Southeast Asia

1. Southeast Asia Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica Unit 10

2. Physical Geography of SE Asia Ch. 30

3. Physical Geography of Australia, Oceania, & Antarctica Ch. 30

4. The Land • Southeast Asia is a region of tropical beauty, with mountains ranges, volcanoes, and tropical rainforests dominating the landscape. • The region consists of: • the mainland • the Indochina Peninsula • the Malay Archipelago: 20,000 islands stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

5. The region of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica is one of the most diverse in the world • It spans: • the tropical islands of the Pacific • the deserts and reefs of Australia • the mountains, lush valleys, and beaches of New Zealand • the ice and snow of Antarctica

6. Peninsulas & Islands Southeast Asia was created by the collision of three tectonic plates and related volcanic activity and earthquakes • Mainland SE Asia • About ½ of SE Asia’s 14 countries are located on the mainland • The mainland is dominated by mountain ranges, which create both geographic and political boundaries • Laos is the only landlocked country • Island SE Asia • Island nations include: Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Singapore, & the Philippines • The mountains on the islands are volcanoes, many of which are still active • Indonesia is made up of 13,677 islands that span 3,000 mi • Singapore is one large island & 50 smaller ones • The Philippines is made of 7,000 islands, 11 of which are home to 95% of the population

9. Australia: A Continent & a Country Australia, both a country and a continent, is dominated by the flat, dry interior • Mountains & Plateaus • The Great Dividing Range along the eastern coast separates this “outback” from the fertile east coast • The Western Plateau (Outback) covers 2/3 of the continent • the area includes 3 deserts • South of the deserts lies the Nullarbor Plain • Central Lowlands • Grassland & desert separates the Great Dividing Range from the Western Plateau • Very little rain • Below the surface lies the Great Artesian Basin

11. Australia: A Continent & a Country • Great Barrier Reef • Along the northeastern shore lies the Great Barrier Reef • 2,500 coral reefs • National Park that is home to many species of tropical fish & sea creatures • Natural Resources • Australia has rich mineral resources and a thriving agriculture despite limited land use • Mineral resources include bauxite, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, nickel, opals, & petroleum

12. Great Barrier Reef

14. Physical Features • Mountains • SE Asia’s mountains create geographical & political boundaries • Some are active volcanoes • Broken down volcanic material provides fertile soil • Volcanoes of Indonesia & the Philippines • Java: home to one of the Ring of Fire’s most active areas, also home to 17 of Indonesia’s 100 active volcanoes • Krakatau (1883) • Mt. Pinatubo (1991) • Rivers • Rivers provide transportation and food, and their silt and deposits of sediment create fertile agricultural areas

17. Oceania: Island Lands • Island Clusters • The island lands of Oceania are divided into three clusters • Melanesia- to the north & east of Australia • Micronesia- to the north of Melanesia • Polynesia- extending from Midway Island to New Zealand • Island Types • High Islands, Low Islands, & Continental Islands • High islands still experience active volcanoes and earthquakes • Low islands are atolls shaped by the buildup of coral reefs on the rims of submerged volcanoes • Most of the large islands of Oceania are continental islands

19. New Zealand: A Rugged Landscape • New Zealand comprises two main islands called the North and South Islands • New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation, being separated from Australia to the northwest by the Tasman Sea, approximately1250 miles across • Its closest neighbors to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga • New Zealand's has two main islands • have beaches • ancient forests • snow-tipped mountains • lowlands and plateaus that support crops and livestock

21. Antarctica: A White Plateau • Centered asymmetrically around the South Pole and largely south of the Antarctic Circle • Antarctica is the southernmost continent • surrounded by the Southern Ocean; alternatively, it may be considered to be surrounded by the southern Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, or by the southern waters of the World Ocean. • It covers more than 5.4 million sq mi, making it the fifth-largest continent, about 1.3 times larger than Europe. The coastline measures 11,160 mi • By international agreement, activity on Antarctica is limited to scientific research

23. Natural Resources The region has rich natural resources. In some countries, however, these resources remain underdeveloped • Energy Resources: • Fossil fuels are abundant, and Indonesia is a member or OPEC • Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, & Brunei also have fossil fuel resources • Minerals & Gems: • Minerals and gems are also plentiful in the region • Indonesia: nickel, & iron • Philippines: copper • Malaysia: tin • Many areas have large quantities of precious gems • Myanmar has large deposits of minerals & gems but mining only employs less than 1% of their workers

25. Copper Mine Saphire Mine Tin Mine Ruby Mining

26. Natural Resources • Flora & Fauna: • Flora- • Southeast Asia's plant and animal life is diverse, with many species unique to the region • The vast array of flowers & plants contribute to the region’s economy • Thailand is one of the world’s leading exporter of orchids. Malaysia is a source of much of the world’s rubber, and Indonesia is the world’s largest supplier of plywood • Fauna- • SE Asia has a wide variety of animals including elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, & orangutans. • Animals exclusive to the region include the Komodo dragon, & the bearded pig • Fishing: • Fishing is important to the region's economy and provides much of the people's diet • SE Asians consume more than twice the world’s rate • More than 2,500 species of fish live in the region • Fish farming is important to the region’s economy

27. Flora

28. Fauna

29. Fish Farm

30. Tropical Climate Regions Southeast Asia owes much of its beauty to the monsoons, which bring abundant rains • Tropical Rain Forest Climate • Tropical rain forest climate dominates the region and is found on the islands and in coastal regions • Rain forests feature more than 145,000 species of flowering plants • Singapore: once covered by rainforest, now Singapore is entirely urbanized. Today 80% of the trees there are imported • Tropical Savanna Climate • Tropical savanna with tropical grasslands is found along the southeastern parts of Indonesia and across the Indochina Peninsula

31. Tropical Climate Regions • Humid Subtropical Climate • Some parts of the region's mainland have a humid subtropical climate • the northern areas of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam have lower temperatures • Highland Climate • Temperatures are even cooler in the highlands climate of the mountainous areas of Myanmar, New Guinea, and Borneo, where deciduous trees and evergreens grow

34. Climate of Australia • Australia is a land of vast differences in climate and vegetation. • Moisture is blocked from reaching the Western Plateau and the surrounding areas, where desert and steppe climates are found. • The coastal areas have a variety of moister climates and support most of the country's agriculture

36. Climate of Oceania • Most of Oceania has a tropical rain forest climate, but low islands get little rainfall and have only shrubs and grasses

37. Climate of New Zealand • Most of New Zealand has a marine west coast climate, mountains can experience fierce winds and blizzards year-round. • The country's geographic isolation has led to unique plants such as kauri trees and manuka

38. Climate of Antarctica • Antarctica is the earth's highest, driest, windiest, and coldest continent • Some species of mosses, algae, and lichens thrive along the coasts

39. The End