city. It is also one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world! Shanghai gained importance due to its prime location at the mouth of the Yangtze River.

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Hong Kong is the 14th largest city in Eastern Asia. Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, is home to almost 7 million residents. Hong Kong is known as the cultural center of Asia where "east meets west." Hong Kong remains a leading financial capital and business center while maintaining an interesting capitalist economy.

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Busan, South Korea is home to approximately 3.5 million people and is the largest port city in South Korea. Busan is located on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula and is the 5th busiest seaport in the world.

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Eastern Asia is known for its amazing range of geographical features. From the Gobi Desert in Mongolia to the Three Gorges Dam at the mouth of the Yangtze River, there are mountains, deserts, and waterways that not only are important to the citizens of the region, but have global impact as well.

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The Gobi Desert is located in central Asia, specifically in the countries of Mongolia and China and is one of the world’s greatest deserts. In fact, the word "Gobi" means "great desert" in Mongolian. The Gobi Desert is a large plateau, surrounded by mountains. On its southern border lies the Great Wall of China. The Gobi Desert receives less than 8 inches of water a year, however, there are parts of the desert that are somewhat fertile and capable of supporting some vegetation. Nomads graze camels, sheep, and horses on the limited grasslands. Similar to other deserts, the Gobi’s temperatures experience sharp shifts depending on the season. In the winter, the temperatures can go as low as forty degrees below freezing and, in the summer, the temperatures can reach as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the Gobi is not a very hospitable place, many Mongolians do make their home here.

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Although the building of dams can be controversial no matter where in the world they are built, the Three Gorges Dam is by far the most controversial dam building project ever. In order to complete this incredible project, over 1.2 million people were displaced, 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1300 villages were flooded, and the environmental degradation seems to only get worse with time – although the project has now been mostly completed. This project created a dam 1 ½ miles wide, more than 600 feet high and a reservoir hundreds of feet deep and almost 400 miles long. The building of the dam by the Chinese government was seen as multi-purpose. Located on the Yangtze River, the dam was intended to provide as much energy as 18 nuclear power plants, open up the interior of China to cargo-carrying freightliners, and tame the violent Yangtze River – the source of devastating floods and destruction for thousands of years.

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The Himalayas are quickly becoming one of the most visited places in the world for people around the globe seeking adventure. Whatever your interest – climbing, hiking, rafting, camping, sightseeing, motorbiking – the Himalayas has something for everyone. The word "Himalaya" is Sanskrit for "abode of snow." However, the Himalayas have much more than snow! This incredible mountain system stretches for approximately 1600 miles, dividing mainland China from the Middle East. This immense mountain range began to form between 40 and 50 million years ago, when two large landmasses, India and Eurasia, driven by plate movement, collided.

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An archipelago is a collection of islands. The Japanese Archipelago consists of the four main islands and over 3000 smaller ones. The four main islands of Japan are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The total amount of land area of Japan is roughly equivalent to the state of California. Japan is 1/25 the size of the United States, but 1 ½ the size of Great Britain. The Japanese Archipelago stretches for over 3,000 kilometers.

Because Japan is made up of islands, it is surrounded by the sea! Japan is separated from Korea by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan, and is also touched by the Philippine Sea, the East China Sea, and the North Pacific Ocean. These warm and cold bodies of water help support an incredible fishing industry.

The Japanese Archipelago is not the only archipelago in eastern Asia, but it is certainly the most prominent. China, however, is also home to archipelagoes. The Zhoushan Archipelago, for example, has the richest fishing grounds off the coast of China. Even more archipelagoes are spread throughout Southeastern Asia, including the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines. You will learn more about this region in our next unit.

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The Korean Peninsula extends for almost 700 miles into the Pacific Ocean. A peninsula is a body of land that is touched by water on three sides. The Korean Peninsula is touched by the Sea of Japan in the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west. The Korean peninsula used to be home to one unified nation. However, today it is divided almost in half between North Korea and South Korea and has been that way since the end of World War II.

North and South Korea could not be more different in terms of politics, economics, standard of living, and personal freedoms. North Korea is ruled by a ruthless, Communist dictator accused of countless human rights violations. South Korea is a democratic nation, allied with Japan and the United States. South Korea garnered international attention in 1988 when it hosted the Olympics in Seoul. Since then, South Korea has had a boom in the tourism industry and the divide between North and South Korea continues to widen.

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Physical Systems and Processes of Eastern Asia

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Physical Systems and Processes of Eastern Asia

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As we have learned, physical geography encompasses the study of many diverse elements. The sun, seasons, storms, climate zones, flora and fauna, rivers and streams, are all parts of the study of the physical systems and processes of a region.

In this section, we will explore features unique to Eastern Asia as well as features shared by many other parts of our world. We will look at the role of bamboo and rice, as well as the devastating impact of natural hazards. The photograph above is an image of Tai Shan, a panda bear cub. In recent years, the country of China has used the panda bear as an emblem representing its country. This bear is indigenous to China and has unified the world in an effort to help protect it.

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Eastern Asia is home to many natural hazards – including volcanoes, even underwater ones! Submarine volcanoes are underwater breaks in the Earth’s surface that can erupt.

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"Geography is the study of earth as the home of people."

Yi-Fu Tuan, Geographer

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Eastern Asia is home to a unique assortment of plants, animals, and climate conditions.

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Monsoons generally refer to seasonal winds in southern and eastern Asia. They blow from the southwest bringing rain in the summer and from the northeast in the winter. The term monsoon actually applies to both the rain and the wind that brings the rain. The word is derived from the Arabic word "mausim" which means season. The sharp shift in winds provides an incredible change in the amount of moisture in the area. Although the term was originally created to apply to the Asian region, it is now used to describe similar conditions in other regions of the world as well. In the United States, Arizona is said to experience monsoonal circulation that is oftentimes referred to as the Arizona Monsoon.

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To many people, when they think of bamboo, they think of China. Bamboo is a type of grass, not a tree,that can replenish itself relatively quickly when it is consumed or cut down. Bamboo grows in dense conditions and is considered one of Asia’s best renewable resources. If you look at any home improvement magazine today in the United States, you will see bamboo flooring promoted as an ecologically friendly alternative to traditional hardwood floors.

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The Japan Current, also known as the Kuroshio Current, is a warm ocean current flowing northeast from the Philippine Sea past southeast Japan to the North Pacific. A current is the movement of water on the surface of the ocean moving in a particular direction. Air moving over the warm Japan Current becomes more temperate and acts to moderate the climate of Taiwan and Japan.

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The Pacific Ring of Fire is a region ringing the Pacific Ocean that is prone to earthquake and volcanic activity. This region is an arc stretching from New Zealand, along the eastern edge of Asia, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and south along the coast of North and South America. The Ring of Fire is where 75% of the earth’s volcanoes can be found. Mount Fuji is probably one of the best known volcanoes in Asia. In this region, the subduction of the Pacific plate under the Eurasian plate is responsible for many of the thousands of Japanese islands and volcanoes, including Mount Fuji.

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Bamboo and Rice: Local Necessities or a Global Commodities?

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Bamboo and Rice: Local Necessities or a Global Commodities?

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Agriculture is currently the most important activity in Asia. Until the start of the 20th century, subsistence agriculture was the basic economic activity of most of Asia. Paddy rice is the chief crop and staple food in much of the continent, particularly in southern and eastern Asia. The countries of Asia—led by China and India—produce more than 90 percent of the world's supply of rice.

In much of Asia, rice is the essence of survival. Poor citizens of both rural and urban areas spend up to 75% of their income on rice. It is essential for the survival of these people that the cost of rice remain within their means. It is estimated that there will be over 1 billion new rice consumers in Asia within the next decade. This sharp growth in rice consumers will require a large increase in the area of land dedicated to growing rice. This poses a problem due to an overall decrease in land available for agriculture.

Bamboo is another important local necessity in eastern Asia. Bamboo is also essential to the poor people of the region due to the fact that it grows easily and can be used as food and in building houses, boats, bridges, and fencing. In recent years, there has been an increase in the development of bamboo as a global commodity to provide a source of income for local people. The danger is that large scale corporations will monopolize the bamboo and rattan sector, keeping the profits out of the hands of local citizens and limiting their access to this important plant.

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Rice is a common staple food in many Asian and Latin American countries and is the base of many recipes. It makes up more than one-fifth of the calories consumed by people throughout the world.

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Rice is the seed of types of Oryza plants. It is in the grass family and is one of the oldest harvested crops with evidence of origins more than 12,000 years ago. Rice is a semi-aquatic plant and therefore grows best in areas with high rainfall. Most rice is grown in paddy fields. Paddies are fields that have been flooded

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Rice is the chief crop and staple food on much of the continent of Asia, particularly in southern and eastern Asia. It is also a staple of Latin American cuisine.

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Rice is an important global commodity and is the world's third largest crop. About three billion people in the world depend on rice for survival. People in China and India consume the most rice. They also produce the most rice. Only 5 to 6 percent of rice is exported.

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There are over 120,000 varieties of rice in the world. Brown rice and wild rice are varieties of rice. There are also aromatic varieties such as Basmati and Jasmine that are common in Indian and Thai cuisine.

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We can classify rice according to the length of the grains. Rice is classified as long grain when its length is three to four times its width. Rice is classified as medium grain when its length is two to three times its width. Rice is classified as short grain when it is short and plump and its length is less than twice its width.

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Though China produces and consumes the greatest amount of rice, we can't forget about the United States of America. Rice is produced in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas. US farmers produce less than 2 percent of the rice in the world each year, but collectively, they are the 3rd largest exporter of rice.

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The Climate and Vegetation of Eastern Asia

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The Climate and Vegetation of Eastern Asia

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It is hard to believe that Eastern Asia is home to almost every climate zone!

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A very small part of northern Mongolia and along China’s border with Russia experiences a subarctic climate. The vegetation in the region consists of mosses, lichen, and some evergreen trees.

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In Western China you can find a highland climate zone. Forests, alpine tundra, mosses, lichens, shrubs, and permafrost can all be found in this region.

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The humid continental climate zone can be found in many countries throughout Eastern Asia. Northeastern China, North Korea, South Korea, and Northern Japan all are part of the humid continental area. In these regions you can find coniferous forests, temperate grasslands, and land suitable for agriculture.

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Southeastern China, Southern South Korea, Southern Japan, and Northern Taiwan all are part of the humid subtropical climate zone. In this region you will find many coniferous trees. Unfortunately, this region is also home to a serious deforestation problem. Too many loggers are cutting down the trees at an alarming rate.

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Parts of the Mongolian plateau are considered semiarid. In this region you can find short grasses that are perfect for grazing animals such as camels, goats, and horses. Although you can find some nomads grazing animals in this region, for the most part this region is left alone.

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Desert can be found in Western China, Northern China, and Southeastern Mongolia. In this region, there is not much vegetation due to lack of water. Dinosaur fossils have been found throughout the Gobi Desert region – home to these great reptiles millions of years ago.

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A small strip of land along China’s southeastern coast, and the southern tip of Taiwan are home to a tropical wet climate. In this region you can mainly find tall, dense forests of broadleaf trees.

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subarctic- A small part of Mongolia's and China's border with Russia; northern evergreen forest, mosses, lichens
highland- Western China; forests, alpine tundra, mosses, lichens, shrubs, permafrost
humid continental- Northeastern China, North Korea, South Korea, Northern Japan; coniferous forests, temperate grasslands, agriculture
humid subtropical- Southeastern China, Southern South Korea, Southern Japan, Northern Taiwan; deciduous forests, coniferous trees; the trees in this area are disappearing because loggers are cutting them down (deforestation)
semiarid- Parts of the Mongolian Plateau; short grasses; animals are taken to graze here by nomads; otherwise, this area is left alone
desert- West central area of the mainland, Western China, Northern China and Southeastern Mongolia; not much vegetation due to lack of water; dinosaur fossils can be found in the Gobi Desert, which was the home for the great reptiles millions of years ago
tropical wet- Hainan, southern tip of Taiwan, small strip of land along China's southeastern coast; tall dense forests of broadleaf trees

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Water is incredibly important to Eastern Asia. The earliest civilization of China settled on the banks of the Huang He – also known as the Yellow River. The Yellow River is known as the "mother river" in China and is the second longest in the country. The only river longer is the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world. As we learned in the previous section, The Three Gorges Dam is located on the Yangtze River.

The rivers of Japan are quite different than the rivers of China. The rivers of Japan are generally short and steep due to the mountainous nature of most of the Japanese islands. Approximately half of the rivers of the Korean peninsula are also short or medium sized. The Han River on the Korean Peninsula is not very long, but it is remarkably broad! Historically, this river was used as a trade route to China, but it is no longer suitable for that purpose because its entrance is barred due to its location between the two Koreas.

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According to some studies, the number of natural disasters has been increasing around the world, but the number of lives lost and damage caused have changed in recent years due to effective use of technology, communication and transportation systems. Unfortunately, in many parts of Eastern Asia, the poverty and lack of infrastructure have not helped alleviate the effects of the many natural hazards that plague the area. Many parts of Eastern Asia are incredibly susceptible to damage caused by natural hazards. The effect of natural hazards on the loss of human life is directly linked to the poverty level of a region.

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The terms "hurricane" and "typhoon" are regionally specific names for a strong "tropical cyclone." A tropical cyclone is the generic term for huge revolving storms caused by winds blowing around a central area of low atmospheric pressure over tropical or sub-tropical waters. Tropical cyclones occur more frequently in the Asian and Pacific region than in any other part of world and are usually accompanied by severe flooding. In fact, typhoons and floods cause the greatest loss of life and have the largest socio-economic impact on Northeast Asia. Typhoons and floods account for about 80 per cent of deaths and 60 per cent of total damage to the region. Tropical cyclones (or typhoons) occur in Eastern Asia throughout the year but are most sever during the late summer and early autumn. It is hard to believe that these storms are accompanied by strong winds and torrential rains so heavy that the amount of precipitation from the typhoons in certain places may exceed the total amounts received during average summer monsoons!

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The cause of earthquakes was stated correctly in 1760 by British engineer John Michell, one of the first fathers of seismology, in a memoir where he wrote that earthquakes and the waves of energy that they make are caused by "shifting masses of rock miles below the surface." The United States Geologic Survey, part of the United States Department of the Interior, in conjunction with seismologists, geographers, and geologists from around the world, monitor earthquake activity constantly. The map above shows a snapshot of earthquake activity in Asia. At any time, people around the world can visit USGS earthquake(The URL is: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/. If the link is broken, use the following key word search: USGS earthquake) and check on earthquake activity around the world.

Earthquakes are a common natural hazard in Asia – particularly Japan. The Japanese archipelago is located in an area where several continental and oceanic plates meet. Frequent earthquakes, volcanoes, and hot springs in the area are due to this plate convergence. Due to this instability and high energy beneath the surface of the earth, Japan experiences approximately 1000 earthquakes every year. Most of these earthquakes are not serious, but they can be felt by the citizens. If earthquakes occur below or close to the ocean, they may trigger tidal waves – also known as tsunami.

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Japan has several volcanic regions stretching from the north to the south of the archipelago. Although the land area of Japan is only about 1/400 of the world total, its 108 active volcanoes account for about 1/10 of the world’s active volcanoes. Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest peak, has been dormant for over 300 years but it could erupt in the near future. On the next page, you can learn more about the impact of volcanoes on the development of Earth.

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Eastern Asia is a unique blend of modern and ancient political situations. In no other part of the world can you find emperors, dictators, democracy, communism, ancient dynasties, and modern elections all intertwined among neighboring nations.

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The term cultural hearth is an important one to the people in every country of Eastern Asia. Cultural hearth refers to the location from which a particular culture evolved. A cultural hearth is any place where the changes in land-use appeared due to the domestication of plants and animals by humans as they adopt new tools, grow new seeds, or tame herds of animals. The term cultural hearth could also apply to areas that have had an important impact on more recent cultural developments. Tokyo, Japan is often considered a modern cultural hearth due to its influence over the recent cultural development of Eastern Asia.

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In Eastern Asia, the history of rulers generally focuses on the evolution of dynasties. A dynasty is a succession of rulers from the same family or line. Throughout the history of China, dynastic substitutions have mainly been the result of mutiny or foreign invasion. The first true dynasty in China is considered to be the Shang Dynasty. Interestingly, in Japan, although there has been much political upheaval, Japan has had only one dynasty.

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Many parts of Eastern Asia have been ruled by dictators, some are even ruled by dictators today. A dictator is someone who usually rules by force. A dictator is an authoritarian or autocratic ruler who takes sole and absolute control over the people of his country, usually with the help of the military. Kim Jong-Il of North Korea, and Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin of China are all dictators.

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In Asia, the dictators Kim Jong-Il of North Korea and Hu Jintao of China have strong differences with the democratic leaders of South Korea and Japan. North Korea’s launching of nuclear warheads has created a lot of tension in the region, with Japan demanding an international response to North Korea. Due to their close proximity, there is no nation that is able to act as a buffer state between these ideologically different countries. A buffer state is generally a country that is a neutral state lying between two rival or potentially hostile nations. Mongolia is often considered a buffer state between Russia and the People’s Republic of China. During the Cold War, North Korea was seen as a buffer between the People’s Republic of China and the American forces in South Korea. A buffer zone is a region that keeps two or more areas – not necessarily countries – from warring. The demilitarized zone of Korea is a strip of land that runs across the border of North and South Korea – it also serves as a symbol of ideological dispute for the people of both nations.

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The cultural impact of ancient civilizations on the modern day countries of Eastern Asia cannot be overstated. For example, although the nations of Korea, Japan, and China all have their own language, the ancient Chinese writing system is considered the backbone of all communication in Eastern Asia. This ancient script was first passed on to Korea and then to Japan.

Throughout Asia, religion is also shared between borders as well. In China, the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) promoted Confucianism as the official religion of the state. They went so far as to establish tests based on Confucian texts as an entrance requirement for government jobs. Confucianism focuses on human morality and right action. Confucianism is a complex system of moral, social, political, philosophical, and quasi-religious thought that has had tremendous influence to the present time on the culture of Eastern Asia. Since the Han Dynasty, many in China have believed that Confucianism works well with ruling government. The basic teachings of Confucianism stress the importance of education for moral development of the individual so that the state can be governed by moral virtue rather than the use of coercive laws.

In Japan, although some citizens do practice Confucianism, Shinto is a more commonly practiced religion. Shinto, like Confucianism and Taoism, is considered a Taoic religion. Taoic religions have over 500 million followers around the world. These religions are focused around the concept of Tao (meaning "the way") and mainly originate from China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

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Sixty million years ago the Indian plate pushes from left to right against the Asian plate, which moves from right to left. In the area where the two tectonic plates collide is a layer of heavy sediment lying below a layer of light sediment. Above the layer of light sediment lies the Tethys Sea, which fills the area between the two tectonic plates. Small mountains rise up from the Asian plate.

Forty million years ago the Indian plate is forced below the Asian plate as the two plates continue to collide. In the area where the two plates collide, only a small layer of heavy sediment remains and it forms an angled shape with the point extending beneath the Asian plate. Above the heavy sediment is a large layer of light sediment that fills the area between the two plates. The Tethys Sea is a small and narrow area of water upon the wide layer of light sediment. Large mountains rise up from the Asian plate in the location of Tibet.

Twenty million years ago the Indian plate pushes below the Asian plate. Between the two plates, heavy sediment is squeezed into an angled shape that points up through a large layer of light sediment on one end, and points down below the Asian plate on the other end. Mountains rise from the light sediment that fills the area where the two plates collide. The Tethys Sea is gone. Large mountains rise from the Asian plate in the area of Tibet.

Today the Indian plate continues to push deep beneath the Asian plate. The layer of light sediment is gone, and in the area where the two plates collide heavy sediment is squeezed even further upward. Large pointy mountains rise up from the Asian plate near Tibet, as well as the area where the two plates collide. The boundary of Nepal lies on the far side of the mountains on the Asian plate and on the other side of the mountains running across the Indian plate.

Ten million years from now the Indian plate continues to push below the Asian plate. Small mountains rise up from the area where the two plates collide, and large mountains rise up from the Asian plate near Tibet. The boundary of Nepal that ran along the Indian plate has pushed beyond the boundary of Nepal that ran along the Asian plate.

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"My musical journeys have reminded me that the interactions brought about by globalization don’t just destroy culture; they can create new culture and invigorate and spread traditions that have existed for ages."

YO-YO MA, Internationally Renowned Musician

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The Silk Road was a series of land and sea trade routes that crisscrossed the continents of Asia and Europe. During the Han Dynasty, this trade route was built to expand trade between China and the Roman Empire. Unlike its name, the Silk Road was not only meant for transporting silk. The Silk Road was also used for trading many other commodities such as gold and ivory as well as exotic animals and plants. This series of trade routes stretched from Japan to the Mediterranean and was used for almost 2000 years until about 1500 CE. Its use ended only about 500 years ago! The Silk Road has also helped promote the transfer of culture and people and ideas between the East and the West.

The intersections among people from diverse cultures along the way promoted an unprecedented sharing of goods, ideas, arts, sciences and innovations. Over the centuries, many important scientific and technological innovations have migrated to the West along the Silk Road, including gunpowder, the magnetic compass, the printing press, silk, mathematics, ceramic and lacquer crafts. The Silk Road is studied by students and scholars to learn about the interconnectedness of people and ideas throughout the world.

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Although if you look at many of the Eastern Asia countries on a map of the world, they look quite small, they are anything but insignificant. In order to work together and support each other in a global market, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan have joined together. Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are the three countries that make up the area referred to as the Jakota Triangle. This region has undergone rapid economic development and incredible growth. The Jakota Triangle region is home to many great cities. They consume large quantities of raw materials and export many goods all over the world. The Jakota Triangle is home to state-of –the-art factories and high level research and science producing some of the best technology found in the world.

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The name Hong Kong means "fragrant harbour". Although much of East Asia has fallen under colonial control during different periods in history, Hong Kong was recently under the control of Great Britain until July 1, 1997. At that point, Great Britain handed back control of Hong Kong over to China. Hong Kong is a densely populated region with an economy greater than half the countries of the world. China has allowed Hong Kong to maintain its free market systems and most of the freedoms it had grown accustomed to as a territory of Great Britain.

Hong Kong is considered a special administrative region of China. In its history, Hong Kong has been ruled by China, Japan, and Great Britain. Today, Hong Kong has two official languages – Chinese and English. Although the predominant ethnicity of Hong Kong is Chinese, people of every nationality and ethnicity reside in this densely populated city. It is a cosmopolitan tourist destination as well as an international financial center.

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Political and Economic Systems of Eastern Asia

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Political and Economic Systems of Eastern Asia

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In the last 15 years, China’s economic growth has been nearly 10 percent a year on average. Such growth was unheard of in China’s recent history – especially under Chairman Mao. During the era of Chairman Mao, the Soviet Command Economy was adopted. This heightened the abuse of political power and stifled all economic growth. Now, under Deng Xiaoping, China’s economic growth dwarfs that of any industrialized nation in the post-World War II era. China has had recent success expanding production and increasing economic growth mainly because China was a developed country in its past. Years of communist rule led by harsh dictators stifled the creativity and growth of its people, but that creativity and independence is beginning to resurface with the help of the government. Historically, the Chinese were great inventors. They have always had a knack for expanding production and solving complicated problems. Today, the government spares no expense when it comes to promoting grassroots initiatives that could benefit the economic growth of the country.

Although China’s neighbor, Japan, appears to be a very small country, it actually has the 3rd largest economy in the world – after the United (1st largest economy) States and China (2nd largest economy). Japan consumes a large amount of raw materials and exports an incredible amount of goods to places all over the world. The Japanese are innovative with technology and are renowned for the quality of their electronics, computers, and cars. Because they do not have much arable land, Japan must vigilantly protect some of its crops. Japan is among the world's biggest food importers, relying on imports for 60% of its food. Because it is importing so much of its food, the diet of the people of Japan has changed. Japanese people are not eating as much rice and this is threatening the livelihood of rice farmers. Due to this fact, rice is the most protected crop of Japan – Japan has implemented taxes on imported rice of over 400%! Japan is currently working to seek a balance between agriculture and industry while maintaining its global presence in many markets. Countries throughout Asia, much like Japan, continue to seek a foothold in the global market in different industries. Taiwan, for example, has found itself with incredible economic growth due to its manufacturing industry.

The political and economic systems of Eastern Asia are inextricably intertwined and the region continues to grow and develop in many ways - economically as well as politically. On the next page, you will watch a video about the problems experienced by China as it attempts to promote Western style capitalism while restricting other freedoms. The balance is a delicate one.

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The name Hong Kong means "fragrant star." Hong Kong is considered a special administrative region of China. Although China's neighbor, Japan appears to be a very small country, it actually has the 2nd largest economy in the world – after the United States! Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are the three countries that make up the area referred to as the Jakota Triangle This area is home to many cities and is a large consumer of raw materials that are then turned into goods for export. Trade has been important to Eastern Asia for centuries. The Silk Road  was a series of land and sea trade routes that crisscrossed the continents of Asia and Europe and was created during the Han Dynasty. Today, countries throughout Asia, much like Japan, continue to seek a foothold in the global market in different industries. Taiwan for example, has found itself with incredible economic growth due to its manufacturing industry. However, as you saw in the  Tiananmen Square videos, such growth and development is not always easy. China continues to experience problems as it attempts to promote Western style  capitalism while restricting other freedoms.

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Human Impact on the Environment of Eastern Asia

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Human Impact on the Environment of Eastern Asia

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The human impact on the environment of Eastern Asia has worldwide implications. In this section, we will explore the ideas behind zero population growth, the difficulty in maintaining infrastructure and the global impact on global warming due to increased fossil fuel consumption.

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In 1994, NASA created this world map showing the number of people per square kilometer all over the globe. Compare Eastern Asia to the United States. What do you notice? The population density of China and parts of Eastern Asia has been a cause for concern among the governments of these nations for some time. China instituted a One Child Per Family Policy simply to ensure that China would be able to feed its people. China has actively pursued a goal of zero population growth because if the population of the country was allowed to grow uncontrollably, there would be insufficient resources to support the population. Zero population growth is defined as the maintenance of a population at a constant level by limiting the number of live births needed to replace the existing population.

The greatest difficulty China faces is the size of its population. The Chinese government regularly promotes the statistic that although it has only 7% of the arable land on Earth, it feeds 22% of the world population. The pressure on limited cultivable land is incredible; it must produce enough food to feed over 1.3 billion people! Because of recent rapid industrialization, there has been a sharp reduction of China’s agricultural land. Linked with the concern over land for agriculture is the concern that water resources are also dwindling. The growing population puts a hefty strain on the infrastructure of a nation and governments must invest more money in developing and maintaining housing, transportation, clean water, and sewerage systems. Some nations of Eastern Asia find it difficult to raise the funds necessary for this infrastructure maintenance – never mind the modernization of many of these systems. Developing nations in general have a more difficult time securing the money necessary to fund these types of projects. Poor maintenance is one of the greatest threats to infrastructure in Eastern Asia. This affects not only the people of the region, but also countries and corporations who do business there. To combat this there has been a recent push to develop Public Private Partnerships and use private investment funds to help government maintain necessary infrastructure.

Although China is the greatest example of zero population growth, other nations of Eastern Asia have voluntarily followed similar paths. In fact, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea all experienced a decline in population since the year 2000 due to a decline in birth rate needed to maintain its population. However, in these countries, the slowing birth rates are not due to government mandates. Instead, rising levels of education, increased female participation in the workforce, and greater use of contraceptives has caused the slowdown in population growth.

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The rural children in China have often been called the forgotten children. The one-child policy is not enforced in the rural areas because children are needed to care for the elderly and do work. Many of the peasants want a better life for their children and to accomplish that the children must go to school. Many people have cited the ability of rural children to get an education as a benefit of the one-child policy in China because limiting the population has somewhat alleviated the strain on the national education system. However, in order to pay for food and school, many of these parents living in rural areas leave their rural communities to find work in the city.

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"Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio. Subsistence increases only in an arithmetical ratio. A slight acquaintance with numbers will show the immensity of the first power in comparison of the second."

Thomas Robert Malthus, An Essay on the Principle of Population, (1798)

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Too Much or Not Enough? Seeking a Population Balance

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Too Much or Not Enough? Seeking a Population Balance

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China has instituted and enforced the One Child Policy to limit its skyrocketing growth as much as possible. However, in countries like Japan and South Korea, the low birthrate has been largely self-enforced. Zero-population growth has also had some unintended consequences for these countries. With the low birth rate and declining populations, the population of these countries is aging – requiring additional services from the government and more health care expenditures. Due to the limited numbers of younger people, there are fewer people able to care for aging parents and grandparents. Additionally, as the average age of the workforce increases, so too does the average wage, requiring companies to pay more for labor.

The proper population balance has been debated for centuries. In 1789, Thomas Malthus published a book called Essays on Population. He promoted worldwide zero population growth strategies – every woman should have 2 children – to replace herself and her spouse. Malthus, and those that adhere to his philosophy, are concerned about the environmental degradation associated with unlimited population growth as well as society’s ability support an overly large population. Interestingly, throughout history, our world population has increased rather gradually for the most part. Then, between 1980 and 2000 the world population doubled from 3 billion to 6 billion people.

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Comparing the Industrialization of Eastern Asia and the U.S.

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Comparing the Industrialization of Eastern Asia and the U.S.

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In spite of the large rural population that exists throughout much of China and in many countries of Eastern Asia, for the most part these developed and developing nations are moving steadily along their trajectory of industrialization or post-industrialization. However, the industrialization of Eastern Asia has clearly taken a much different path than that of the Western world – specifically the United States and Western Europe. Japan is considered an “early late developing nation” due to the fact that Japan entered its period of industrialization only in the 19th century. During its industrialization process, Japan borrowed heavily from the Western experiences with industrialization due to the fact that Japan was behind them by quite a few years.

The United States and Great Britain, for example, experienced their industrial revolutions in the late 18th century. However, although Japan was behind the U.S. and Great Britain, it far outpaced the industrialization of other Eastern Asia nations. In contrast to Japan, the countries of Taiwan and South Korea did not enter the 20th century with any type of strong industrial base or technological capabilities. Taiwan and South Korea had to focus on their low wages as their competitive advantage and the way they could “woo” international business and investment.

Today, there are eight countries considered to be High Performing Asian Economies (HPAE). Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are all categorized as HPAEs. Notice that China and North Korea are not part of this group.

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Development and Its Impact on Fossil Fuel Consumption

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Development and Its Impact on Fossil Fuel Consumption

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Rapid economic growth in the emerging world, especially Eastern Asia, drives increased energy demand throughout the world. The rapid industrialization of billions of people in Asia, where energy use is less efficient, must drive the search for alternatives to fossil fuel. China and the United States account for nearly half the increase in world oil demand. However, the burning of fossil fuels is more of a problem in China than in Japan or the United States due to the lack of pollution controls in China.

Eight countries—India, Pakistan, Nigeria, the United States, China, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—are expected to account for half of the world's population increase during the next fifty years. As you can see from the graph above, China, Japan, the United States, and India account for ½ of the world’s carbon emissions. In general, it is believed that skyrocketing population growth makes existing environmental problems harder to solve.

Unsustainable population growth, agricultural expansion, and forest depletion have all impacted the increased emissions of CO₂. However, in spite of all these factors, the single greatest impact on atmospheric change is dependence on fossil fuels. The ecological impact of global warming affects the whole world. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, decreasing land productivity, and an increase in the number of extinct plants and animals. Eastern Asia has also experienced an increase in natural disasters, such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes – many scientists attribute such an increase on global warming.

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the arrangement or spread of people living in a given area

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the proportion of births to the total population

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the number of people living per unit of an area

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Maintaining population at a constant level

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China's rule allowing one child per family

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The graph shows the carbon emissions by region throughout the world. Notice that the United States and Canada clearly have the highest carbon emissions. However, the carbon emissions of Eastern Asia are not as clear cut. The communist nations of Eastern Europe emit almost twice as much carbon as do the nations of Japan and Australia. China has a long history of disregard for the environment and it is only recently that China has taken the initiative to enforce environmental sanctions and promote environmentally friendly practices. In June 2007, China unveiled a 62-page climate change plan and promised to focus on climate change and make related issues the heart of its energy policies.

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases always have been present in the atmosphere, helping keep the earth suitable for plant, animal, and human life. However, since the industrial revolution, emissions of these gases from human activity have accumulated steadily, trapping more heat and resulting in the enhanced greenhouse effect. Although greenhouse gas emissions are primarily associated with the burning of fossil fuels (mainly, coal, oil and natural gas), carbon emissions come from many sources.

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"The world faces no greater challenge in the 21st century than arresting the rapidly increasing accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cause climate change. The two largest producers of these gases are the United States and China. Their cooperation is essential if there is to be a solution to the daunting climate change challenge. If the United States and China can become active catalysts in bringing about a strategic transformation to a low-carbon, sustainable global economy, the world will take a giant step forward in combating climate change. The United States and China will also edge closer to energy security, protecting their environments and assuring greater prosperity for their citizens. Equally important, they will also succeed in building a far more stable and cooperative foundation for U.S.-China relations as a whole."

Richard Holbrooke, February 2009 Common Challenge, Collaborative Response: A Roadmap for U.S.-China Cooperation on Energy and Climate Change

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here is very little debate about the anthropogenic (man-made) impact on climate change. Humans, and their activity on this planet, are altering our climate. Today, nations are working together to tackle this enormous problem. Climate change was not created overnight and the solution will not be found overnight. Reversing the global warming trend and protecting our Earth for future generations will take the concerted effort of many nations.

Solutions to climate change must be environmentally effective as well as economically efficient. Bold and innovative solutions on a national as well as global scale are needed. Throughout the United States and the world, many political, business, and community leaders already are working to prevent the consequences of global warming.