The Asian region of the planet extends from equatorial latitudes to the Arctic Ocean itself. It occupies most of Eurasia and some territories of the African continent. The earliest human civilizations were born here.
To this day, this part of the world is the most populated, more than half of the inhabitants of the planet live here. It occupies half of the territory of Russia from the Urals to Kamchatka. Composition of the population overseas Asia diverse and multinational, but you can find many similarities in appearance, traditions, way of life and worldview of the people of this original world. Undoubtedly, throughout history, Asian peoples have had a huge impact on the development of the entire human civilization, and are currently showing gigantic potential due to many features of the Asian character and culture.
Historically and politically, this vast territory is divided into several components. The following list of regions is generally accepted in the largest international organizations - the UN and UNESCO:
China is the most populous country in the world. At the end of the past year, the number of inhabitants of the country amounted to a little less than 1.4 million people. China has always suffered from overpopulation, as have many other Asian countries. The population density is 145 people per km2. This is primarily due to the Asian tradition of having many children as an indicator of well-being. Since 1988, the country's demographic curve has been gradually moving down due to the policy of reducing the birth rate pursued by the country's leadership. However, the introduction of this system has led to the fact that at present the number of men in the country significantly exceeds the number of women. Another ancient Asian tradition says that a family must have a son. This has led to many Chinese women now terminating their pregnancies if the baby was female, sadly. It is good that this law was recently repealed - now residents are allowed to have a maximum of two children.
The Korean peninsula is divided into parts. The first, North Korea, is one of the most closed countries in foreign Asia. Officially, the country is socialist, although in fact the regime has long turned into a dictatorial one, deliberately limiting the connection of residents with the outside world to a minimum. That is why there is very little information about the life of the country. According to the latest data, about 25.5 million people now live in the country, of which approximately 52% are women and 48% are men. Natural population growth for Last year amounted to 0.5%. The vast majority of people are in the age range of 15 to 65 years. In the DPRK, only about one percent of the inhabitants are not Koreans - they are Chinese, Japanese, Mongols. Oddly enough, according to statistics, the population density as of 2017 is even higher than in China - about 211 people per square kilometer. km. Nevertheless, religious traditions have been preserved in socialist Korea: Buddhism and Confucianism are mainly practiced here, Christians are found.
The second part of the peninsula - South Korea - is the exact opposite of its northern sister. The country is experiencing an unprecedented economic boom, in many positions it is in the top of world manufacturers and brands, enough high level life. The population of the country today is approaching the mark of 51 million people. Here is one of the highest population density in foreign Asia - more than 500 people per square kilometer. km, many centenarians - the average life expectancy is 79 years. The natural increase in the population is about half a percent.
The vast majority of those living here are also Koreans, their number is almost 100%, and the Chinese diaspora will also live. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of foreign migrants and professionals for whom a rich country provides flexible and comfortable working conditions.
The Japanese are another ancient, distinctive Asian nation. Over the past half century, the country has experienced a grandiose scientific and technological revolution. From a backward agrarian power, stuck in medieval traditions, in a matter of decades it has become the leader of the world economy. In Japan, one of the most high performance the standard of living of the population. There are currently just over 126 million people living in the country. The population density on the island is 334 people per sq. km. However, there is a downside to financial stability. Having many children is the most important characteristic of the population of foreign Asia. However, since the seventies of the last century, the birth rate has been steadily declining in the country. In 2010 the curve natural increase crossed the zero mark and continues to fall. This year the figure was already (-0.12%). The nation is rapidly aging, which means, first of all, an ever-increasing burden on people of working age. Although there are traditionally many centenarians in Japan, the average life expectancy is 83 years.
Geographically, this is the entire eastern Mediterranean. Holy land, the cradle of three religions and many ancient peoples. Currently, there are eighteen countries with different political systems, cultural and religious traditions. Europe and Asia equally left their mark on all spheres of life, the foundations and character of the local inhabitants. The number of nations and nationalities is more than 150, of which the most numerous groups are the Turkic, Semitic and Indo-Iranian peoples. The largest states in the region are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, and Iraq. In total, about 400 million people live in them. The religious composition of the population of foreign Asia in this subregion is as follows - Muslims predominate and dominate. In Georgia and Armenia the main religion is Christianity, and in Israel - Judaism.
The region is booming in economic plan due to the large accumulation of energy mineral deposits here. At the same time, it is one of the hottest spots on the planet.
1. Fill in the gaps in the sentences using the textbook: Foreign Asia occupies a vast territory on the Eurasian continent, about 30 million km2.
About 40 states are located on the political map of the region. Overseas Asia is hosted
in 5 climatic regions. Foreign Asia has the world's largest mineral reserves.
Overseas Asia is a densely populated region. 60% of the world's population lives here. Ethnic composition of the population
About 1/3 of the population speaks the languages of the Sino-Tibetan family, 60% of the population lives in countryside. The most economically developed countries of foreign Asia are China and Japan
New industrial countries include Singapore, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The economically least developed countries of foreign Asia are Afghanistan, Laos, Cambodia.
In foreign Asia, the following regions are distinguished:
Southwest Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, East Asia.
3. Using the map of the atlas "Peoples", determine the peoples of which language families inhabit large regions of foreign Asia.
Analyzing the map “Language families and peoples of the world”, it can be determined that the population of Asia belongs to several large language families: the Southwestern part belongs to the Afro-Asiatic family, it is represented by the Arabs and the Indo-European family, which is represented by the Kurds, Persians, Afghans and the most numerous Hindustani people . The population of Central Asia and partly Eastern belongs to the Altai family - these are Uighurs, Mongols, Koreans and Japanese. Representatives of the Sino-Tibetan family live in the east of the region - these are Tibetans and Chinese. Southeast Asia is inhabited by the Viet (Austroasiatic family), Lao (Parathai family), Javanese (Austronesian family). In India, in addition to Hindustanis, Tamils, belonging to the Dravidian family, live in the south of the country. Based on this characteristic, we can conclude that the ethnic composition of the population of Foreign Asia is very complex, since the population belongs to many language families. For example, the population of Europe mainly belongs to the Indo-European family.
6. Based on the completed table for task 5, indicate the features of the territorial structure of China's economy.
Eastern zone in economic terms the most developed. Most of the industrial centers and hubs, many agricultural areas, transport routes, and all seaports are located here. In the Central zone, the extraction of raw materials, the production of fuel, electricity, chemical products, semi-finished products, and food predominates. In the Western zone, preference is given to animal husbandry and the processing of mineral raw materials. One of the problems of the country is the erasure of differences in the levels of social economic development between East and mainland China.
10. Consider Figure 29 in the textbook. Find out where resources are coming to Japan.
Resources come to Japan by sea from all over the world. Hard coal from the US and Australia, bauxite from Guyana and Australia, oil from the Middle East, iron from Australia, copper from Canada
In Japan, river and pipeline transport is not developed, since there are no large rivers and oil fields.
13. Specify EGP features region of Southeast Asia.
The region includes 11 countries: Brunei, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, East Timor, Thailand, Philippines. The region is located on the territory of the Indochina Peninsula and numerous islands of the Malay Archipelago. The region connects Eurasia with Australia and is the border between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Important air and sea routes run through the countries of Southeast Asia.
14. Using the text of the textbook, name character traits economies of Southeast Asia.
Intensive stratification, the transition of some countries to the category of new industrial ones, while in others agriculture and the mining industry still prevail.
15. What are the features of agriculture in Southeast Asia?
Agriculture is the main branch of the economy in Southeast Asia. It employs up to 80% of the total population.During its domination, foreign capital has turned the countries of Southeast Asia into agricultural producers. raw materials. Plantation crops (rubber, tobacco, tea, sugar cane, coffee, coconut palm, etc.), forcibly introduced by the colonialists, displaced (mainly in Malaya, Indonesia, and the Philippines) the traditional crops of rice and other grains, as well as vegetables that make up the basis of the food ration of the population. The reduced grain harvest has led to chronic food shortages. In 1960/61, even the pre-war level of food production per capita was not reached. In the import of all countries of Southeast Asia, food accounts for 10-15%, and in some lean years - 25% or more.
16. Indicate the main stages in the formation of the political map of South Asia.
At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. India became an object of investment of British capital, and the development of Indian capitalism intensified. In con. 19th century The national liberation movement was led by the National Congress Party of India. The creation of mass socio-political organizations, civil disobedience campaigns conducted by the Indian National Congress under the leadership of its leader M. Gandhi, weakened the positions of the colonial authorities. After World War II, the British government was forced to grant India the rights of a dominion, dividing the country (1947) into 2 parts - the Indian Union (with a predominantly Hindu population) and Pakistan (with a predominantly Muslim population). The government of the Indian National Congress, which came to power in the Indian Union, proclaimed the independence of India on August 15, 1947.
In the 19th century the territory of Pakistan was captured by the British colonialists and included in British India. In 1947, the state of Pakistan was formed, which included the northeastern (East Bengal) and northwestern (Sind, Punjab, Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province, etc.) regions of Hindustan with a Muslim majority population. In 1965 and 1971 Pakistan was in a state of armed conflict with India. In 1971 on the territory of Vost. Pakistan, the state of Bangladesh was formed.
Until 1968, the Maldives was a sultanate. In 1887 a British protectorate was established over the islands. In 1965 they received state independence. A republic was proclaimed in 1968.
Since the 19th century by 1947 Bhutan - British protectorate. In 1949, the King of Bhutan concluded an agreement with India on special relations between the two countries.
In 1919 the government of Amanullah Khan proclaimed the independence of Afghanistan. The war of Great Britain against Afghanistan (May - June 1919) ended with the victory of Afghanistan.
17. Give an assessment of the economic and geographical position of India.
India is located in South Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. It also includes the Laccadive Islands in the Arabian Sea, the Andamask and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. India borders on Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. The maximum length of India - from north to south - 3200 km, from west to east - 2700 km. The mineral resources of India are significant and varied. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. Here are the largest iron ore, coal basins, deposits of manganese ore; this creates favorable conditions for the development of heavy industries. However, the country faces the problem of overpopulation, which significantly worsens social well-being.
19. What are the features of the development of the economy of the countries of South Asia?
The countries of South Asia are mainly engaged in such industries and industries as food and textile, in addition, some countries have developed separate extractive industries. To a large extent, the economies of the South Asian states depend on active trade with partners from other Asian regions and Europe. A separate item in the economy of all countries of South Asia is the column "tourism". In all countries of this region, the tourism infrastructure is well developed, since this industry attracts significant amounts of investment to the countries of South Asia
20. At the beginning of the XXI century. in the structure of India's GDP, industry accounted for 30%, agriculture - 31%, services - 39%. In structure industrial production specific gravity textile and food industry accounted for 17 and 11%, respectively, oil and coal - 16%, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy - 14%, mechanical engineering - 12%. Build a pie chart based on this data. Comment on it.
In India, all sectors of the economy have approximately the same employment.
Symbols 1 - oil, 2 - gas, 3 - coal, 4 - iron ore, 5 - manganese, 6 - titanium, 7 - chromium, 8 - aluminum, 9 - cobalt, 10 - copper, 11 - nickel, 12 - tin 13 - lead, 14 - zinc, 15 - beryllium, 16 - tungsten, 17 - rare metals, 18 - mercury, 19 - antimony, 20 - uranium, 21 zircon, 22 - boron, 23 - bromine, 24 - graphite, 25 - magnesite, 26 - sulfur, 27 - mica, 28 - salt, 29 - phosphorites, 30 - diamonds, 31 - precious stones, 32 - area of Archean and Proterozoic folding, 33 - area of Late Cambrian and Early Paleozoic folding, 34 - platform cover, 35 - area of Paleozoic folding, 36 - area of Mesozoic folding, 37 - area of Cenozoic folding, 38 - marginal troughs
23. In which region of Asia (country) the largest number cities of millionaires?
The largest number of cities of millionaires is in China, India and Japan.
25. Provide evidence that China is a dynamically developing country in the world.
China has one of the highest rates GDP growth. China's labor resources are truly limitless, many of the world's leading corporations have their own main production capacity in China, which provides an unprecedented level of employment
26. Japan's modern transportation system is one of the most highly developed in the world. Prove this thesis.
A distinctive feature of the Japanese transport system, compared with other countries, is a greater degree of dependence on railways. More than 52% of the total passenger and freight traffic is carried out by rail (at the end of 1992). In addition, today rail transport is at the beginning of a qualitatively new stage of development. The road network is being consistently expanded and modernized, the use of magnetic levitation trains is increasing, the computerization of rolling stock is growing rapidly, it has been possible to reduce the time of transportation (especially for passengers) due to the branching of the superhighway network. Special plans for the development of urban transport also provide for a reduction in the cost of maintaining urban rail transport by creating additional highways and transferring part of the passenger traffic to bus lines and the metro. In addition to Tokyo, subways also exist in 8 other cities in Japan, including Osaka and Nagoya.
27. Suggest a travel itinerary for India. What will be interesting about your itinerary? Justify your arguments.
When traveling to India, you should definitely visit the Taj Mahal, the Golden Temple of Harmandir Sahib, the Chand Baori Well - architectural monuments, a great place for all tourists, the island of Goa, and the city of Mumbai, the center of mixing many cultures of India.
28. Match: Country
3) Indonesia;
4) Mongolia.
A) 2.03 million km2; B) 9.6 million km2;
B) 3.3 million km2; D) 1.6 million km2.
Answer 1B, 2C, 3A, 4D.
29. Name the states indicated in figure 8 by numbers:
Answer 1.Vietnam, 2.Laos, 3.Thailand, 4-5 Malaysia.
30. China leader in production:
1) cars;
2) TVs;
4) excavators.
31. Newly industrialized countries do not include:
1) Singapore; 4) Republic of Korea;
2) Philippines; 5) Indonesia;
3) Thailand; 6) Laos.
32. The branch of specialization of Japan is not:
1) robotics;
2) electronics;
3) tractor building;
4) automotive industry;
5) shipbuilding.
33. Match:
1) Japan Automotive Center; A) Kobe
2) the largest port in Japan; B) Nagoya;
3) the indigenous people of Japan; B) Tokaido
4) megalopolis of Japan D) Ainu.
Answer 1B, 2A, 3D, 4C.
34. What country are we talking about if, in the structure of its GDP, industry accounts for 35%, services - 63%, agriculture - 2%?
35. Match:
1) world exporters of rubber;
2) high technologies;
3) oil production;
4) rice cultivation.
A) Brunei; B) Philippines; B) Malaysia, Indonesia; D) Singapore.
Answer: 1B, 2D, 3A, 4B.
36. What urban agglomerations do not belong to South Asia?
2) Karachi;
3) Kitakashyu;
And in terms of the number of inhabitants, it far exceeds all other regions. There are 39 sovereign states on the political map of Asia. Many of them are among the oldest in the world. Foreign Asia is one of the origins of mankind, the birthplace of agriculture, artificial irrigation, cities, and many cultural values. The vast majority of countries in the region are developing countries. It usually consists of four subregions: Central and East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Southwest Asia. The countries of East and Southeast Asia are part of the Asia-Pacific Region (APR).
Australia is also considered in this topic as a country-continent included in the Asia-Pacific region.
1. Territory, borders, position: big differences between countries.
The territory of foreign Asia stretches from north to south for almost 7 thousand km, and from west to east for more than 10 thousand km. China and India are among the giant countries, most of the rest are fairly major countries. . But along with this, there are many small countries in Asia, there are also microstates. . The borders of most countries pass along well-defined natural boundaries. In a number of places, such as the Himalayas, this creates serious obstacles to economic and other ties.
EGP countries of the region are characterized by three main features.
First, this neighborhood position, which in many respects unites the countries of each of the four sub-regions of Asia.
Secondly, this seaside position most countries, providing access to the seas Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, where the most important world trade routes pass.
Example. The territory of Vietnam is stretched along the coast of the South China Sea in a narrow strip stretching for 1700 km. It is no coincidence that geographers I figuratively call this country "the balcony of Indochina over the Pacific Ocean." The main connections of Vietnam with other countries are through sea routes.
Thirdly, this deep position some countries, which is generally much less profitable.
Example. Mongolia, located in the depths of the mainland, is the largest landlocked state in the world in terms of territory. Its relations with other countries are carried out mainly through transport systems Russia and China.
political map foreign Asia has recently undergone Big changes. Before World War II, 90% of its population lived in colonies and semi-colonies. Now practically all the countries of the region are politically independent states. Nevertheless, foreign Asia still remains the scene of many territorial disputes, which from time to time lead to an aggravation of regional and local conflicts, often accompanied by armed clashes and even lengthy wars.
Such territorial disputes exist between Iran and Iraq, Iraq and Kuwait, India and Pakistan, India and China, China (PRC) and Taiwan, Russia and Japan due to Kuril Islands, Greece and Turkey because of Cyprus, etc. Korea is divided by a demarcation line into the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea. Despite the creation of a temporary Palestinian autonomy, relations between it and the State of Israel are still far from a complete settlement, and the transition to an independent Palestinian state has been repeatedly postponed.
As in overseas Europe, republics prevail in foreign Asia, but many countries with a monarchical form of government remain. . (Exercise 1.)
2. natural conditions and resources: a region of contrasts.
In general, the mineral resources of the region, which form the basis for heavy industry, are very diverse. The main pools of coal, iron and manganese ores, and a number of non-metallic minerals are concentrated within the Chinese and Hindustan platforms. Within the Alpine-Himalayan and Pacific folded (ore) belts, ores of non-ferrous and rare metals predominate. But perhaps the main wealth of the region, which largely determines its role in the international geographic division of labor- it's oil.
Example. Although oil and natural gas reserves have been explored in most countries of Southwest Asia, the main deposits are in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition to large reserves, they are distinguished by very favorable mining and geological conditions for extraction. .
Intensified searches for oil and natural gas are carried out on the shelf of the marginal seas of East and Southeast Asia - one of the largest and least explored in the world. (Task 2.)
The natural resource prerequisites for the development of agriculture in the region are also very diverse. However, for most countries there are two main problems.
Firstly, it is a problem of lack of land resources. The presence of large mountain ranges, desert and semi-desert spaces has a strong influence on the structure of the land fund, limiting the share of agricultural, and especially arable land in it. As a result, the provision of arable land per capita in most countries of the region is only 0.1-0.2 ha, or even less, and it decreases as the population grows.
Secondly, uh then the problem of rational use of agro-climatic resources. Heat reserves in most of the region ensure the vegetation of plants during the agricultural season or even all year round. But the moisture resources are distributed extremely unevenly. If in areas of the monsoon climate irrigation is used only in winter, then in the arid tropics and subtropics of Southwest Asia it is necessary throughout the year. In general, almost all water withdrawals in the region are used for irrigation. Almost 3/4 of the world's irrigated land is located here. In terms of the total area of such lands, India ranks first in the world, China - the second.
Irrigation in foreign Asia has been known for more than 4 thousand years. Irrigation systems built two millennia ago are still preserved in Iran. In Syria (see Figure 62), Iraq, Tyption, large hydroelectric facilities have been built, which made it possible to expand the area of irrigated land. And in the countries of the Persian Gulf for irrigation, mainly expensive desalinated sea water is used; usually it is brought to each tree, to each bed or flower bed.
In a significant part of the region's territory, natural conditions (deserts, high mountains) do not allow people to engage in agriculture and forestry at all. (Task 3.)
3. Population: number, reproduction, ethnic and religious composition, distribution, urbanization.
In terms of population, foreign Asia occupies an uncompetitive first place among all major regions of the world: its share in the world population reaches 60%. This is explained by most countries in the region are still in the second stage of the demographic transition a, that is, at the stage of a population explosion, although in the 90s. it has clearly declined.
Similar demographic situation complicates many economic, social and environmental problems overseas Asia. In addition, according to forecasts, by 2025 the population of the region should increase to 4.6 billion people.
Such a general conclusion does not exclude the presence of significant differences between individual subregions. In the countries of East Asia, demographic policy has already led to a significant decline in the birth rate and natural population growth. In Southeast Asia, the rate of such growth also began to gradually decrease. In South Asia, this decline is much slower. And Southwest Asia is still at the epicenter of the population explosion, with some of its countries being among the "record holders." This is largely due to the fact that the Arab countries of this subregion, which profess Islam, do not hold any population policy. .
The ethnic composition of the population of foreign Asia is extremely complex: ethnographers believe that more than 1 thousand peoples live here, belonging to the most diverse language families and groups. (Task 4.) Among them there are very large and very small peoples scattered in the mountains. Most of the countries are multinational
Example. More than 150 nations each live in India and Indonesia, almost 100 in the Philippines, about 60 in China and Vietnam, and more than 30 each in Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Foreign Asia is the birthplace of all three world religions, as well as many major national and regional religions, which for many centuries and even millennia have had a huge impact on politics, economics, spiritual culture, population reproduction, and customs of peoples. Religion has found wide application in material culture - Muslim mosques, Hindu temples, Buddhist pagodas and monasteries. And even today its influence on all aspects of people's lives remains very large.
In Muslim countries, religion often strictly regulates the rights and obligations of men and women in society and the family (separate education in schools and universities, separate work, different premises in public places and private homes), affects marital relations (encouragement of large families, permission for polygamy, wedding ceremonies), daily routine (daily prayer five times - prayer, Friday as a day off), on the diet (Muslim fasting - Ramadan, Eid al-Adha, a ban on alcohol and pork), on clothing (wearing a woman's veil), on the judicial system (Sharia court), the nature of external migrations. . In most Muslim countries in Asia, Islam is declared the state religion; in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, this is reflected in the official names of countries. 
The complexity of the ethnic and religious composition of a number of Asian countries leads to the emergence of many inter-ethnic and religious conflicts. They are especially strong in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. Most of these conflicts have their roots in colonial and semi-colonial times, and they proceed, as a rule, under the slogans of separatism.
Example. Kurds are a people numbering about 20 million people. But historically, they turned out to be part of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. For a long time now, the leaders of the Kudra national movement have been striving, including by armed means, for the creation of an independent state of Kyrdistan.
The distribution of the population in the region is particularly uneven. Here, at one pole - very densely populated coastal plains, valleys and river deltas, at the other - extremely sparsely populated deserts and semi-deserts, highlands, tropical forests.
Example. Bangladesh ranks 87th in terms of area among the countries of the world, and 7th in terms of population. The average population density in this lowland country has already reached 1000 people per 1 km 2. In some areas it is 2000 people per 1 km 2! And in Mongolia, one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, which is almost three times larger than France in area, there are an average of 3 people per 2 km 2.
A certain influence on the distribution of the population in the region is exerted by its international migrations.
This applies to the greatest extent to the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf, which, as you already know, have become one of the world's main centers for attracting labor resources. The total number of immigrants from South and Southeast Asia, as well as North Africa, is more than 10 million
human. Almost half of them find work in the largest of these countries - Caydian Arabia, about 1 million are employed in Kuwait. .
The main areas of activity of labor migrants are the oil industry, construction, transport, and the service sector. In Saudi Arabia, migrant workers make up 60% of all employed, in Kuwait 60%, and in the UAE even 90%. .
But emigration from the countries of foreign Asia to other regions is also significant. These are the Kurds who travel legally and illegally to Europe, and the "brain drain", for example, from India, from the Philippines.
But the main influence on the distribution of the population is exerted by the process of urbanization., which took the form of "urban explosion". Despite the fact that in terms of the share of the urban population, the vast majority of countries in the region under consideration belong to the category of medium urbanized, with a very large population, the absolute figures also turn out to be very high.
Example. Of the world's 3.15 billion urban dwellers, nearly 1.5 billion live in overseas Asia. China and India occupy the first and second places in the world in terms of the number of city dwellers, respectively. Of the 21 "super-cities" in the world, 12 are located in overseas Asia.
With a huge variety of historical, cultural and natural conditions, the cities of Asia, often the oldest in the world, are also very diverse. Specific features of the external appearance are characteristic of the Arab cities of Southwest Asia, the cities of India, China, and Japan. And yet in the geographical literature there is a collective image Eastern (Asian) city.
Usually it is characterized by a clear division into old and new parts. The liveliest place in the old city is the bazaar with its adjacent shopping streets and artisans' quarters, which immediately sell their products (see Figure 60). Barbers, scribes work in the open air, pedlars scurry about. The new urban area is dominated by modern high-rise buildings.
For the rural settlement of the region, the rural form is most typical. Among the Mongols, Afghans, Bedouin Arabs (from the word "badu" - desert) and other peoples, where the nomadic way of life is still preserved, the main type of dwelling is a collapsible yurt or tent.
The prospects for the socio-economic development of foreign Asia are largely related to the prospects for urbanization and the growth of its cities. (Task 5.)
4. Increasing role in the world economy: five centers of economic power.
You already know that if we proceed from the ten-member structure of the world economy, then five of its centers are within the borders of foreign Asia. Among them are three separate countries - China, Japan and India, and two groups of countries - newly industrialized and oil-exporting.
China in its socio-economic development after the proclamation of the People's Republic in 1949 has repeatedly experienced both ups and downs. But at the end of the 70s. in the country - first in the countryside, and then in the city - the implementation of a radical economic reform ("gaige"), based on a combination of planned and market economy, began. It led to such an upswing in the economy that already in 1990, in terms of GDP, China took 3rd place in the world after the USA and Japan, and a few years later, having overtaken Japan, it took the “second line” in the world economic ranking. In terms of gross industrial output, it overtook Japan in 2006.
Although China is still at the industrial stage of development and per capita economic indicators lags behind not only the countries of the North, but also many countries of the South, its impressive socio-economic achievements largely determine the progress of the entire Asia-Pacific region. By 2020, its GDP should increase by 4 times.
Japan, which was defeated in World War II, emerged from it with a ruined economy. But then she managed not only to restore her economy, but also to radically rebuild it, turning into the world's "power No. 2", the only member of the "big seven" in Asia. According to many important economic indicators, it has taken a leading position in the world economy (see Figure 59). However, the Japanese "economic miracle" gradually faded away, and the pace of the country's socio-economic development slowed down. And at the end of the 1990s, the financial (currency) crisis that originated in Southeast Asia had a great negative impact on its economy.
India, as one of the key developing countries, also plays a big role in the global economy. In the 90s vols. after the start economic reform aimed at developing a market economy, its development accelerated. Modern India ranks 9th in the world in terms of industrial production after the G7 countries and China. Recently, it has become one of the largest information technology centers in the world. However, in terms of per capita indicators, it still lags far behind most countries of the world.
The group of newly industrialized Asian countries, as you already know, consists of two "echelons". It was customary to refer to the first of them the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, which, due to their rapid economic leap, began to be called the four "Asian tigers" (or "dragons"). Then their example was followed by three more countries - members of ASEAN, which formed, as it were, the "second tier" of the NIS of Asia - Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the economies of these countries were restructured along the lines of the Japanese model. A large automobile, oil refining, petrochemical, shipbuilding, and especially electrical and electronic industries arose in them; Every year, tens of millions of radios, televisions, tape recorders, and video recorders are produced here. The production of other mass consumer products - clothing, fabrics, shoes - is also growing rapidly. The “economic miracle” of these countries is explained both by the activity of local businessmen and by the fact that TNCs have chosen them as an important area for the investment of their capital, focusing primarily on the benefits of their EGP and exceptionally hardy, disciplined and at the same time relatively cheap labor force. But almost all science-intensive and other products are intended for sale in the markets of Western countries.
Example 1 The Republic of Korea, which was still in the middle of the twentieth century. agricultural country, by the beginning of the 1st 21st century, it took 2nd place in the world in the production of marine products and televisions, 4th in the production of plastics and synthetic fibers, 5th in the production of cars, 6th in for steel smelting and electricity generation at nuclear power plants.
Example 2 The city-state of Singapore (Lion City in Sanskrit) has long been known for its seaport, the largest in the world, which is said to be the western gate of the East and the eastern gate of the West. . But recently it has turned from a trading center into an industrial center (oil refining, shipbuilding, electronics and electrical engineering, light industry). It has also become one of the largest centers in the world financial activities, an important object of tourism.
The oil-exporting countries of the Persian Gulf also occupy an important place in the world economy. Relying on huge oil revenues, these countries short term made a "jump through the centuries", thanks to which the Persian Gulf zone turned into one of the important industrial regions with large oil and natural gas production, petrochemistry, metallurgy and other industries. In place of medieval adobe towns, modern industrial centers. Computer-controlled drip irrigation is widely used. Schoolchildren from childhood are accustomed to working with computers.
Example. Saudi Arabia for a long time lived on income from breeding camels, growing date palms, serving Muslim pilgrims. Now the basis of its economy is oil production, which provides 3/4 of export earnings. In the Arabian Desert, ultra-modern roads, airports, large industrial complexes El Jubail and Yanbu, comfortable cities. . (Task 6.)
Among the other countries of foreign Asia, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Israel, and the DPRK stand out in terms of economic development. But there are also countries in the region that are among the least developed. In Southwest Asia, these are Yemen and Afghanistan, in South - Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan, in Southeast - Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.
5. Agriculture: areas of different specialization.
In most countries of foreign Asia, the main part of the economic active population employed in agriculture. Of course, this industry is distinguished by some features that are characteristic of the entire region. These include a combination of commodity and consumer economy, landownership and peasant land use, a sharp predominance of food crops in the crops. The common thing is that the food problem in many countries has not yet been resolved. First of all, this applies to the countries of South and Southeast Asia, where tens of millions of people are constantly on the verge of starvation.
Nevertheless, as you understand, on such a vast territory, the most diverse areas of agriculture could not fail to develop.
The most important of them is the rice-growing region, covering the entire monsoon sector of East, Southeast and South Asia. Annually fertilized by floods of the rivers of the delta and the valley of the Yangtze, Xijiang, Hongxa, Mekong, Irrawaddy, Ganga and Brahmaputra, the lowlands of about. Java (see Figure 64), Japan are typical "rice landscapes". For thousands of years, they have been feeding hundreds of millions of people leading a truly difficult-intensive year-round economy: spring rice is followed by autumn rice, and winter rice after autumn. . No wonder they say that rice is grown not only in flooded fields, but also in the hands of peasants. And the delta regions themselves are figuratively called rice bowls or rice baskets.
Example. The main rice granaries of Vietnam, whose cultural landscape is made up of rectangular checks of rice fields, dams, dams and irrigation canals, its two “baskets”, i.e., the Hong Xa and Mekong deltas. Here, farmers harvest two crops of rice a year - in May and November.
The higher parts of this region are characterized by the "tea landscapes" of China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka. .
Due to the lack of grazing land and fodder, commercial animal husbandry is poorly developed; the peasants keep mainly draft animals.
ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY OF FOREIGN ASIA
foreign(in relation to the CIS countries) Asia occupies the south of the Asian continent and the islands adjacent to it in the south, east and southeast (Andaman, Nicobar, Maldives, Lakandiva, Sri Lanka, Japan, Ryukyu, Philippine, Greater and Lesser Sunda, Moluccas).
According to the size of the territory ( 27 million sq. km) Foreign Asia is second only to Africa, and in terms of the number of inhabitants ( 3.5 billion people) far surpasses all other major regions of the world.
On the political map of the world, the region is represented by 46 states, the vast majority of which are developing countries.
In the international division of labor, Asia abroad acts primarily as a major supplier of mineral and agricultural raw materials to the world market. Its share in the production and export of oil, natural gas, tin, tea, jute and natural rubber is especially large.
Physico - geographical position Overseas Asia
Most of the countries of Foreign Asia have a maritime position, which provides them with access to the seas of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. And only Mongolia, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Laos are located in the interior of the continent.
The nature of the physical and geographical position of the region(its northern regions are located in temperate latitudes, the rest - within the subtropical, tropical and equatorial zones) determines the high availability of thermal resources, sufficient to ensure that throughout its territory, with the exception of the temperate zone, two, and in the tropics - three crops in year.
Countries of Foreign Asia
Currently (2016) on the territory of Foreign Asia (CIS countries are not included) there are 46 states: Abkhazia (partially recognized republic), Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, East Timor, Vietnam, Georgia (most of its territory) , Egypt (partly), Israel, India, Indonesia (most of the territory), Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Yemen (most of the territory), Cambodia, Qatar, Cyprus, PRC, Republic of China (partially recognized republic), North Korea, Republic of Korea , Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (unrecognized republic), Nepal, UAE, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (partially recognized republic) , Turkey (most of the territory), Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Ossetia (partially recognized republic), Japan.
Population of Foreign Asia
More than 50% of all mankind lives in the countries of Foreign Asia and most of the rural population peace. The number of men exceeds the number of women. At the highest density (130 people per 1 sq. km), the population is distributed extremely unevenly. Less than 1/10 of the territory is concentrated 3/4 of the population of the region. Most of the population of Overseas Asia lives in four countries: China, India, Indonesia and Japan. The least populated countries are Mongolia and Saudi Arabia (the average population density is 1 and 3 people per 1 sq. km, respectively). The most densely populated coastal areas and valleys of large rivers (population density reaches 1500 - 2000 people per 1 sq. km).
Exceptionally difficult ethnic and religious compound population Overseas Asia. More than 1,000 peoples live here, belonging to various linguistic families and groups (Indo-European, Semitic, Turkic, etc.). Most countries are multinational states. Foreign Asia is the birthplace of all world religions, the peoples inhabiting it profess Islam (Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, etc.), Hinduism (India, etc.), Buddhism (China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, etc.). ), Judaism (Israel), Christianity (Philippines, Lebanon, Indonesia, etc.), Confucianism (China), etc.
Classification of the countries of Foreign Asia according to the level of socio-economic development
In terms of the level of socio-economic development, the countries of Foreign Asia differ significantly from each other. In some of them (Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait), the GDP per capita is one of the highest (35 - 38 thousand dollars), in others (Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Republic of Maldives, etc.) - the highest lowest (less than $200) in the world.
There is also a group of states whose economy is currently developing particularly dynamically (at a higher rate than in industrial developed countries) and which have a significantly higher level of economic development compared to the rest of the group of developing countries. These include states called " new industrial countries", - Republic (South) Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Turkey and countries with transition economy- Socialist China and Vietnam.
Natural terms, leading industries rural farms
The leading sector of the economy of the vast majority of countries in Foreign Asia is rural economy.
The location of agriculture in the vast area of foreign Asia is highly dependent on environmental factors.
Most of the territory of Foreign Asia is occupied by mountain systems, uplands and plateaus, which are not very suitable for agriculture. Compared to the vast mountain ranges, the area of the lowlands is small. The low-lying regions of Foreign Asia (all of them are located along its western, southern and eastern outskirts) are well supplied with moisture, as they are located in the monsoonal (eastern and southern part of the region) and Mediterranean (western part of the region) climate zone. High thermal and moisture availability (the amount of precipitation reaches 1000 - 2000 mm per year) in combination with fertile soils of the alluvial plains makes it possible to develop almost any area of agriculture here. More than 90% of its arable land is concentrated in this part of the region.
In the rest of Asia Abroad, the climate is unfavorable for agriculture: it is too humid in the equatorial regions (the total precipitation reaches 3000 mm or more per year) and too dry in the desert, semi-desert and high-mountain regions of Southwestern and Central Asia (the total precipitation barely reaches 50 mm in year). Successful agriculture here is possible only with land reclamation.
home food culture of foreign Asia - rice. Its countries (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines, etc.) provide over 90% of the world's rice production. The second most important grain crop in Foreign Asia is wheat. In coastal, well-moistened areas, winter wheat is grown, in the arid continental part - spring wheat. Among other grain crops, corn and millet are significant. Despite the fact that Foreign Asia produces the vast majority of rice and about 20% of the world wheat harvest, many of its countries import grain.
Main export crops Foreign Asia - tea, cotton, jute, sugarcane, natural rubber. Cotton and sugar cane are grown almost everywhere, hevea plantations are located in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The vast majority of world tea production comes from India, China and Sri Lanka, while jute comes from India and Bangladesh.
Foreign Asia occupies a prominent place in the world in the production of soybeans, copra (dried coconut pulp), coffee, tobacco, tropical and subtropical fruits, grapes, various spices (red and black pepper, ginger, vanilla, cloves), which are also exported.
State of the art animal husbandry in Foreign Asia is lower than in other regions of the world. The main branches of animal husbandry are cattle breeding and sheep breeding, and in countries with a non-Muslim population (China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan) - pig breeding. Horses, camels, yaks are bred in desert and high mountain regions. Export livestock products are insignificant and mainly consist of wool, hides and skins. Fishing is of great importance in coastal countries.
Industry of Overseas Asia
Leading industries industry. In most developing countries of foreign Asia, industry is represented mainly by mining industries. The reason for this is their good supply of mineral resources and the general low level of development of manufacturing (closing) industries.
The role of foreign Asia in the world mining of coal, iron and manganese ores (India and China stand out), tin (Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Thailand), bauxite (India), chromite (Turkey, Philippines), polymetallic, nickel and copper ores ( China, Philippines, Indonesia, etc.), potash (Jordan) and table (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) salt. However, the main thing that determines the importance of this region in international separation labor, - extraction and export of oil and natural gas. Oil and gas are produced by many countries of foreign Asia, but the main areas of production are the countries of Western (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, UAE, etc.) and Southeast (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia) Asia.
The share of foreign Asia in the manufacturing industry of the world, especially heavy industry, is small. Its leading industries (ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical and textile industries) are mainly represented by their enterprises in Japan and China and in a small group of developing countries that have recently made significant progress in developing their economies (India, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, Iran, Iraq). Large metallurgical combines have been set up in India (in Bhilai and Bokaro) and China (the Anshan Combine and others), Japan and Turkey.
Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by the smelting of tin (China, Malaysia, Thailand), copper (Japan, Indonesia, Philippines), aluminum (India, Japan, Iraq), lead and zinc (Japan, China).
The machine-building complex is dominated by enterprises specializing in the production of household electrical equipment, radio electronics (the production of radio receivers, televisions, tape recorders, washing machines, calculators, vacuum cleaners, etc.), cars and ships. special role in mechanical engineering region belongs Japan, which occupies a leading position in the world in the production of automobiles, is a world leader in the field of electronics, robotics and other industries.
AT chemical complex the production of mineral fertilizers (primarily nitrogen), household chemicals and pharmaceuticals, polymeric materials (Japan, India, China, oil-producing countries) stand out.
The main branches of the textile industry are cotton and silk fabrics.
Transportation of Overseas Asia
Transport. For intra-regional and inter-district transportation, unpaved and car roads, river routes. The length and density of railway lines is small, some countries (Laos, Yemen, Oman, UAE, etc.) do not have railways at all. International transportation is mainly carried out by sea. Large navy have Japan (ranks first in the world in terms of its tonnage) and oil-producing countries (Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, etc.).
