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World Cultures

Unit III: S.E. Asia

Name: Sean Sehn


Date: January 13, 2015

Physical Geography of South East Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica


pgs. 689-692

1.
What is an archipelago and identify an example?
An archipelago is a group of closely spaced islands. A good example of an archipelago would be
the islands of Indonesia.
2. What rivers and resources exist in South East Asia? Why is this important?
The mainland has several very large rivers that go north to south through Asia. Millions of
people rely on these rivers and without them, many people in Asia would not be able to provide
for themselves nor their families. From ports to farming, to fishing, these rivers serve many
purposes and give many Asians employment.
3. What is Oceania? About how many islands exist in Oceania?
Oceania is the region or group of Pacific islands that are off of the mainland and therefore
does not include Indonesia, Philippines, and other islands tied to Asia are not apart of Oceania.
Due to many different factors, the amount of islands in the region of Oceania is unknown and
would be very difficult to calculate the number of islands.
4. What are high islands? What are low islands?
High islands are created by volcanoes, while low islands are generally made from coral reefs.
5. What resource problem exists in Oceania?
Islands in the Pacific are not very rich in minerals, which creates a problem for the islands and
countries. Low islands lack many minerals and have very bad soil.
6. Describe the difference in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Even though it
has limited natural resources, what has allowed New Zealand to thrive?
The south holds a 300-mile long mountain range with peaks over 10,000 feet high. Also, it
consists over 360 glaciers and several rivers. The North Island is a lot less mountainous but
still has hilly areas and volcanoes. The North Island also has nutrient rich soil that helps
farmlands and forests to thrive.

7. How is Australia different from New Zealand? (Be specific. What is found here that is

not found in New Zealand?)


New Zealand and Australia are different in many ways and people often mistake them to be
identical. First, Australia is its very own continent while New Zealand is just a country. Also,
Australia has many more rivers than New Zealand and also has a bigger surplus in minerals.
8. The 5th largest continent is Antarctica. Compare East and West Antarctica (underneath
the ice).
East Antarctica is a plateau surrounded by mountains and valleys while West Antarctica is a
group of separate islands that are linked together by the ice that covers them.

9. What is interesting about Antarctica's ice sheet? What resources may lie beneath?
Antarcticas ice sheet is the number one source of fresh water throughout the world. Under
the ice sheet minerals, coal, and possibly petroleum are abundant but because of a treaty, no
one is allowed to mine there.

Climate and Vegetation


pgs. 694-701
1.
What sort of climate exists in most of South East Asia and Oceania?
Two groups of tropical climates are most often found in East Asia and Oceania. The tropical
climate is split into two categories.
2. What are the two categories that exist in the climate of South East Asia and Oceania?
The two categories in the tropical climate are the year-round rains and wet and dry seasons.

3. Describe a monsoon.
A monsoon is an ongoing wind that causes the wet and dry seasons.

4. How does the climate affect the tropical plants and vegetation that exists in South East
Asia and Oceania?
Southeast Asia holds one of the greatest diversities of vegetation throughout the entire world.

For example, the plants near the equator in Southeast Asia will be completely different than
the ones miles away from the equator. In Oceania however, there is not much diversity due to
the poor soil that is on the islands.

5. Look at the 5 Themes Box (Human-Environment Interaction). What is Terraced


Farming? Why would this be interesting to historians?
Terraced farming is the method of altering the landscape to grow crops most efficiently.
There are many benefits that terraced farming has including soil preservation, irrigation, and
use of unproductive land. This technique has been around for centuries and it shows how
advanced in agriculture the farmers were centuries ago.

6. Describe the climate in Australia and New Zealand. How is Australias climate similar to
South East Asia and also New Zealand?
The most common feature between all three of them is that they have very similar marine life.
This because they are all surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and that they are in the same general
area. Also, they all contain mountainous landforms in some places.

7. Why is of Australia a dry desert? What is the outback?


This Is because the deserts only receive about 10 inches of rain a year and that rain is quickly
evaporated due to Australias hot climate. The outback is the merely populated barren land.
The few that live in the outback receive their healthcare through the Royal Flying Doctor
Service.

8. What is the White Desert? What sorts of life lives in it?


The white desert is located in Antarctica and is the driest and coldest place in the world. The
white desert can also be referred to as a polar desert. Because of the climate the only living
things that can survive there are plants such as mosses and lichens which can live in extreme
climates.

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