World Regional Geography

Spring 2005

Chapter 5: East Asia

Review: Test 3

Test Date: March 10 (Internet/VCT = by March 12 )

 

This test will have 30 points of Multiple Choice, etc. and 20 points of essay.  Essays will be on topics such as the homework questions from this chapter (geographic areas of China and Japan, Hong Kong/Taiwan, North/south Korea issues, Asian Way, etc.)

 

One-third of the planet's population on one-tenth of the world's land area

Japan remains the dominant economic power of the region

Population densities are the world’s highest and lowest

 

Prepare answers to the following questions:

§         List the important climatic and physicals environments of China

§         Discuss the changing roles of China within Eastern Asia

§         Describe the characteristics of the four main islands of Japan

§         Compare and contrast Hong Kong and Taiwan

§         Understand global significance of rapid economic growth found in Eastern Asia

 

East Asian History- from 1945:

§         Japan- defeated in war (Asian resentment and hatred for wartime atrocities)

§         Korea- decades of Japanese occupation, then Korean War in 1950's

§         China- Nationalist and communist factions at war- interrupted by WWII and continued until Nationalists retreat to Taiwan.

 

China had highest economic growth rates in the world from 1980-90.  

 

The Asian Tigers include South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

Little Tigers include Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia.

 

Asian Economic failure linked to:

§         High levels of foreign lending

§         Government budget deficits

§         Loans to glutted property markets

§         Slower economic growth

§         Subsequent currency devaluation

§         Less (almost none) Japanese and US aid.

 

Chinese, Koreans and Japanese share cultural characteristics (Asian Way)-

§         Buddhism

§         Chinese Script

§         Family life/Kinship

§         Communal Organization

 

§         Asian Way-

§         Confucian Ideas

§         Hierarchy of relationships (define work and cultural roles and customs)

§         Respect for age and social position

§         Concept of "Face"

§         Business transaction are based on relationship

 

Four Noble Truths of Buddhism

1.             Life involves suffering

2.             The cause of suffering is desire

3.             Elimination of desire ends suffering

4.             Desire can be eliminated by right thinking and behavior (Eightfold Path)

 

China

 

  • Confucius (administrator) – hierarchical system that emphasized proper social relations and conduct.

·        Daoism (a return to small village life and values) – teachings of Laozi.  Ant-Confucius, based upon harmony and balance for the self and community

§         Chin (Q'in) dynasty (after which modern China is named)- 22BC

§         Buddhism followed Silk Road into China from Southern Asia- 100 AD.

§         Zen Buddhism arrives in Japan in 1200's.  Tibet (600 AD)- Lamaistic Buddhism (Dalai Lama- Leader of Tibetan Buddhism- flees after Chinese takeover)

§         Manchu Dynasty (1644- 1911)- Furthest expansion of Chinese area. 1820- China is world's wealthiest empire.

 

Chinese Cities

1. Shanghai is the largest city and chief port and economic center, automobile manufacturing and main growth area

2. Beijing is the second largest city and political center.

3. Tianjin is an industrial and technology center.

4. Greatest economic growth on coasts

 

Problems in Beijing- centralized control (being reformed) related to

rising unemployment, rural unrest, funding shortages and tax issues.

Other issues include a switch to a market economy (limited), social

unrest, connectivity to the world, crime and corruption

 

Growth of private industry- from zero to 40% of Chinese industrial output.

Rising urban populations as people leave countryside to city jobs.

 

Globalization and China

§         From 1980-2000- fastest sustained economic growth

§         Population 1.3 billion

§         Direct foreign investment in China- 4th in world (after US, Germany and UK)

§         Investment in China- from Chinese in Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Chinese abroad (such as US and Australia)

§         Neighbors fear Chinese political, cultural and economic dominance

§         3rd largest country in area

 

Manchuria: Northeast China

§         Weather like New England

§         Was independent in the 40's

§         An area of heavy industry and agriculture

§         One of China's most productive areas

§         Rust Belt Status

§         Conquered by Japan

 

Natural environment (Entire Area)

1.             China is arid, semi-arid and topographically rugged- (10% of the country is arable)

2.             95% of China's population reside in the more humid and arable eastern regions.

3.             East coast midlatitude climate (warm, humid summers w/ cold winter)

4.             Southern China has monsoon climate- summer rains and winter drought.)

5.             East coast of China is like that of US.  (compare population density)

6.             Western China- arid/semiarid climates at great altitude

7.             Mountains- Himalayas (1/3 of region) border India and Nepal (theTibetan plateau)

8.             Mount Everest is 29,000 feet w/ 50 peaks over 25,000 feet.

9.             Rivers- Huang He (Yellow River), Chang Jiang (Yangtze) and Xi Jiang (West River)

10.         Vegetation- Monsoonal Forest to deciduous/evergreen to grasslands to desert.

11.         Resources- soils, water and minerals (coal, oil, gas, iron, gold, precious stones)

12.         Agriculture- rice based (enables high population densities)

13.         5 cities in China are among the 10 most polluted in the world

14.         China is reaching maximum agricultural productivity on its lands

15.         Northern China has most arable land (64%) with only 20% of the water

16.         West and south - mountain ranges (Himalayas)

17.         East- Coastal regions (like US East Coast- very important)

18.         North- East Coast climate (like New England and Canada)

19.         Interior- plateaus with Gobi desert.  Transition from fertile river valleys to forests grasslands to desert

20.         China's largest geographical regions, Sinkiang and Tibet contain less than 4% of the country's total population.

 

Figure 5.32 Page 211

 

Chinese History

§         Mao Zedong (leader of communist revolution)

§         Central Planning period (1949-1959) – collectivization and the commune

§         Great Leap Forward (1959-1962)- industrialization

§         Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)- Little Red Book, Red Guard- destruction of management practices and persecution of the educated classes

§         Deng Xiaoping (1976-) Mao’s successor

 

Ethnicity

§         Han Chinese- 92% of Chinese population

§         Minority groups live along the Russian, Mongolian and western borders.

§         Tibetans- main group in far west.  China took over Tibet in 1950 with a rebellion in 1959 that was brutally repressed.

 

Population

§         Growth rates are under 1%

§         Chinese formal population policy based on: One child only.

§         Younger age groups have more men than woman- product of one child policy and resulting killing of many girl babies

§         Social problem- caring for the elderly as China’s population ages

 

Energy- Ranks 3rd in the world for producing energy.  First in coal, fifth in oil and 6th in hydroelectricity.  Use coal to produce power- main cause of urban air pollution

 

Globalization and East Asia

    * Japan and China- economic leaders of this century

    * China, South Korea and Taiwan- 3 main emerging markets for US goods.

    * Tokyo- in # 2 world city (financial and technology capital)

    * Japan- huge capital surpluses w/ 8 of the 10 largest world banks

    * Multinationals- Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Sony, Sharp,

      Fujitsu, Panasonic, Matsushita, Hyundai, Samsung, Daewoo and Lucky

      Goldstar.  These represent some of the biggest companies in the

      world.  Exert a great deal of influence on international economy.

 

Japan

§         US occupation from 1945 to 1952 w/ continuing military presence

§         Today Japan is the dominant economic power of Asia.

§         Japan is still a traditional society and not fully westernized.

§         In contrast to twentieth-century China, Japan has openly embraced western technology and trade.

§         Portuguese- 1st Western nation to explore East Asia

§         Shinto- Indigenous religion of Japan

 

Ethnic groups: Very homogeneous ethnic group.  One percent of population

is foreign: Ainu (Hokkaido Island), Burakumin (Honshu Island)- oppressed

minority emancipated in 1871) and foreigners (75% Korean.)   To make up

for shortage of workers Japan has encouraged foreign born Japanese to

move to Japan.  Many come from Peru and Brazil.

 

Total population- 127 million

Infant mortality- world’s lowest

Life expectancy- world’s highest (81 years) (Aging population)

 

Economic development

§         Japan Imports 70% of oil.

§         Japan produces 14% of the world's industrial output (United States produces 25%)

§         The US- 2nd largest trade deficit is with Japan, due mainly to automobile related imports

§         The Kanto plain (Honshu) is the single most intensively developed area in Japan

§         Wealthiest country in Asia and 2nd in world

§         Heavy industry facing stiffer competition from such newly industrializing countries as South Korea, Taiwan, India, China and Brazil

§         Huge trade deficit with China.

 

Corporate culture- Traditional culture, loyalty to Emperor, family and company.  Workers get jobs throughout life with health care and social support.

 

Islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu

 

Climate ranges from the long cold winters of Hokkaido, to tropical Kyushu.

Kanto plain includes Tokyo-Yokohama, Japan's largest industrial and population complex.

 

Hokkaido- 20% land w/ 5% of population.  Farming, dairy, fishing, forestry and coal.  Tourism. Sapporo- 5th largest city.  Not adjacent to inland sea

Honshu- largest and most populated of Japanese islands.  Island broken into 3 parts- Northern Central, and Southern (Coastal movement with difficulty crossing central mountains)

Northern- rice district. Agriculture and fishing.  Economic decline

Central Honshu (Kanto- Tokyo region) 1/3 of population.  The cities of Tokyo (financial), Kawasaki (heavy industry) and Yokohama (port) combine to form an urban area of 27 million people.  Autos are made on Pacific side of Honshu

Tokyo-Okaido form "Tokaido" a megalopolis like "Boswash"

Kanto- 31% of population, produces 37% GDP on 10% land

Tokyo Bay- Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama

Chubu region- contains Mount Fuji- Japan’s highest peak and a “spiritual’ place

Southern- 2nd most prosperous region. Osaka and the Kansai region.  Includes Kyoto (old capital) Osaka (11 million- 2nd largest city) and Kobe.  The Japanese rust belt

Shikoku- mountainous small island.

Kyushu- connected to Honshu by tunnel.  Western island- entry point of Asian culture Buddhism, Christianity and trade.)  Industrial area.

Ryuku Islands- includes Okinawa (US base.) Stretch southward

towards Taiwan.

Kuril Islands: Issues with Russia

 

South and North Korea

§         North and South- Independent Republics created in 1948.

§         Issues- North Korean nuclear capabilities. Japan is within missile range

§         North Korean famine: net food importer

§         Northwest area is main industrial (near Seoul- 50 miles from North Korea)

§         Population is on West Coast

§         Seoul- population of 10 million (S. Korea = 50 million)

§         South Korea- world’s main manufacturer of computer chips and large ships. Also iron, steel, and textiles

§         South Korea- 5th largest automaker

§         Economy- 11th largest

 

Chaebol: (huge corporate conglomerates)  The big 3 are 100 businesses, with 80% of their revenue coming from 20% of the companies with only 1-2% making a profit.  Fiscal irresponsibility with great political power and family connections-1997 collapse was one of reasons for Asian market crisis

 

Overseas Chinese

§         100,000 Chinese in the US

§         Over 40 million Chinese in Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

§         Dominate the private sector in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore.

§         Only 3.5 % of Indonesian population but own 75% of companies.

 

 Mongolia

§         buffer state against Chinese expansionist aims in inner Asia- a geopoliticaly strategic nation with little resources or long-term development potential.

 

Hong Kong

§         Reverted to Chinese ownership-1997 (largest financial center in Southeast Asia)

§         Hong Kong's port is one of the busiest in the world.

§         Chinese re-exports through Hong Kong are an important source of trade.

§         Hong Kong is the third largest gold market in the world.

 

Taiwan

§         Founded by Kuomintang in 1949 after defeated by communists

§         1/2 Taiwanese people support reunification with China (if Hong Kong works out)

§         One of world’s largest trade surpluses (invests in China, US and Thailand)

§         Taipei- capital

§         Both Taiwan and South Korea are tied to the United States by mutual security pacts.