Geography
E-cisco
ch9_east_asia1.pptxEAST ASIA
BASICS
Encircled by snowcapped mountains, vast deserts, cold climates, and Pacific waters
One of world’s earliest culture hearths
China – one of world’s oldest continuous civilizations (4000 years!)
World’s Most Populous Realm
Population concentrated in eastern regions and situated in river basins
Increasing regional disparities and changing cultural landscapes causing tension
Potential sources of conflict: Taiwan, North Korea, and other island groups
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Check how long China has been a cohesive entity. This is a LONG time!
China also has the most people in the world. China has a population of nearly 1.3 BILLION people. The world population is 6 billion, so that means that 1 in 5 people in the world are Chinese. And just t give you another perspective, the U.S. has a population of 300 million (one-quarter of China’s) and it is the fourth largest country in terms of population in the world.
BASICS Cont.
China
World’s largest nation-state in population – 1.3 BILLION!
Empire that has expanded and contracted, fragmented and unified many times over long existence
Primarily rural society
Sparsely populated western region strategically important
Pacific Rim (coastal areas) has seen an economic transformation
Potentially world’s next superpower
Japan
Economic giant with history of colonial expansion and wartime conduct
China Physiography
Crucial Rivers – Stem from high-relief interior and have played large role in human settlement and economic patterns
Huang He (Yellow River) - originates in Northern mountains, crosses Ordos Desert and Loess Plateau and deposits fertile sediment in North China Plain
Chang Jiang (Long River) – called Yangzi downstream, crosses Sichuan Basin and Three Gorges (dam) and waters ricefields in Lower Chang Basin
Xi Jiang (West River) – originates on Yunnan Plateau, becomes Pearl River in lowest course, whose estuary is flanked by several of China’s largest urban-industrial complexes
Loess Plateau
Loess - fertile, windblown sediment deposit composed of rock pulverized by glaciers
Seen on the landscape as steep bluffs composed of loess
Sichuan Basin – encircled by mountains, historically significant to human settlement, and currently supports 120 million people
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The three main rivers that flow through China are some of the most important rivers in the world. Not only do they provide many of the basic necessities to human life, but they also house the world’s largest population.
Look at the definition of Loess. Loess is actually very important because it creates extremely fertile soil. If you look at a physiographic map of China, you will notice that a lot of mountains lie out in the western portion of the country. Glaciers that form at the top of these mountains slide down taking rocks and sediment with them. This rock gets pulverized and gets blown towards the eastern potion of the country where it blankets the landscape. Loess landscapes are typified by steep bluffs but the loess also covers flat terrain where it creates fertile agricultural conditions.
China Physiography - Loess Bluffs
China Physiography – Sichuan Basin
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China Physiography
Ice Covered Mountains
and Plateaus
Basins
Plains
Deserts
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Let’s take a look at China’s physiography.
The Western portion of the country is covered by deserts and mountains.
The Eastern portion of the country is where we have our plains (in the northeast), our river basins (in the southeast) and the Loess Plateau.
China Relative Location
What is relative location again?
Throughout its history, China has closed its country to foreign influences – this has been made possible by China’s physiography and relative location:
Natural Protective Barriers – mountains, deserts and cold climates
Factor of Distance – China is far from other source areas of innovation and change
Exclusion and Isolation – recurrent tradition of closing country to foreign influences and remaining isolated
Minor incidence of cultural diffusion
One Ocean
Historically, successive emperors restricted use of coastline, except in local circumstances
Today, ocean playing major role in economic (and cultural) transformation of coastal China
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Part of the reason why China has been around for so long is because of its relative location. China has many features that have allowed it to remain isolated throughout the centuries. Because of its isolation, China staved off colonization for a long time. It eventually did get colonized, but once it became independent again it went into isolation once more. It is actually only recently that China has come out of its isolation. It has now become an economic powerhouse and is touted as many political analysts to be the next superpower.
China
Climate
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Look at the map on climate. If you look at the population density of China and compare it to climate, you will notice that most of the population has settled in C (temperate) climates. Like we saw in the previous map, the western portion of the country is predominantly highland and desert.
Warm
Cold
China
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Dry
Wet
China
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China Historical Geography
World’s longest continuous civilization
China survived thousands of years under a sequence of imperial dynasties as a single entity
Dynasty = succession of rulers from same line of descent
Xia Dynasty 2200-1700 BC – First Dynasty in the North China Plain
Han Dynasty 206BC-AD220 – “People of Han”
Breakdown of old feudal order
Rise of military power
Unification of large empire
Institution of property rights
Flourishing architecture, arts, sciences, and development of trade along Silk Route
Manchu Dynasty 1644-1911 – China’s last Dynasty
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China was ruled for most of its existence by an emperor and dynasties. One of the most important dynasties was the Han Dynasty. Chinese still refer to themselves as “People of Han” and when you hear talk of Chinese in other areas of China, they are refereed to as Han Chinese.
China Historical Geography cont.
Century of Convulsion
Chinese long withstood European colonists
During Ming Dynasty, great oceangoing vessels sailed to Southeast and South Asia and East Africa
Little Ice Age destroyed wheat harvest and boats were needed to transport rice to people
Ended China’s colonial aims
A (Lost) War on Drugs
A shift in the balance of power occurred during the Qing Dynasty (Manchus)
Economically - Europeans lowered cost and improved quality of manufactured goods – collapse of Chinese handicraft industries
Politically - demands of British merchants and growing presence of English lead to conflicts (central issue = Opium)
First Opium War, 1839-1842 – Chinese lost…caused a breakdown of Chinese sovereignty and Chinese yielded to British demands
Second Opium War, 1857 – Chinese lost…government legalized cultivation of opium poppy
Opium destroyed the fabric of Chinese society and left China open to Colonization
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China actually had the potential and was on the verge of becoming a colonial power when disaster struck home. Wheat harvest were destroyed by a bout of cold weather and the ships that had been exploring got called home to transport wheat and rice. This was the end of China’s colonial ambitions.
Colonization took a long time to take root. In fact, the Chinese emperors actually laughed at Europeans and their ‘inventions’. Europeans desperately wanted Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain, but the Chinese for the most part were not interested in European goods. Then opium entered the country. Soon, opium was being imported in large quantities. The Chinese emperor tried to limit the amount of opium entering China and made it illegal, but opium was still smuggled in. Opium caused severe affects on society and led to two wars in which the Chinese tried to oust Europeans from their country. The Chinese lost both of these wars which led to further colonization.
China
Colonial
Spheres
China Historical Geography cont.
New doctrines favored Europeans over Chinese in their own country…
Extraterritoriality - European Doctrine of International Law
Foreign states and representatives immune from jurisdiction of country in which they are based
China forced into accepting doctrine – late 1800’s
An organized opposition group formed and began to attack Europeans, Westernized Chinese, and Manchu leadership
Boxer Rebellion, 1900
“No dogs or Chinese”
Large-scale revolt against foreign influences
Put down by international forces: German, British, Russian, French, Italian, Japanese, and American
Revolutionary movement sought to overthrow Manchus – succeeded but did little to oust foreigners from country
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Once colonization occurred, many laws were passed that made the Chinese angry and created widespread resentment.
“No dogs or Chinese.” This is an important phrase because it really depicts how the Chinese were treated during colonization and also gives us a little insight into how the Chinese might have felt. How would you feel if a sign were posted in this country that said “No dogs or Americans”? You need to understand how the laws and actions of the colonists helped to create unrest and spurred the formation of the different groups that vied for power. Diplomats and traders exempt from Chinese law
Port areas and best residential suburbs of large cities declared “extraterritorial.”
Chinese unable to enter parks or buildings without permission from foreigners – caused bitterness and resentment.
The Boxer Rebellion was a result of this ill treatment. It succeeded in overthrowing the Manchu Dynasty but it failed to oust the European colonists.
China Historical Geography cont.
New China Rises
1912 – Fall of Manchu Dynasty
1920’s – Divided country with two governments: Beijing and Guangzhou (South)
Founding of two political groups, initially worked together, then fought against one another
Shanghai – Founding of Chinese Communist Party
Guangzhou – Nationalists (Sun-Yat-Sen and later Chiang Kai-Shek)
The Long March, 1934-1935
Westward march of 100,000 soldiers, peasants and leaders marched from Ruijin communist stronghold
Marched 2000 miles to avoid being encircled by Nationalist forces
Attacked along the way by Nationalists
Only 20,000 survived
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Fall of the Manchu Dynasty ended over 2000 years of imperial/dynastic rule.
Two groups formed that vied for power: the Nationalists and the Communists. The Nationalists initially held more power and forced a military retreat of thousands of Communist supporters/fighters known as the Long March.
China
The
Long
March
Starting Point
Ending Point
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The red line on this map shows the 2000 mile extend of the Long March. Can you imagine walking that long?!
China Historical Geography cont.
A Three-Way Struggle, 1937
Russia and Japan took territory (Mongolia and Northeast China) as Nationalists pursued Communists
1937 - War between Chinese and Japanese (Japanese committed horrendous atrocities that are still being dealt with today)
Three Regions:
North and East – Japan
Capital in Sichuan Basin – Nationalists
Interior West – Communists
Japanese weakened Nationalist army
The Rise of Communist China, 1949
Mao Zedong’s well-organized militias defeated Nationalists
October 1, 1949, Mao declared “People’s Republic of China”
Late 1949 - Nationalists gathered Chinese treasures and valuables and fled to Taiwan declaring it the “Republic of China”
New Dynasty founded in China without family lineage and called the “People’s Republic of China”
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This section gets a little convoluted because imperial Japan enters the picture and now there are many players that were involved. The Nationalists looked poised to win prior to World War II. Once war broke out, however, the Nationalists bore the brunt of Japanese attacks. This left the Communists to rally and gain in strength. Eventually the Communists won out with Mao Zedong as their leader, and that is the group that has been in power since.
The Nationalists fled to Taiwan where they declared themselves the “Republic of China.” Taiwan was actually recognized as the ‘true’ China until 1971 when the international community switched their recognition to China as the true China.
China Political Geography
Administrative Units:
4 x Central-Government-Controlled-Municipalities
Shi’s – form the core of China’s most populous and important subregions: Beijing (capital), Tianjin (port), Chongqing (Chang River port), and Shanghai (largest metropolis)
5 x Autonomous Regions
Designed to recognize non-Han minorities
Some laws that apply to Han Chinese do not apply to certain minorities
However, immigration of Han-Chinese is high…
Han Chinese now outnumber minorities in several regions
22 x Provinces
Grow in size from east to west (smallest in east, largest in west)
Some provinces more important than others
2 x Special Administrative Regions (SAR’s)
Xianggang - AKA Hong Kong (British until 1997)
Macau (Portuguese until 1999)
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Pretty self-explanatory.
Large
Provinces
Small
Provinces
China
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China
Political Geography cont.
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China Cultural Geography
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China
Ethnolinguistic Areas
People
of
Han
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China Cultural Geography
Confucius (551-479BC)
China’s most influential philosopher and teacher:
Urged poor to assert themselves and demand explanations for harsh treatment by feudal lords
Human virtues, not godly connections, determine person’s place in society
Championed family as foundation of Chinese culture with respect and veneration for elders
Teachings have dominated Chinese life and thought for more than 20 centuries
Communists have tried to eradicate
China Population Geography
The problem with population growth…
1965 – 540 million people
2013 – 1,349 million people (1.35 billion)
The history of population growth
1960’s - An ever larger population is “a good thing” – Mao Zedong
Restrictive Population Policies – government policy to reduce the rate of natural population increase
1970’s Population Control Program
1970 – “Two-Child Family”
1979 – “One Couple, One Child”
Late marriages encouraged, free contraceptives, cash rewards, abortions and sterilization provided
Penalties (e.g. steep fines) levied against families with 2+ kids
1984 – Population strictures relaxed to allow couples whose first child was a girl or rural families to have 2 children – why these situations?
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One of the main issues China faces is that of population. China contains about 1/5 of the world’s population! This is an astounding figure given that it is just one country.
The one-child policy has especially had dramatic consequences on China.
The one-child policy has lead to female infanticide as people want boys over girls (for various reasons). This in turn had led researchers to suggest that 50 million women are missing from the population of China that should otherwise be there.
The ratio of sexes demonstrates this situation. Usually girls outnumber boys and the sex ratio is 107 girls for every 100 boys. However, in China the sex ratio is very different, with more boys than girls. I believe the sex ratio is 93 girls for every 100 boys. This is an indication that female infanticide might be a very common practice.
What is the problem with having more boys than girls in society and why would it have caused a debate?
The main problem is that there are not enough females to go around for all the men (i.e. for marriage). This has actually been in the news a lot and is a severe problem.
One of the professors here in the Department of Geography is from China. One of the problems that he sees coming up is the problem with taking care of the elderly. If you have 4 children, that means there are four people who can take care of you (and your spouse) as you age. Think about a family that has 1 child. That one child will have 2 parents that they must take care of as well as 4 grandparents. If that person is married, then that couple of 2 will have 4 parents and possibly 8 grandparents to care for. This has serious repercussions in a society where taking care of your elders is a huge part of the cultural fabric.
China Population Geography cont.
The problems China faces because of its restrictive population policies:
Less young people = more elderly people to take care of which strains the economy, the people, and the country
Female Infanticide – the systematic killing of girls at or soon after birth
Estimates say that 50 million women are missing
Ratio at birth = 118 boys for every 100 girls
What is the problem with this situation?
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China Population Geography cont.
Four major rivers house ¾ of China’s population:
Liao-Songhua Basin – Northeast China Plain
Lower Huang He Basin – North China Plain
Upper and Lower Chang Jiang Basins
Xi and Pearl River Basins
China
Population Density and Distribution
Northeast China Plain
“Rustbelt”
North China Plain
“Core Area”
Lower Chang/
Yangzi Basin
“Busiest Waterway”
Three Gorges Dam
Xi/Pearl Basin
Subtropical w/ Water Issues
10% of China’s land is arable
80% of the population lives on this land
Sichuan Basin
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Knowing what we know about the physiography of China, think about why people would not cluster in the western portion of the country, and why they would cluster in the eastern portion.
Sparsely
Populated
Heavily
Populated
China
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China Population Geography cont.
Population Distribution Centers:
Northeast China Plain
Ancestral home of the Manchus, battleground between Japanese/Russian invaders, Japanese colony, heartland of communist industrial development – now a ‘rust belt’.
North China Plain
Core Area – the national heartland of a country:
Densely populated
Productive agricultural zone
Site of the capital and other major cities
Contains substantial industrial complexes linked by ports, railways, and highways
China Population Geography cont.
Population Distribution Centers cont.:
Chang/Yangzi Basins
China’s leading transit corridor (oceangoing ships can navigate 600 miles from coast to interior on Chang Jiang River).
Site of the Three Gorges Dam – massive dam project
The Sichuan Basin
Problem province for Dynastic rulers and Communist government – source area of dissent
“A country unto itself” due to physiography
Xi and Pearl River Basins
Subtropical area with recurrent water problems
Mouth of the Pearl River site of China’s fastest-growing economic complexes:
Hong Kong
Guangzhou – capital of Guangdong Province
Shenzen – one of world’s fastest growing cities
China Three Gorges Dam
China Economic Geography
Initially based on Soviet Model
The Great Leap Forward, 1957-1960
Rapid development achieved through complete reorganization of society
Devastating impact – agricultural productivity spiraled downward (20 million people died)
Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976
Fear over contamination of ‘Maoist Communism’ and retaliation for failed GLF
Red Guard - rooted out dissidents
Violence and famine – 30 million killed
Moderates under Deng Xiaoping gained power
Opened China to foreign science and technology and allowed Chinese students to attend foreign universities
1989 - Tiananmen Square Massacre
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A lot of ill-fated policies have been put forth by the Chinese government, some of which have caused millions of deaths.
China
Agricultural Regions
China
Energy Resources
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Is it and surprise that most of China’s developed oil, roads, coalfields, railroads, and manufacturing regions are in the eastern portion of the country?
China Economic Geography
The Wedding of Communism to Capitalism
Deng – believed communist political rule could be wedded to capitalist economic practice
Economic experiments were spatially separated from bulk of country:
Special Economic Zones (SEZ’s)
Open Cities and Open Coastal Areas designed to attract technologies and investment from abroad
Taxes low
Import/Export regulations eased
Land leases simplified
Hiring of contract labor allowed
Products allowed to be sold to foreign markets, and some to China
Profits could be sent back to investor’s home country
7 SEZ’s positioned along coast and 14 coastal cities designed to give preferential treatment to foreign investors
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SEZ’s have been vital to the rise of China. Anything goes in SEZ’s and it is here that China is linked to the rest of the world. If you want to try something fun, then take a look at where all of the things you are using right now come from (this includes the clothes you are wearing etc etc). My bet is that most of the stuff you are using comes from China.
China
Special
Economic
Zones
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China Economic Geography cont.
Notice how the areas focused on SEZ’s have the highest GDP. Not all SEZ’s have been successful, but this shows that provinces along the coast are more well off than provinces in the west.
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China The Pacific Rim Today
Guangdong Province
Large economic complex of cities that produce a huge range of exports
Pearl River Delta = economic core
Centered on Shenzen SEZ
1970’s sleepy fishing and duck-farming village – 80,000 people
Fastest growth of any urban/economic center in human history – 9 million people (2013)!
Why here? Lower wages, fewer taxes, less environmental regulation, and weaker government oversight
Hong Kong
Economic tiger – countries/territories that have experienced significant modernization, industrialization, and western-style economic growth
Became preeminent in banking, finance, fiscal management, and business services
China’s plans for the SEZ’s are a perfect example of the growth pole concept. We saw this concept back in South America in Brazil. This is the “if you build it, they will come” idea and it has certainly worked for China!
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China The Pacific Rim Today
Above is an image of Guangdong Province and the central business district in Shenzhen.
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China
The Next Superpower?
Growing world economic force - 2nd largest economy in world, 2012
Military force:
Largest army in the world – 3 million people
Largest reserve force in the world – 1.3 million
Nuclear power with growing arsenal of missiles
Ever-increasing money being spent on military and amassing new/more sophisticated weaponry
What did the Chinese show at the Olympics?
Rise of Chinese nationalism
Unlike the Cold War, a war with China could be a potential intercultural war (war between disparate cultures) making it far more dangerous and deadly.
China
Xizang
And
Xinjiang
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China Xizang (Tibet) sheedz-AHNG
Harsh, sparsely peopled physical environment (Himalayas)
South = Tibetans
North = Nomadic Pastoralists
Historical Geography
1720 Manchu Dynasty - Chinese Domination
Late 1800’s – Regained separate status
1959 Communists - Tibetan uprising crushed, Chinese wanted to modernize Tibetan society
1965 Annexation – “Autonomous Region”
1976 Mao’s death - Chinese relaxed tight control on Tibet
1987 Pro-independence rioting after which Chinese re-tightened grip
Now, firmly controlled by China but still beset with violence
16 cases of self-immolation (setting oneself on fire) in 2011
Several protesters killed, 2012
Also known as Tibet, Xizang is home to a large group of people (known as Tibetans), who practice Buddhism, and whose architecture honors the class teachings of Buddha. It is here, however, that a separatist movement has been fought for the past half century. Tibetans want to be free of the Communist yoke, while the Communist Chinese government wants to quell and modernize Tibetan society. China ousted the Dalai Lama (Tibetan leader) and is still sensitive to the issue. The Dalai Lama has since retired (2011).
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China Xizang (Tibet) Tibetan Pagoda
China Xinjiang
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China Xinjiang shin-jee-AHNG
Largest Autonomous Region
Dominated by high mountain ranges and vast basins
Contains 1/6 of country’s land area
Human Geography:
50% - Han Chinese
The Rest – Muslim Uyghurs (WEE-ghoors)
Disparity between better off Hans and poorer Muslims
Uyghur militants fighting against Han domination
Economic Geography:
Extensive oil and natural gas reserves
Experimental site for China’s space technology, rocketry, and atomic weaponry
Great energy reservoirs in Caspian Sea – pipeline construction through Kazakhstan
China might have problems with its western population soon. Many Han Chinese have settled into the area in the past couple of decades and there is a growing resentment between these better-off Chinese and the Muslim Uyghurs. We will see what happens.
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Mongolia
Historical Geography:
Home of Mongol horsemen invaders into Slavic Russia and China (Yuan Dynasty)
Physiography
Steppe and Desert environment (Gobi Desert)
Political Geography:
Buffer State between China and Russia
Buffer State – a country separating ideological and/or political adversaries (China vs. Russia)
Economic Geography:
Growing economy
China investing in country
Access to raw materials (gold, copper, and coal) at the heart of reason for investment
IMF predicts double-digit growth in the years to come
Nomadism major part of economy
When herders suffer cold, Siberian winter (a happened in 1999-2000) economy breaks down
Cashmere is a staple product – monocultural economy
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Japan
Physiography
Archipelago of four main islands: Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, Hokkaido
The Effects of Plate Tectonics…
Land formed from the subduction between three different plates: Philippine, Eurasian, and Pacific
Geologically young causes islands to be mountainous, studded with volcanoes, and earthquake prone 108 active volcanoes!
High-relief topography dominates 18% land designated as habitable
Due to land access problems (little land) artificial land and islands have been built and designed
Relative Location
In the past…remote from change and innovation
Today…avenue to world’s markets
Cultural Geography
Ainu people of Caucasian ancestry original inhabitants – all but ousted by successive invaders
Now…one of the most uniform, culturally homogenous societies in the world
Japan is a fascinating country. Physiographically it has almost NO inhabitable land due to the effects of plate tectonics. However, it rose from this adverse situation to become a military power in the past and an economic power currently.
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The JAKOTA Triangle Japan: Tectonic Plates the Formed Japan
As with many of the places we have covered, plate tectonics has also formed and affected Japan.
The Philippine and Pacific plates are moving northwestward. As they move, they are converging and subducting (dipping) under the North American and Eurasian plates.
As we know with a convergent zone, plates collide and build mountainous land.
In this instance, the island of Japan have formed. This also explains why high relief topography (mountainous areas) dominate in this country. This also explains why Japan has experienced its fair share of earthquakes and tsunamis. The area surrounding it is highly unstable.
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Japan Historical Geography
16th century:
Highly individualistic society
Shinto belief systems: many gods, veneration of ancestors and glorification of emperor as a divine figure
Shogun (military ruler)
Late 16th c. - Foreigners and missionaries expelled
Mid 19th century:
Initially welcomed Europeans, then had them expelled
American ‘black ships’ entered Harbors (followed by French, British, and Dutch) and imposed one-sided trade agreements, 1850
Meiji Restoration
1868 – Modernizers took control of country
Reinstated the emperor and began to transform Japan from a Feudal society with pre-machine age technology to an industrial power
Modernized military – first territorial claim was the Ryuku Islands, 1879
Japanese products began competing with Western products on the world market
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Japan’s military might began with the Meiji restoration. In any event, the Japanese modernized their country and eventually became a colonial power in Asia as you can see from the territories they controlled.
Japan Japanese Colonial Expansion
Needed raw materials for industrialization process
Looked for raw materials elsewhere and had a foot in:
TAIWAN 1895
KOREA 1910
PACIFIC ISLANDS Post WWI
MANCHURIA 1931
CHINA 1937
HONG KONG 1939
SOUTHEAST ASIA 1941
Japan was actually an imperial power. Much of Japan’s imperialism came out of their lack of natural resources. In order to fuel industrialization and modernization, Japan (being a country with almost not natural resources) had to look elsewhere for these. As you can see, Japan’s imperialism began near the end of the 19th c. and continued until WWII. As you know, Japan then entered WWII on the side of the Germans. Japan was truly an empire and a colonial power when it entered WWII.
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Japan Japan’s Post-WWII Transformation
1945 –1952: Allied Occupation
Economic reshaping
Labor legislation
Constitution
Civil rights
Land reform
U.S. enlightened “Helping hand” policy
Japan became….
Industrial giant
Technological pacesetter
Political power
Fully urbanized and affluent society
Notice what happened to Japan after WWII.
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Japan Economic Geography
Meteoric rise – 1980’s
Stagnation – 1990’s
Conservative culture = liability
Japan could not adapt to changing economic system
Japan did not respond aggressively to economic downturn
Demographic Burden – population is declining rapidly, and aging.
Less young people to work and more elderly = economic issues
Add to this devastating earthquakes and tsunamis (reconstruction cost in the billions!)
Japan has had a tough go of it for the past two decades.
Ever since the 90’s, Japan has remained stagnant in an ever-changing globalized economy.
There are many reasons for this, and one is listed above.
The future of Japan hedges on population growth and more liberal economic policies.
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Japan Japan’s Problems
East-West
Omote Nippon (“Front Japan”) – Eastern, Pacific facing region, megalopolitan, high-tech, dynamic zone
Ura Nippon (“Back Japan”) – Western region, comparatively underdeveloped region of unkempt farms and poor villages
Conservative Economic Policies
Food and Population
One of highest physiologic densities in the world
Physiologic Density – the # of people per unit area of arable (farmable) land
Japan = 8101 people per square mile; U.S. = 447 people per square mile
The Japanese have maximized their agricultural productivity
But…food prices are high because topography limits availability of food
Japanese getting taller and heavier with rising rates of heart disease and cancer
Aging population – labor shortage, need for immigrants and higher birth rates etc.
Kurile Islands
Dispute between Russia and Japan over Northeastern Islands
Desire for rearmament in the face of geopolitical strife – China and North Korea
However, even though Japan is an economic power today (despite the decline in the world market in the late 1990’s), it has many problems.
There is a dramatic east and west divide. This is evident when we look at the map that shows Japan’s core area. The eastern portion of the country is the core area of the country where the economy thrives. The western portion of the country, however, is predominantly agricultural, where the economy is often stagnant.
Japan has a limited amount of arable farmland and thus must import many food supplies (as well as import many raw materials).
The Japanese are getting taller and heavier
The birth rate has dropped so that Japan is an aging population.
Kurile Islands (Russia) or Northern Territories (Japan)
Japan initially controlled the Kurile Islands.
Russia advanced onto the islands from the north.
In WWII, Russia took full control of the islands and continues to control them.
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Japan Kurile Islands Images obtained from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Kuril_Island.jpg and www.wildernesstravel.com/itins/russfar.html
As you can see, the Kurile Islands lie directly between the northermost island of Japan and the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. It makes sense, then, why both countries would consider these islands their own. This is an ongoing dispute that has not been resolved yet.
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Korea
Korea
Historical Geography
A dependency of China
A colony of Japan
Divided along the 38th parallel by Allied Powers after WWII (1945)
North Korea controlled by Soviet Union
South Korea controlled by United States
Reunification attempt by North Korea, 1950
Led to Korean War
Demilitarized zone (DMZ) established in1953
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North/South Korea North-South Korean Contrasts
North Korea
55% of the land, 1/3 of the population, extremely rural
Antiquated state enterprises
Inefficient, non-productive agriculture
Limited trade – former Soviet Union and China
What is going on in North Korea now?
South Korea
45% of the land, 2/3 of the population, highly urbanized
Modern factories
Intensive, increasingly mechanized agriculture
Extensive trade – US, Japan, and Western Europe
Economic Tiger
What is the difference between North and South Korea?
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North/South Korea North-South Korean Contrasts
North Korea
South Korea
All you need to know about the difference between North and South Korea can be gleaned from the image above.
The above image shows the lights at night. What is the difference between North and South Korea? What does this say in terms of each country’s development?
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Taiwan
Taiwan
Historical background:
A Chinese province for centuries 1683-1895
Colonized by Japan in 1895
Returned to China after WWII
1949 – Chinese Nationalists (supported by the US) fled from the mainland and established the Republic of China (ROC)
Economic Tiger
Received Western assistance but got out of debt much faster than anticipated
Democratic Government
Greatest Problem = The “Two-China” Dilemma
Initially recognized by International Community as legitimate
1971 – ousted from UN and declared illegitimate
China continues its claim of Taiwan, creates a tense situation for international community
Taiwan is an interesting hotspot.
In its current state, it was founded when the Chinese Nationalists fled China after their defeat by the Communists in 1949.
The Chinese Nationalists claimed Taiwan to be the Republic of China, and it was recognized by the UN as the ‘real’ China until 1971.
Now, Taiwan is seen by China as an errant province, and any moves Taiwan makes to secure independence from China and become an official, sovereign country is met by Chinese resistance. So, we have two entities: China and Taiwan (which is not an official country but looks and acts like one).
It has a democratic government.
It has territory that has internationally recognized boundaries.
It has a permanent population.
It has an organized economy.
It has a system of education/training.
It has a transportation system.
It has a government that provides public and police services.
BUT…it does not have sovereignty or external recognition.
With that said, the two entities are inextricably linked.
An SEZ, Xiamen, was formed directly across from Taiwan.
Many Taiwanese have migrated to Xiamen to take advantage of the lax restrictions of SEZ’s. In fact, 80% of the locals in Xiamen have relatives in Taiwan.
Billions of dollars get made and transferred between the two entities, so economically they are linked tightly.
The future?
One Nation, Two Systems
This may be the most viable option. China does not want to officially cede Taiwan and let it become its own country.
BUT, China WOULD be willing to let Taiwan have its own system of governance while remaining part of China.
This has worked in Hong Kong very well, so we will see what happens in the future.
61
Geopolitics in East Asia
Sino-Japanese Relations
Japan invaded China (Manchuria) in 1931.
Committed horrendous atrocities through World War II – millions shot, burned, drowned, subjected to chemical and biological experiments
China demanded apology, but Japan has never given one
Sino-Japanese-Taiwanese dispute over Senaku islands
Japanese invaded and took over islands, 1895
China claims islands as rightfully belonging to them
Geopolitics in East Asia
The Korea Factor
North Korea nuclear capability at heart of geopolitical angst against North Korea
Latent (hidden) support from China
Major unease in Japan and South Korea
Worry and concern in UN
Kim Jong-il recently replaced by his son, Kim Jong-un
Cyber warriors being trained to attack cyberspace
Kim Jong-un has warned of a pre-emptive nuclear attack (after South Korea and U.S. conducted joint military exercises), 2013
63
Other
8%
Han
92%
Han
Other
