Regional: Quick Views
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Transcript Regional: Quick Views
Regional
Quick Views
EAST ASIA
UNITED STATES AND CANADA
LATIN AMERICA
EUROPE
RUSSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
AUSTRALIA AND ANTARCTICA
East Asia
Mongolia
North Korea
China
South Korea
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Japan
Physical Features
Gobi Desert
Taklamakan Desert
Plateau of Tibet
Himalaya Mtns
Yellow River
Yangtze River
Three Gorges Dam
Xi Jiang
Economic Characteristics
China is transitioning from command (communist) to market
economy
North Korea still communist economy – people are the
poorest in the world
Varied economies in the region ranging from
subsistence/commercial agriculture to high-tech industrial
manufacturing
Participation in global markets
Newly industrialized countries—South Korea, Taiwan,
Singapore
Japan—economic leader
Agricultural advancements and technology, enabling greater
food production—Green Revolution
Cultural Characteristics
Areas of extremely dense and sparse population
China – most populated country in the world
Contrast between rural and urban areas
Religious diversity—Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism,
Christianity, Taoism, Shinto, Confucianism
Respect for ancestors
Silk, ideograms (calligraphy)
Famous Landmarks
Great Wall of China –
built 2000 years ago to
keep out northern
invaders
Terra Cotta Warriors
Buddhist pagodas
Famous Landmarks
The world's
largest religious
building. Built for
the king
Suryavarman II in
the early 12th
century as his
state temple and
capital city. First
a Hindu temple,
dedicated to the
god Vishnu, then
Buddhist temple.
Angkor Wat
Cambodia, Southeast Asia
United States and Canada
R
o
c
k
y
M
t
n
s
Rio Grande River
Hudson Bay
St. Lawrence River
Mississippi River
Physical Features
Abundant natural resources
Wide variety of climates – From tundra in Alaska to
tropical wet in Hawaii
Economic Characteristics
Highly developed infrastructure
Highly diversified economy
Center of world financial markets – New York Stock
Exchange
U.S. culture exported via global marketplace –
McDonalds, Coca-Cola and blue jeans
High literacy rate, GDP, life expectancy
NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement
Cultural Characteristics
Multicultural societies – U.S./melting pot;
Canada/quilt
Bilingual nations – US has English and Spanish;
Canada has English and French
Highly urbanized and mobile
French separatists movement in Canada - struggling
to maintain national identity
Democratic governments
NATO – North Atlantic Treaty
Organization/European roots
Famous Landmarks
U.S. Capitol Building
Golden Gate Bridge
St. Louis Gateway Arch
Latin America
Sierra Madre Mtns.
Caribbean Sea
Llanos
Amazon Rain Forest
Atacama Desert
Patagonia
Physical Features
Wide variety of
landforms
Mostly tropical climates
Seasons reverse south of
the border
Vertical Zonation
Economic Characteristics
Developing economies
Subsistence farming
Slash and burn agriculture
Cash crops and food crops – coffee and bananas
Environmental issues: air pollution in Mexico City
and destruction of rainforests (deforestation)
Oil resources in Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico
Widening gap between rich and poor
Members of NAFTA and OAS (Organ. of Am States)
Diverse mineral resources – primary business
(extraction)
Cultural Characteristics
Indian roots – Mayan, Aztec and Inca
European colonialism – Influence of the Spanish and
Portuguese (Brazil)
Indian + European = Mestizo
Roman Catholic Religion/Spanish Language
African Influence – African slave trade
Large out-migration – people leaving home country
for work
Famous Landmarks
Hacienda – communal lands
Machu Picchu – Andes Mtns./Inca
Tikal – Guatemala/Mayan pyramid
Europe
Scandinavian
North Sea
British Isles Jutland
Chunnel
Iberian
Italian
Balkan
U
r
a
l
M
t
n
s
.
Physical Features
A peninsula of peninsulas
Ural Mountains divide Europe from Asia
All places near the water – rivers and canals major
transportation links
Great farming - Advanced farming techniques, high
crop yields, fertile soils, black earth (chernozem)
Areas threatened by air and water pollution
– Forests (Black Forest)
– Cities (Venice)
– Rivers (Rhine, Danube, Seine)
Economic Characteristics
Highly developed in the West – East lags behind
because of communist ties
Oil reserves in the North Sea
European Union – economic alliance to promote
trade among European nations
Cultural Characteristics
Highly urbanized
Densely populated
Birthplace of Industrial Revolution (London)
Birthplace of Democracy (Athens/Greece)
Ethnically diverse
Many languages
Switzerland – neutral/specialized products and banking,
multilingual
Regional conflicts – Yugoslavia (ethnic divisions),
Northern Ireland (religious tension)
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organ.) for defense
Famous Landmarks
Paris, France:
Notre Dame
The Louvre
Arc de Triomphe
Eiffel Tower
London, England:
Big Ben
Famous Landmarks (con’t)
Rome, Italy
Coliseum
Athens, Greece:
The Parthenon
Russia and Central Asia
Siberia
The “Stans”
Physical Features
Vast land area—spans two continents, Europe and
Asia (covers 11 time zones)
Vast areas of tundra, permafrost, taiga, and steppe
Varied climate regions
Black earth belt (rich chernozem soil)
Ural Mountains (divide Europe from Asia)
Siberia (the sleeping land), located east of the Urals
Major oil, natural gas, and mineral resources –
location is a problem
Economic Charateristics
Developing economies
Poor infrastructures
Transitioning from communist to free market
economy
Russia is industrialized
Central Asia is very agricultural
Air and water pollution – Aral Sea/Chernobyl
Cultural Characteristics
Diverse ethnic groups,
customs and traditions
(many of Turkic, Slavic
and Mongol heritage)
Dominant religion –
Russian Orthodox
Fabergé eggs
Matrioshka dolls
Samovars
Famous Landmarks
Moscow:
Red Square
The Kremlin
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Yurts – round tents
for nomads on
the steppes of Central
Asia
Australia and Antarctica
Great Barrier Reef
Physical Features
Wide range of vegetation, from tropical rain forests
to desert scrub
Australia mostly desert – “Outback”
Pacific islands—Volcanic, coral, or continental
Australia’s isolation, resulting in unique animal life
Antarctica, the world’s coldest,
driest, windiest continent; icecap
Economic Characteristics
Air and water travel that bring goods and services to
remote areas
Dry areas of Australia good for cattle and sheep
ranching
Upset of environmental balance, caused by the
introduction of nonnative plants and animals
Ranching, mining (primary activities)
Cultural Characteristics
Pacific islands are sparsely
populated.
Australia colonized by GB
as a penal colony
Lifestyles range from
subsistence farming to
modern city living.
• Traditional cultures:
Maori in New Zealand
Aborigines in Australia
Famous Landmarks
• Sydney Opera House
• Cattle and sheep
stations (Australia)
• Research stations
Antarctica – Int’l Treaty
• Thatched roof
dwellings (Pacific
islands)
Sub Sahara Africa
Sahara Desert
Sahel (Shore of the Desert)
Lake Victoria
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Victoria Falls
Madagascar
Physical Features
Continent is a huge plateau
Smooth coastline with few natural harbors
River transportation impeded by waterfalls and
rapids
Many landlocked countries
Storehouse of mineral wealth
Nature preserves and national parks
Equator in middle of continent: climate patterns are
mirrored north and south of equator
Desertification
Economic Characteristics
Most of population engaged in agriculture
Subsistence farming
Nomadic herding
Slash-and-burn agriculture
Poorly developed infrastructure
Major exporters of raw materials
Developing Demographics: low GDP, low life
expectancy, high pop. growth rate, high infant
mortality, low literacy rate, pop. under age 15.
Cultural Characteristics
Many ethnic groups, languages and customs
Large numbers of refugees – Rwanda conflict
between Hutu and Tutsi
Knowledge of history through oral tradition
Few cities with population over 1 million
Colonial legacy – French, British, Belgians
Famous Landmarks
Colorful tribal dress identifies ancestral roots
Masks:
represent
spirits.