chapter 8 sec 1
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Chapter 8 Sec 1. Myanmar. Was once called Burma and is about the size of Texas. They have two main rivers the Irrawady and the Salween. About 2/3 are farmers and they do not have modern technology. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Chapter 8 Sec 1
Myanmar
• Was once called Burma and is about the size of Texas.• They have two main rivers the Irrawady and the
Salween.• About 2/3 are farmers and they do not have modern
technology.• They also have manufacturing. They produce soap,
noodles, paper, textiles, and glass bottles.• They also export precious gems- valuable gemstones
such as rubies, sapphires, and jade.
• They also produce most of the worlds teakwood.
• Their forests are decreasing because of deforestation- widespread cutting of trees.
• Most people live in the Irrawady valley along the river.
• Myanmar was part of British India until it gained independence in 1948.
• Myanmar is now a socialist country. Socialism- is an economic system in which most businesses are owned and run by the government.
• Myanmar has struggled to become a democracy.• In 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the nobel
peace prize
Thailand
• Was once called Siam. Thailand means “land of the free”
• It is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never ruled by a European country.
• They trace their independence back to the 1200s AD.
• Thailand's main agricultural export is teakwood and rubber. They government has limited deforestation to preserve this resource.
• They also export tin and gemstones.• Most manufacturing is located near the capital of
Bangkok. • They make cement, textiles, clothing, and metal
products. • Tourism is an important industry as well.
• Most of the people of Thailand are Buddhist.• 80% of the people live in rural villages.• There is a lot of urbanization from the people
of Thailand moving to Bangkok to look for jobs in industry.
Laos
• Laos is landlocked and covered in mountains.• Laos is a very poor country. The government
recently began to allow tourism to help the economy out.
• 80% of the people live in rural areas.
• They do not have a lot of manufacturing because of isolation from other countries and civil war- a fight among different groups within a country.
• The country lacks railroads and only a few cities have electricity. Vientiane is the largest city and capital.
• The communist government discourages religion but most of Laos remains Buddhist.
Cambodia
• Their economy began to falter in the 1980s because of civil war and harsh communist rule.
• They also have very few factories.• Most are part of the Khmer ethnic group.• 80% live in rural villages.• The rest live in cities like the capital Phnom
Penh• Buddhism is the main religion.
• In 1953 Cambodia gained its independence from the French.
• They have fought amongst themselves since then. In the 1970s Communist leaders took over and ruled Cambodia very harshly.
• In 1993 they brought back their King but political fighting continues.
Vietnam
• Vietnam has a very long eastern coastline. It borders the Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea, Gulf of Thailand.
• The north of Vietnam has a fertile delta on the red river.
• The south has wide swampy deltas on the Mekong River
• Monsoons bring wet and dry seasons.
• Farmers grow rice, sugarcane, cassava, sweet potatoes, corn, bananas, and coffee.
• With 80 million people Vietnam is the largest population in Southeast Asia.
• 80% of the people live in the country side.• The largest urban area is Ho Chi Minh City, it is
named after the communist leader. • It used to be called Saigon before the
communists took over.
• Hanoi is located in the North and is the capital of Vietnam.
• Most people are Buddhist and belong to the Vietnamese ethnic group. The rest are Chinese, Cambodians, and other Asian ethnic groups.
• Vietnamese is the major language but Chinese, English, and French are also spoken.
• Vietnamese people came from China over 2,000 years ago. From the late 1800s to the mid 1950s Vietnam was under French control.
• In recent years, Vietnam’s communist leaders have opened up to western ideas, businesses, and tourists. They also have loosened government control on the economy.
• They hope to raise Vietnam’s standard of living.