Transcript Island SE Asia

A Geographical Look at
Southeast Asia:
A Region of Beautiful and Exotic
Lands
Southeast Asia
Physical map of southeast Asia depicting countries and bodies of water
Satellite Image of Southeast Asia
Subregion of Asia
Countries
• Brunei
• Thailand
• Cambodia • Vietnam
• East Timor
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Philippines
• Singapore
Main Bodies of Water
• Andaman • Indian
Sea
Ocean
• Bay of
• Philippine
Bengal
Sea
• Great
• Pacific
Channel
Ocean
• Gulf of
• South China
Thailand
Sea
• Gulf of
• Timor Sea
Tonkin
Vocabulary to Consider
• Archipelago- Chain of islands
• Cordilleras- Parallel mountain ranges or
plateaus
• Fauna- Animal life
• Flora- Plant life
• Endemic- Species native to a particular area
• Insular- Island; island-like countries
Geography
• The area/region known as Southeast Asia was formed
millions of years ago by the colliding of the Eurasian,
Philippine and Indo-Australian tectonic plates
• Stretching from the Asian mainland close by the Indian
Ocean to the Pacific, the region includes archipelagos,
islands and huge landmasses such as the Indo-China
and Malay Peninsulas.
• Southeast Asia is sometimes discussed in two different
settings; Mainland SE Asia and Island SE Asia
Geography Con’t
Mainland SE Asia
• Cambodia
• Laos
• Malaysia (considered both a
mainland and island country)
• Myanmar
• Thailand
• Vietnam
Island SE Asia
• Brunei
• East Timor
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Singapore
Comparing Lands
Southeast Asia is about half the size of the Continental US
Mountains
• Annam Cordillera- separates Vietnam from
Laos and Cambodia
• Arakan Yoma Range- located in western
Myanmar
• Bilauktaung Range- borders Myanmar and
Thailand
Ring of Fire
The Ring of Fire is the circle of
volcanoes bordering the
Pacific Ocean.
An arc of islands east of China
marks where the Pacific,
Philippine and Eurasian
tectonic plates meet. Plate
movements cause frequent
earthquakes that can
generate tsunamis and violent
volcano eruptions.
Java, an Indonesian island, is
one of the Ring of Fire’s most
active areas.
Rivers
• People of SE Asia rely on the
waterways for transportation,
communication and food
• Mainland rivers originate in
the northern highlands of SE
Asia and southern China. Most
of these rivers flow southward
to the Gulf of Thailand
• Rivers’ silt and deposits of
sediment help to create fertile
agricultural regions
• Irrawaddy River- located in
Myanmar
• Chao Phraya River- located in
Thailand
• Red Hong River- located on
Vietnam
• Mekong River- begins in China,
forming the border between
Thailand and Laos, runs
through Cambodia and South
Vietnam before emptying into
the South China Sea
Natural Resources
• Fossil Fuels (coal, oil, natural gas; Indonesia is a
member of OPEC)
• Minerals (nickel, iron, copper, tin, zinc, tungsten
and manganese)
• Gems (rubies, sapphires, pearls and jade)
• Fauna (orangutans, tigers, elephants, rhinos)
• Flora (orchids, rubber trees, mahogany and teak)
Rafflesia arnoldiiAlso known as the
“Corpse Flower”
Noted for producing the
largest individual flower on
earth, and a strong odor of
decaying flesh - the latter
point earning it the nickname
of "corpse flower".
It is an endemic plant that
occurs only in the rainforests
of Sumatra Island, Indonesia.
Blossoms are usually 3ft or
more wide.
Climate
• Tropical rainforest- most of the region; 79*C daily temps,
wet/humid all year round, humidity between 80-90%
• Tropical savanna- mostly in Indonesia and along Indo-china
Peninsula. Also consists of wet and dry seasons as well as
monsoon rains
• Humid subtropical- mainly located on the mainlands
including Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. Myanmar
is sometimes referred to as “Tropical Scotland” because of
its cooler climate.
• Highlands- mountainous areas such as Myanmar, New
Guinea and Borneo; cooler
Environmental Pollution
• Increased manufacturing raises the standard of living but also
creates industrial waste
• Growing populations and crowded conditions have actually
overheated the city of Bangkok
• Volcanic eruptions and forest fires help to contribute to pollution
• Deforestation has allowed heavy tropical rains to easily erode
topsoil because root systems were not in place
• Rock waste from mining has had a negative effect on rivers as well
as local vegetation