South East Asia, Oceania, AntarcticaChapter 30

Southeast Asia

• Lies on 2 peninsulas

–Indochinese and Malay

Southeast Asia

• Most islands are found in archipelagoes; sets of closely grouped islands which sometimes form a curved arc

Southeast Asia

• Several mountain ranges• Several rivers

–Mekong River: From China to Vietnam

• Long, irregular coastline

Oceania• Pacific Islands are known as

Oceania

Oceania• Geographers don’t know how

many islands are in Oceania–Erosion causes some islands to vanish, while other forces create new islands

Oceania

• High Islands: created by volcanoes

• Low Islands: made of coral reefs

New Zealand

• Has 2 main islands

• Few mineral resources

• Many fast flowing rivers

–Allow people to build dams and generate electricity

Australia

• Smallest and flattest continent on earth

• Rich in minerals

• Great Barrier Reef: world’s largest coral reef

Australian Outback

• 1/3 of Australia is desert

–Mostly the interior

• Very sparsely populated

• Too dry for agriculture and grazing

Antarctica

• 5th Largest continent• Topography is hidden under

ice• Ice sheet is world’s largest

fresh water supply

Human Geography of Southeast Asia

Chapter 31

Early History

• Influenced by China and India

• Mandalas – states organized as rings of power around a central court

European Control

• Began to arrive in 1509

• Goal was to obtain wealth

• By the 20th century all of Southeast Asia, except Thailand, was turned into European colonies

Independence

• Several nations gained independence after WWII

• Vietnam War (1957-75)

–North vs. South Vietnam

–Democracy vs. Communism

Culture

• Religious Diversity

• Rich Artistic Legacy

–Buddhist Art

–Vietnamese Poetry

–Indonesian Dance