Physical and geographical characteristics of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia

Asia is the largest part of the world in terms of area (43.4 million km², together with adjacent islands) and population (4.2 billion people or 60.5% of the total population of the Earth).

Geographical position

It is located in the eastern part of the Eurasian continent, in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it borders on Europe along the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, on Africa along the Suez Canal, and on America along the Bering Strait. It is washed by the waters of the Pacific, Arctic and Indian Oceans, inland seas belonging to the pool Atlantic Ocean. The coastline is slightly indented, such large peninsulas are distinguished: Hindustan, Arabian, Kamchatka, Chukotka, Taimyr.

Main geographical features

3/4 of the Asian territory is occupied by mountains and plateaus (Himalayas, Pamir, Tien Shan, Greater Caucasus, Altai, Sayan), the rest - plains (West Siberian, North Siberian, Kolyma, Great Chinese, etc.). There are a large number of active, active volcanoes on the territory of Kamchatka, the islands of East Asia and the Malaysian coast. The highest point in Asia and the world is Chomolungma in the Himalayas (8848 m), the lowest is 400 meters below sea level (Dead Sea).

Asia can be safely called a part of the world where great waters flow. The basin of the Arctic Ocean includes the Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, Irtysh, Lena, Indigirka, Kolyma, the Pacific Ocean - Anadyr, Amur, Huanghe, Yangtz, Mekong, the Indian Ocean - Brahmaputra, Ganges and Indus, the inland basin of the Caspian, Aral Seas and lakes Balkhash - Amudarya, Syrdarya, Kura. The largest sea-lakes are the Caspian and Aral, tectonic lakes are Baikal, Issyk-Kul, Van, Rezaye, Lake Teletskoye, salty ones are Balkhash, Kukunor, Tuz.

The territory of Asia lies in almost all climatic zones, the northern regions are the Arctic zone, the southern ones are equatorial, the main part is influenced by a sharply continental climate, which is characterized by cold winters with low temperatures and hot, dry summers. Precipitation mainly falls in the summer, only in the Middle and Near East - in winter.

The distribution of natural zones is characterized by latitudinal zonality: northern regions - tundra, then taiga, a zone of mixed forests and forest-steppe, a zone of steppes with a fertile layer of chernozem, a zone of deserts and semi-deserts (Gobi, Takla-Makan, Karakum, deserts of the Arabian Peninsula), which are separated by the Himalayas from the southern tropical and subtropical zone, Southeast Asia lies in the zone of equatorial rainforests.

Asian countries

Asia hosts 48 sovereign states, 3 officially unrecognized republics (Waziristan, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Shan State), 6 dependent territories (in the Indian and Pacific Ocean) - a total of 55 countries. Some countries are partially located in Asia (Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Yemen, Egypt and Indonesia). the largest states Asia are considered Russia, China, India, Kazakhstan, the smallest - Comoros, Singapore, Bahrain, Maldives.

Depending on the geographical location, cultural and regional characteristics, it is customary to divide Asia into East, West, Central, South and Southeast.

List of Asian countries

Major Asian countries:

(with detailed description)

Nature

Nature, plants and animals of Asia

The diversity of natural zones and climatic zones determines the diversity and uniqueness of both the flora and fauna of Asia, a huge number of diverse landscapes allows you to live here the most various representatives plant and animal kingdom...

North Asia, located in the zone of the Arctic desert and tundra, is characterized by poor vegetation: mosses, lichens, dwarf birches. Further, the tundra gives way to the taiga, where huge pines, spruces, larches, firs, Siberian cedars grow. The taiga in the Amur region is followed by a zone of mixed forests (Korean cedar, white fir, Olginskaya larch, Sayan spruce, Mongolian oak, Manchurian walnut, green-bark maple and bearded), which is adjoined by broad-leaved forests (maple, linden, elm, ash, walnut) , in the south turning into steppes with fertile chernozems.

In Central Asia, the steppes, where feather grass, vostrets, tokonog, wormwood, forbs grow, are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts, the vegetation here is poor and is represented by various salt-loving and sand-loving species: wormwood, saxaul, tamarisk, dzhuzgun, ephedra. The subtropical zone in the west of the Mediterranean climatic zone is characterized by the growth of evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs (maquis, pistachios, olives, junipers, myrtle, cypress, oak, maple), for the Pacific coast - monsoon mixed forests (camphor laurel, myrtle, camellia, podocarpus, cunningamia, evergreen species of oak, camphor laurel, Japanese pine, cypresses, cryptomeria, arborvitae, bamboo, gardenias, magnolias, azaleas). A large number of palm trees (about 300 species), tree ferns, bamboo, and pandanus grow in the zone of equatorial forests. The vegetation of mountainous regions, in addition to the laws of latitudinal zonality, is subject to the principles of altitudinal zonality. Coniferous and mixed forests grow at the foot of the mountains, and juicy alpine meadows grow on the peaks.

Animal world Asia is rich and varied. The territory of Western Asia has favorable conditions for the residence of antelopes, roe deer, goats, foxes, as well as a huge number of rodents, inhabitants of the lowlands - wild boars, pheasants, geese, tigers and leopards. In the northern regions, located mainly in Russia, in North-Eastern Siberia and the tundra, wolves, elks, bears, ground squirrels, arctic foxes, deer, lynxes, wolverines live. Ermine, arctic fox, squirrels, chipmunks, sable, ram, white hare live in the taiga. In dry areas Central Asia ground squirrels, snakes, jerboas, birds of prey live, in South Asia - elephants, buffaloes, wild boars, lemurs, lizards, wolves, leopards, snakes, peacocks, flamingos, in East Asia - elk, bears, Ussuri tigers and wolves, ibises, ducks - tangerines, owls, antelopes, mountain sheep, giant salamanders living on the islands, various snakes and frogs, a large number of birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of Asian countries

Features of climatic conditions in Asia are formed under the influence of such factors as the large extent of the Eurasian continent both from north to south and west to east, a large number of mountain barriers and low-lying depressions that affect the amount of solar radiation and atmospheric air circulation...

Most of Asia is located in a sharply continental climate zone, East End is under the influence of marine atmospheric masses of the Pacific Ocean, the north is subject to the invasion of arctic air masses, tropical and equatorial air masses predominate in the south, mountain ranges stretching from west to east prevent their penetration into the interior of the mainland. Precipitation is unevenly distributed: from 22,900 mm per year in the Indian town of Cherrapunji in 1861 (considered the wettest place on our planet), to 200-100 mm per year in the desert regions of Central and Central Asia.

Peoples of Asia: culture and traditions

In terms of population, Asia ranks first in the world, with 4.2 billion people, which is 60.5% of all mankind on the planet, and three times after Africa in terms of population growth. In Asian countries, the population is represented by representatives of all three races: Mongoloid, Caucasoid and Negroid, the ethnic composition is diverse and diverse, several thousand peoples live here, speaking more than five hundred languages ​​...

Among the language groups, the most common are:

• Sino-Tibetan. Represented by the most numerous ethnic group in the world - the Han (the Chinese, the population of China is 1.4 billion people, every fifth person in the world is Chinese);
• Indo-European. Settled throughout the Indian subcontinent, these are Hindustanis, Biharis, Marathas (India), Bengalis (India and Bangladesh), Punjabis (Pakistan);
• Austronesian. Live in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines) - Javanese, Bisaya, Sunds;
• Dravidian. These are the peoples of Telugu, Kannara and Malayali (South India, Sri Lanka, some regions of Pakistan);
• Austroasiatic. The largest representatives- Viet, Lao, Siamese (Indochina, South China):
• Altai. Turkic peoples, divided into two isolated groups: in the west - the Turks, Iranian Azerbaijanis, Afghan Uzbeks, in the east - the peoples of Western China (Uighurs). Also to this language group also include the Manchus and Mongols of Northern China and Mongolia;
• Semitic-Hamitic. These are the Arabs of the western part of the continent (west of Iran and south of Turkey) and the Jews (Israel).

Also, peoples like the Japanese and Koreans stand out in a separate group called isolates, the so-called populations of people who, for various reasons, including geographical location, found themselves isolated from the outside world.

Southeast Asia (SEA) is a large historical and cultural region of the world, including the Indochina Peninsula, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, as well as the western part of the island of New Guinea. The total area is about 4.5 million km2 (3% of the land), the population is over 480 million people (more than 8% of the world's population). The ten states located here (see Table 50), which differ greatly in size of territory and population, socio-economic development, are united by a long commonality of historical and ethno-cultural processes.

Geographical position Southeast Asia between the basins of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, in the zone of influence of the great world civilizations of India and China throughout its history has played an important, often key role. Several waves of settlement of people from Eurasia to Austronesia passed through the region, as if through a bridge. In the era of the development of navigation in the Indian Ocean and the Great Geographical Discoveries, Southeast Asia became an important link in world trade and navigation. Further development has modified geographic functions, but it has consistently remained a highly significant factor.

Natural conditions and resources. Despite the huge size and territorial fragmentation, the nature of the countries of the region bears similarities, primarily due to the position in a hot climatic zone with a predominance of trade wind and monsoon circulation of air masses, a similar geological and geomorphological structure, and the coastal position of all countries except Laos.

Southeast Asia has a variety of minerals, in terms of reserves and production of a number of them, occupying important positions in the world. The region holds the first place in the world in terms of tin reserves, the deposits of which are associated with the Mesozoic folding in the axial part of the peninsulas of Indochina and Malacca and on the Indonesian islands of Riau, Banka, Belitung, Sinkep. Antimony ores occur in combination with tin ores in Thailand (the first place in Asia and the second place in the world in terms of reserves). There are deposits of bauxite in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, polymetals - in the countries of Indochina. Significant reserves of nickel and copper, the main deposits of which are located on the islands of Samar and Leyte (Philippines) and the island of Sulawesi (Indonesia). The Philippines is also rich in chromium, iron, Indonesia - manganese ores. Of great importance are tungsten (Myanmar, Thailand), cobalt, molybdenum, mercury (Philippines), titanium (Thailand). Iron ore is found in Vietnam. Since ancient times, gold deposits have been known in Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, silver deposits in Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The oil and gas belt, confined to internal troughs on land and in the shelf zone, stretches from Upper Burma (Myanmar) and Northern Thailand through the Malay Peninsula to the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. The South China Sea is very promising for oil and gas, where, with the help of international companies, all states of its water area are exploring. (The claims of China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia for sovereignty over small islands and banks have repeatedly resulted in political and armed conflicts).

The total explored oil reserves in the region are estimated at 2 billion tons, gas - over 3 trillion m3; most of them are in Indonesia (on the island of Sumatra there are the largest oil fields in the region - Minas and gas - Arun), Malaysia, Brunei.

Vietnam and Indonesia have large coal deposits. Uranium ores have been discovered in Indonesia (Kalimantan Island) and the Philippines (Luzon Island).

general characteristics economy. The countries of Southeast Asia differ significantly in terms of the level and type of socio-economic development. Having inherited more or less the same type of economic structures from the colonial period, during the years of independence they developed in different ways and rates, which is due to many factors, among them the defining ones are human and resource potential, historical and cultural features, internal and external political situation.

Among the poorest, with per capita GDP indicators not only below the world average, but also below the “poverty line”, are Vietnam, which has existed since 1975 as a single socialist state, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, which also proclaimed the development of a planned economy as their goal and building socialism. The negative impact on the economies of these countries has been and continues to be civil wars, external aggression, political instability. These four countries have a mixed economy with big role the public sector, the developing cooperative sector while maintaining small-scale handicraft production and the patriarchal way of life in agriculture. Since the end of the 1980s, political conditions have arisen for overcoming the closed economy of these countries and their integration into the world economy. More than half of the value of GDP and from 60 to 90% of employment in them comes from agriculture. The structure of industry is dominated by primary industries, processing of agricultural raw materials and production consumer goods for the local market. The development of the other countries of the region, which form the core of ASEAN, is characterized by the spread of capitalist relations in all spheres of the economy, the transformation of their role in the MRT from "clean" suppliers of raw materials into a source of cheap and competent labor, and, unlike most developing countries, there is not an outflow of workers, but an influx of investments into the region that create jobs for them. Industrialization was decisive in the development of the economies of these countries, during which there were fundamental changes in the structure of production and exports. The growth of the national bourgeoisie is observed, which, under the protection of state protectionism, pressed the “huaqiao”. At the same time, pre-capitalist structures persist in most countries. The most significant shift in the structure of the economy of these countries was the reduction in the share of agriculture while the share of industry, primarily manufacturing, increased. The growth of the service sector is also characteristic, which traditionally absorbs part of the surplus labor force. Qualitative changes consist in the emergence, along with the sphere of personal services, peddling, etc., typical for the countries of the East, of a modern, technically equipped industry of financial, credit and banking, information, communication, and tourism services. At the same time, the structure of employment is not changing so drastically. Structural adjustment and practically all export-oriented development takes place with the active participation of foreign capital. In the initial period of independent development, the countries of the region maintained ties mainly with the former metropolises, the main influx of capital went into the traditional sectors of colonial specialization: mining and agriculture. Subsequently, there was a redistribution of foreign capital flows in the direction of labor-intensive manufacturing industries, and the United States and Japan became the absolute leaders in terms of investment and the number of projects. A significant part of the production produced with the participation of foreign capital is consumed in the potentially capacious domestic markets of the region, part of it goes to third countries; products of the most advanced industries (as a rule, highly specialized) are returned through intra-company trade channels to investor countries or to assembly plants of TNCs in other countries.

In the first decades of independent development in these countries, the economic role of the state was great, and the public sector was formed in key sectors (energy, mining, transport). IN last years liberalization of the activities of the private sector, foreign investment, strengthening of financial and market methods of economic management are observed everywhere. The private sector in the manufacturing industry is developing especially rapidly.

The state plays an active role in the development of economic policy, the development of flexible investment and tax legislation, taking over the implementation of infrastructure projects, and the implementation of regional policy.

GENERAL ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ASIA

Foreign Asia is the largest region in the world in terms of area and population, and it retains this primacy, in essence, throughout the entire existence of human civilization.

The area of ​​Foreign Asia is 27 million km2, it includes more than 40 sovereign states. Many of them are among the oldest in the world.

Foreign Asia is one of the origins of mankind, the birthplace of agriculture, artificial irrigation, cities, many cultural property and scientific achievements. The region mainly consists of developing countries.

Geographical position. General review.

The region consists of countries of various sizes: two of them are giant countries, the rest are mainly rather large countries. The boundaries between them pass along well-defined natural boundaries.

The EGP of Asian countries is determined by their neighboring position, the coastal position of most countries, and the deep position of some countries.

The first two features have a beneficial effect on their economy, and the third complicates external economic relations.

The political structure of countries is very diverse: Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Jordan - constitutional monarchies, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Brunei, Oman are absolute monarchies, the rest of the states are republics.

Natural conditions and resources.

The area is extremely homogeneous in terms of tectonic structure and relief: within its boundaries, the greatest amplitude of heights on earth is noted, both ancient Precambrian platforms and areas of young Cenozoic folding, grandiose mountainous countries and vast plains are located here. As a result, the mineral resources of Asia are very diverse. The main pools of coal, iron and manganese ores, and non-metallic minerals are concentrated within the Chinese and Hindustan platforms. Ores predominate within the Alpine-Himalayan and Pacific fold belts. But the main wealth of the region, which also determines its role in the MGRT, is oil. Oil and gas reserves have been explored in most countries of Southwest Asia, but the main deposits are in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran.

The agro-climatic resources of Asia are heterogeneous. Vast arrays mountainous countries, deserts and semi-deserts are not very suitable for economic activity, with the exception of animal husbandry; the provision of arable land is low and continues to decline (as the population grows and soil erosion increases). But on the plains of the east and south, quite favorable conditions for agriculture are created.

Asia is home to 3/4 of the world's irrigated land.

Population.

The population of Asia is 3.1 billion people. All countries in the region, with the exception of Japan, belong to the 2nd type of population reproduction, and now they are in a state of so-called "population explosion". Some countries are struggling with this phenomenon by pursuing a demographic policy (India, China), but most countries do not pursue such a policy, rapid population growth and its rejuvenation continue. At the current rate of population growth, it could double in 30 years. Among sub-regions of Asia, East Asia is the furthest away from the peak of the population explosion.

Ethnic composition The Asian population is also extremely complex: more than 1 thousand peoples live here - from small ethnic groups numbering several hundred people to the largest peoples in the world. The four peoples of the region (Chinese, Hindustanis, Bengalis and Japanese) make up over 100 million each.

The peoples of Asia belong to approximately 15 language families. There is no such linguistic diversity in any other large region of the planet. The most complex countries in ethnolinguistic terms: India, Sri Lanka, Cyprus. In East and Southwest Asia, with the exception of Iran and Afghanistan, a more homogeneous national composition is characteristic.

The complex composition of the population in many parts of the region (India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, etc.) leads to acute ethnic conflicts.

Foreign Asia is the birthplace of all major religions, all three world religions were born here: Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam. Among other national religions it is necessary to note Confucianism (China), Taoism, Shintoism. In many countries, interethnic contradictions are based precisely on religious grounds.

Population placed foreign Asia uneven: population density ranges from 1 to 800 people. per 1 km 2. In some areas it reaches 2000 people. per 1 km 2

The growth rate of the region's urban population is so high (3.3%) that this growth has become known as the "urban explosion". But, despite this, in terms of the level of urbanization (34%), Foreign Asia is in the penultimate place among the regions of the world.

For rural settlement, the rural form is most characteristic.

economy

The role of foreign Asia as a whole in the world economy has increased significantly in recent decades. But the differences in the levels of development and specialization of individual countries are better expressed here than in foreign Europe.

There are 6 groups of countries:
1. Japan - occupies a separate position, as it is the "power No. 2" of the Western world, the only member of the "Big Seven" in this region. In many important indicators, it occupies a leading position among the economically developed countries of the West;
2. China and India have also made great strides in economic and social development for a short time. But in terms of per capita indicators, their successes are still small;
3. the new industrial countries of Asia - the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as the ASEAN members Thailand and Malaysia. The combination of a profitable EGP and cheap labor resources made it possible, with the participation of Western TNCs, to carry out in the 70-80s. restructuring the economy along the lines of Japan. But their economy is export-oriented;
4. oil-producing countries - Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other countries of the Persian Gulf, which, thanks to "petrodollars", in a short time managed to go through a path of development that would have taken them several centuries. Now not only oil production is developing here, but also petrochemistry, metallurgy and other industries;
5. countries with a predominance in the structure of industry of mining or light industry - Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Jordan;
6. the least developed countries - Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen - in these countries, modern industry is practically absent.

Agriculture

In most Asian countries, the bulk of EAN is occupied in agriculture. In general, the region is characterized by a combination of commodity and consumer economy, landownership and peasant land use, a sharp predominance of food crops in the crops. The food problem in many countries has not yet been resolved; in South and Southeast Asia, tens of millions of people are on the verge of starvation.

In accordance with the distribution of agro-climatic resources, population and traditions, 3 large areas of agriculture have developed: the area of ​​rice cultivation (covers the monsoon sector of East, Southeast and South Asia) combined with tea cultivation in higher parts; area of ​​subtropical agriculture (Mediterranean coast); the rest of the territory is dominated by the cultivation of wheat, millet, pasture animal husbandry.

Ecology

As a result of the low culture of managing the economy, the negative anthropogenic impact in foreign Asia is looming large. As a result of intensive mining without environmental protection measures, extensive farming, an increase in the number of inhabitants, atmospheric pollution occurs, depletion water resources, soil erosion, alienation of land, deforestation, impoverishment of natural biocenoses. Frequent conflicts and wars in the region only exacerbate the situation. For example, the Persian Gulf War led to acid rain, dust storms, massive soot and oil pollution of waters and soils, and caused irreparable damage to the fauna and flora of the region. No less notorious is ecocide during the American aggression in Vietnam, when forests were deliberately destroyed over an area of ​​about 0.5 million km 2 over several years.

Figure 9. Sub-regions of Foreign Asia.

Notes

1. Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza) occupied by Israel in 1967
2. In May 2002, East Timor gained independence.
3. The territory of Macao (Macao), which is under Portuguese administration, enjoys internal self-government.

Tasks and tests on the topic "General economic and geographical characteristics of Asia"

• Climatic zones of the Earth - General characteristics of the nature of the Earth Grade 7

  Lessons: 5 Assignments: 9 Quizzes: 1

Lessons: 4 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1

Leading ideas: show the diversity of cultural worlds, models of economic and political development, the interconnection and interdependence of the countries of the world; and also to be convinced of the need for a deep understanding of the patterns of social development and the processes that are taking place in the world.

Basic concepts: Western European (North American) type of transport system, port industrial complex, "axis of development", metropolitan region, industrial belt, "false urbanization", latifundia, shipstations, megalopolis, "technopolis", "growth pole", "growth corridors"; colonial type of branch structure, monoculture, apartheid, subregion.

Skills and abilities: be able to assess the impact of the EGP and GWP, the history of settlement and development, the characteristics of the population and labor resources of the region, the country on the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy, the level of economic development, the role in the MGRT of the region, the country; identify problems and predict the prospects for the development of the region, country; highlight the specific, defining features of individual countries and give them an explanation; find similarities and differences in the population and economy of individual countries and give them an explanation, compile and analyze maps and cartograms.

Geographical position East Asia is the outskirts of Eurasia, facing the Pacific Ocean. It extends from the Russian Far East to South China. East Asia also includes the Sakhalin, Kuril, Japanese, Taiwan, and Hainan Islands. In the absence of structural geomorphological unity, the natural integrity of East Asia is determined by the peculiarities of its climate and organic world.

Terrain and minerals In general, the relief of East Asia is more contrasting, the river valleys are deeper, and the mountain slopes are still steep. The most remarkable morphological feature of the islands is active to this day and extinct volcanoes, which are impaled on the folded base of the mountains. A series of sea terraces well recorded the great mobility of the islands of Japan, since in some places they are raised to considerable heights, while in others they are lowered below sea level.

Relief and Mineral Resources The Indochinese Peninsula is one of the richest metallogenic provinces in foreign Asia. The thick belt of primary, deluvial, and proluvial placer deposits in Burma, Thailand, and Asia Minor contains a significant part of the world's tin and tungsten deposits. The largest deposits of silver, zinc, lead and cobalt ores in Asia are located on the Shan Yunnan Highlands, placer and native gold, sapphires and rubies are mined. Deposits of Mesozoic bituminous coals are confined to platform structures. The Irrawaddy piedmont trough contains oil deposits.

Climate The main regularity in the formation of the climate of East Asia is the monsoon circulation, which creates a pronounced difference between the wet warm and dry cold seasons. East Asia is located in the temperate and subtropical zones, and in the south it enters the tropical zone, and the temperature conditions within it change from north to south, but the main features of the monsoon climate persist throughout the region.

Climate The monsoonal character of the climate, which can be considered hallmark East Asia, left an imprint on almost all aspects of its nature, as well as on the life and economic activity of the population. Its other feature is intense cyclonic activity along the tropical and polar fronts, causing catastrophic hurricanes (typhoons).

The inland waters of Southeast Asia are washed by the waters of the seas of the Pacific and Indian oceans, which, in terms of the regime and characteristics of the organic world, are typical tropical water basins. Continuing the garland of the seas washing East Asia, between the tropic and the equator is the most extensive sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean - the South China Sea is located in the monsoon zone, which is also connected with the system of its currents: in summer, northern and northeastern directions prevail, in winter - southern. Therefore, the temperature of surface waters is high all year round. Only in the north in February does it drop to 20 °C.

Animal world From predators it is necessary to name the Malay short-haired "solar" bear (Helarctos malayanus) and a tiger. On the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan, there is a great ape orangutan ("forest man"), which is now extremely rare. A feature of the fauna of the islands is the presence of a large number of species of "planning" animals. Among them are mammals - flying squirrels and woolly wings, which are a form intermediate between insectivores, bats and semi-monkeys.

Flora Abelia calamus (plant) Alocasia Aralia Barberry imitative Butterbur Tatewaki Siberian butterbur Rocky butterbur Wide butterbur Japanese butterbur Crowberry Hamamelis Gardenia

Description of the country of Japan Japan is an island country located on an arched archipelago consisting of more than 6,8 thousand islands, which stretch along the eastern coast of Asia in a curved chain of about 3800 km. The capital Tokyo Japan is covered with highlands and low and medium-altitude mountains, they make up over 75% of the country's territory. The lowlands are located in separate areas along the coasts of the country. The largest lowland is Kanto, covering about 17,000 km².

Description of the country of Japan There are practically no minerals in Japan, their reserves according to 1976 data were: coal - 8630 million tons; iron ore - 228 million tons; sulfur - 67.6 million tons; manganese ores - 5.4 million tons; lead zinc - 4.7 million tons; oil - 3.8 million tons; copper ores - 2.0 million tons; . chromites - 1.0 million tons, as well as gold, silver and mercury. Japan belongs to a temperature zone with four distinct seasons, but its climate ranges from low temperatures in the north to subtropical in the south. The climate also depends on seasonal winds blowing from the continent in winter and in the opposite direction in summer. Temperature July +22°C January 5°C The annual rainfall is 1700-2000 mm, but in the south it can be 4000 mm. Rivers Yodo, Kiso, Kumano, Ota, Shinano, Edo Lake Biwa - located on Honshu.

Introduction

1. Natural resources

2. Population

3. Agriculture

4. Transport

5. Foreign economic relations

6. Recreation and tourism

7. General characteristics of the economy

8. Industry

9. Natural conditions

Conclusion

List of sources used

Introduction

Southeast Asia is located on the territory of the Indochina Peninsula and numerous islands of the Malay Archipelago. The countries of the region border on South and East Asia, Australia and Oceania. The region consists of 10 countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Singapore and East Timor.

Southeast Asia connects Eurasia with Australia, at the same time delimiting the basins of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The territory of the region is washed by seas, the largest of which are the South China and Philippine Seas of the Pacific Ocean, the Andaman Sea of ​​the Indian Ocean.

Important air and sea routes run through the countries of Southeast Asia: the Strait of Malacca is as important for world shipping as the Strait of Gibraltar, the Panama and Suez Canals.

The location between two ancient cells of civilization and the largest number of people in the states of the modern world - China and India - affected the formation political map region, the processes of economic development, the ethnic and religious composition of the population, the development of culture.

Among the states of the region, there is one absolute monarchy - Brunei, three constitutional ones - Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, all the others are republics.

The countries of Southeast Asia are members of the UN. All but Cambodia are members of ASEAN; Indonesia - in OPEC; Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam - to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation block.

1. Natural resources

The bowels of the territory have been poorly explored, but the explored reserves indicate rich deposits mineral resources. There was a lot of hard coal in the region, only in the north of Vietnam there are insignificant reserves of it. In the shelf zone of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, oil and gas are produced. The world's largest metallogenic "Tin Belt" of Asia stretches through the region. Mesozoic deposits determined the richest reserves of non-ferrous metals: tin (in Indonesia - 1.5 million tons, Malaysia and Thailand - 1.2 million tons each), tungsten (reserves in Thailand - 25 thousand tons, Malaysia - 20 thousand tons). The region is rich in copper, zinc, lead, molybdenum, nickel, antimony, gold, cobalt, the Philippines - in copper and gold. Non-metallic minerals are represented by potassium salt (Thailand, Laos), apatites (Vietnam), precious stones(sapphire, topaz, ruby) in Thailand.

Agro-climatic and soil resources. A warm and humid climate is the main prerequisite for a relatively high efficiency of agriculture; 2-3 crops are harvested here throughout the year. On fairly fertile red and yellow feralite soils, many agricultural crops of the hot zone are grown (rice, coconut palm, rubber tree - hevea, bananas, pineapples, tea, spices). On the islands, not only coastal areas are used, but also mountain slopes smoothed by volcanic activity (terraced agriculture).

Water resources are actively used for land irrigation in all countries. Moisture deficiency in the dry season requires considerable expenditures for the construction of irrigation facilities. Water mountain arteries of the peninsula of Indochina (Irrawaddy, Maenam, Mekong) and numerous mountain rivers of the islands are able to provide electricity needs.
The forest resources are exceptionally rich. The region is located in the Southern Forest Belt, forests cover 42% of its territory. Numerous forest areas have Brunei (87%), Cambodia (69%), Indonesia (60%), Laos (57%), and in Singapore the total forest area is only 7% (the lowest in the region). The forests of the region are especially rich in wood, which has very valuable properties (strength, fire resistance, water repellency, attractive color): tok, sandalwood, legume trees, native pine species, sundri (mangrove) tree, palms.

The fish resources of the coastal zone of the seas and inland waters are of considerable importance in every country: fish and other marine products are widely used in the diet of the population. On some islands of the Malay Archipelago, pearls and mother-of-pearl shells are mined.

The rich natural resource potential and favorable climatic conditions of the region make it possible to engage in agriculture throughout the year, and a variety of mineral resources contribute to the development of the mining industry and oil refining. Due to the existence of valuable species of trees, the forest area is a traditional area. However, due to intensive deforestation, their area decreases every year, which worsens the ecological balance. This predetermines the need for environmental protection measures that are carried out in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and other countries to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the region.

2. Population

Population size. 482.5 million people live in the region. The maximum number is in Indonesia (193.8 million), the minimum is in Brunei (310 thousand). The number of inhabitants of the country is very contrasting.

demographic features. In Southeast Asia, natural population growth has always been high - an average of 2.2% per year, and in some cases - up to 40%. The child population (under 14) is 32%, the elderly - 4.5%. There are more women than men (50.3% and 49.7% respectively).

Racial composition. The vast majority of the population belongs to the transitional types between the Mongoloid and Australoid races.

In some areas, “pure” Australoid groups not mixed with the Mongoloids have survived: the Vedoids (Malacca Peninsula), the inhabitants of Eastern Indonesia close to the Papuans, the Negrito type (in the south of the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines).

Ethnic composition. Only in the largest country in the region, Indonesia, there are more than 150 nationalities. On the territory of the Philippines, which is small compared to Indonesia, there are up to a hundred peculiar Malayo-Polynesian ethnic groups. In Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, more than 2/3 of the inhabitants are represented by Siamese (or Thai), Viet, Khmer, Lao and Burmese. In Malaysia, up to half of the population are Malay peoples close in language. Singapore's most mixed and multilingual population comes from neighboring Asian countries(Chinese - 76%, Malays - 15%, Indians - 6%). In all states, the Chinese are the largest national minority, and in Singapore they even represent the majority of the population.

The following language families are represented in the region: Sino-Tibetan (Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore, Burmese, Karen in Thailand); Thai (Siamese, Lao); Austro-Asiatic (Vietnamese, Khmers in Cambodia); Austronesian (Indonesians, Filipinos, Malays); Papuan peoples (in the eastern part of the Malay Archipelago and in the west of New Guinea).

Religious composition. The ethnic composition and the historical fate of the peoples of the region determined its religious mosaicity. The most common are the following confessions: Buddhism - in Vietnam (Mahayana - the most loyal form of Buddhism, coexists with local cults), in others Buddhist countries- Hinayana); Islam is practiced by almost 80% of the population of Indonesia, Malaysia, and partly in the Philippines; Christianity (Catholicism) is the main religion of the Philippines (a consequence of Spanish colonization), partly in Indonesia; Hinduism is especially pronounced on about. Balle in Indonesia.

Aborigines of the countries of Southeast Asia widely profess local cults.

The population is distributed extremely unevenly. The maximum density - on about. Java, where up to 65% of the population of all Indonesia lives. Most of the inhabitants of Indochina live in the valleys of the rivers Irrawaddy, Mekong, Menem, here the population density reaches 500-600 people / km2, and in some areas - up to 2000. The mountainous outskirts of the peninsular states and most of the small islands are very poorly populated, the average population density does not exceed 3 -5 people/km2. And in the center of Kalimantan and in the west about. New Guinea has uninhabited territories.

The proportion of the rural population is high (almost 60%). recent decades due to migration villagers and natural growth increases the number of urban population. Growing fast, first of all, big cities, almost all of them (with the exception of Hanoi and Bangkok) originated in the colonial era. More than 1/5 of the inhabitants live in cities (Laos - 22, Vietnam - 21, Cambodia - 21, Thailand - 20%, etc.), only in Singapore they make up 100%. In general, this is one of the least urbanized regions of the world.

Cities with millionaires, as a rule, are port or port centers, which were formed on the basis of trading activities. Urban agglomerations of the region: Jakarta (10.2 million people), Manila (9.6 million), Bangkok (7.0 million), Yangon (3.8 million), Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon, 3.5 million), Singapore ( 3 million), Bandung (2.8 million), Surabaya (2.2 million), Hanoi (1.2 million), etc.

Labor resources. There are more than 200 million people, of which

53% are employed in agriculture, 16% in industry, others are involved in the service sector.

Southeast Asia is a multinational region with social contrasts. The rapid growth of cities led to the influx of unskilled labor into them, which resulted in the concentration of people, an increase in crime, drug smuggling, unemployment, etc. At the same time, since the 60s of the XX century. new business and shopping districts with modern buildings, skyscrapers built by American and Japanese companies are emerging in the countries of the region.

3. Agriculture

The agriculture of the region is insufficiently provided with land resources due to the high population density. Agriculture prevails over animal husbandry in it, manual work costs per unit of land area and low marketability of farms are large. Technique and technology are mostly very primitive.