The Topography and Geography of Asia

Bobby Ray Atmosfera

• History is the performance while geography constitutes the stage.

• History investigates the past; geography responds to questions about the past.

• The study of history and geography are therefore, inseparable.

Asia

• North – Arctic Ocean• East – Bering Strait and the

Pacific Ocean• South – Indian Ocean• Southwest – Red Sea and

Mediterranean Sea• West – Ural Mountain Range

that divides Asia and Europe

Land Area

• Approximately 45 million square kilometers

• Comprises about a third of the world’s land mass

• From east to west, Asia covers a distance of 8, 500 kilometers

Weather and Climate

• Varying climates• Generally warm weather• Typhoons• Winter• Warm• Dry• Excessive rain; lack of rain

Natural Resources

• Surrounded by water, high mountain ranges, low valleys and plains

• Highest points: Himalayas, Tibet, Siberia, Eastern China, Southern India, Arabian Peninsula

• Varying plants and animals• Rich in minerals

Major Topographic Features• Mountain

Ranges:

– Himalayas– Karakorum– Hindu Kush– Elburz– Caucasus

– Pamirs

– Kunlun– Tian Shan– Alatais– Urals

Major Topographic Features• Mountain

Ranges:

– Himalayas– Karakorum– Hindu Kush– Elburz– Caucasus

– Pamirs

– Kunlun– Tian Shan– Alatais– Urals

Himalayas

Karakorum

Hindu Kush

Elburz

Elburz in Iran

Caucasus - Georgia

Caucasus - Georgia

Pamirs

Pamirs

Kunlun

Major Topographic Features• Highest Mountains:

– Everest (8,846 meters)– K2 (8,607 m)– Kanchenjunga (8,598 m)– Lhotse (8,511 m)– Makalu (8,481 m)

Everest

K2

Kanchenjunga - Nepal

Lhotse - Nepal

Makalu - Nepal

Major Topographic Features• Largest Lakes:

– Aral Sea (41,000 square kilometers)

– Baikal (31,494 sq. km.)– Balkhash (18,900 sq. km.)– Caspian Sea (370,000 sq. km.)– Dead Sea (1,020 sq. km.)

Aral Sea / Caspian Sea

Baikal

Dead Sea

Major Rivers

• Amu Darya

• Brahmaputra

• Chao Phraya

• Euphrates• Ganges• Huang Ho

• Indus• Irrawady• Irtysh• Jhelum • Jordan• Lena• Mekong• Ob’

• Salween• Shinano• Tigris• Yalu• Yamuna

(Jumna)• Yangtze• Yenisei

Amu Darya

Brahmaputra

Chao Phraya

Euphrates

Ganges

Huang Ho

Indus

Irrawaddy

Irtysh

Jhelum

Jordan

Lena

Mekong

Ob’

Salween

Shinano

Tigris

Yalu

Yamuna

Yangtze

Yenisei

Major Topographic Features• Lowest Area

– Dead Sea Coast (295 meters below sea level)

Environmental Issues in Asia• Soil exhaustion• Deforestation• Air pollution

Human Resources

• Population density– Singapore– Mongolia

• Urban centers

East Asia

• China• Mongolia• North Korea• South Korea• Japan Taiwan

South Asia

• Pakistan• India• Sri Lanka• Nepal• Bhutan• Bangladesh

Southeast Asia

• Myanmar (Burma)

• Thailand• Cambodia• Vietnam• The

Philippines• Indonesia

• Malaysia• Brunei

Darussalam• Singapore• Laos

Southwest Asia

• Lebanon• Israel• Jordan• Turkey• Syria• Kuwait• Iraq

• Saudi Arabia• Yemen• Oman• United Arab

Emirates• Iran• Afghanistan

Central Asia

• Azerbaijan• Armenia• Georgia• Russia• Kazakhstan• Turkmenistan• Uzbekistan

• Kyrgyzstan• Tajikistan

Homework

• Research on each Region– Location– Climate and Weather– Natural Resources– Human Resources

Homework

• Research on the pollution data of the assigned country

• Water sample• Formulate a synthesis of the

pollution situation in Asia• Out of the synthesis, paint a

mural illustrating the pollution situation is Asia

Homework

• Suppose you are given the chance to study for one year in an Asian country of your choice. Write an essay explaining in twenty sentences why you have chosen that country.