FRANCISCI WG.4

Asia: Physical Characteristics

MOUNTAINS OF ASIA

Mountains of Asia: Himalayas: “Abode of

Snow”; forms barrier between the Plateau of Tibet and India; highest mountain in the world.

Western & Eastern Ghats: two mountains ranges on eastern and western sides of India.

Mount Fuji: Located in Japan; is the highest volcano and highest peak in Japan; dormant.

MOUNTAINS OF ASIA

Himalayas block moisture creating a rain shadow.

Steppes and deserts (Gobi Desert) also create rains shadows.

Mountains of Asia influence: Where people live Climate

BODIES OF WATER

In China, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River flood. Yellow River is named

“China’s Sorrow” because the flooding of the river has killed numerous amounts of people.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers of South Asia also flood.

BODIES OF WATER

The bodies of water in Asia are extremely important for trade, transportation and agriculture. These bodies of water include rivers, seas, and

ocean currents.

NATURAL HAZARDS

East Asia experiences volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis because it is part of the Ring of Fire. Storms that occur in

the Pacific Ocean bordering East Asia are called typhoons; in the Atlantic Ocean, they are called hurricanes.

NATURAL HAZARDS

South and East Asia experience monsoons: Winds that blow in certain directions depending on the time of year. During the summer,

the monsoon season brings heavy rains that aid in the production of rice – Asian’s main food crop.

CLIMATE OF ASIA

The tropical rainforest and the tropical savanna are on or near the equator. Indonesia is

mostly tropical rain forest; much of the rainforest is being cut down due to deforestation.

CLIMATE OF ASIA

Desert and steppe climates are found on the leeward side of the mountains. The Himalayas create a

rain shadow that forms the Gobi Desert; a large desert region in northern China and southern Mongolia.

The interior parts of Asia experience a humid continental climate.

FERTILE SOIL OF ASIA

There is abundant fertile (arable) land in Asia.

The fertile soil that blows into the Yellow River in China is called loess; meaning yellow in color.