3. Asia, the world’s largest continent, covers
about 30 percent of the world’s land area. It
is bordered by Europe and Africa in the west
and by the Pacific Ocean in the east. There
are chains of tiny volcanic islands in the east,
an area known as “The Ring of Fire” because
it is so prone to earthquakes.
4. Many Asians are poor and about 60 percent live
by farming. But in the last 50 years, some
countries have developed quickly and raised their
living standards. In parts of Southwest Asia,
wealth has come from oil, while countries in
Eastern Southeast Asia have developed
industries. Japan is Asia’s most industrialized
country, but some other countries in Eastern Asia
have also developed quickly. Eastern Asia will
dominate the world economy in the 21st century.
6. Southwest Asia, which is sometimes
called the Middle East or the Near east, is
a legion bordered by the Mediterranean
and Black seas in the southeast. Thinly
populated deserts and dry grassland make
up much of the north. They include the
Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
7. Most of southwest Asia has a hot, desert climate.
Arabian Peninsula contains one of the world’s
bleakest sandy deserts, Rud’al khali or “Empty
Quarter”.
Iran also has large deserts, and some are covered
by salt, and other part has been spread over the
surface by occasional flood water. Other dry
areas, called steppe.
Turkey has a wetter climate than most of the
region. But the dry, grassy interior plateau of
Turkey has bitterly cold winters, when
snowstorms are common.
8. In SOUTHWESTERN has a few major rivers.
The Euphrates and Tigris are the two largest
river. They rise in the mountains of Turkey and
then flow across the dry country of Irag.
10. SOUTHERN ASIA lies between Iran to the west
and Myanmar to east. China Lies to the north,
while Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
border Afghanistan in the far northwest.
Most parts of the region in the northern are
mountainous.
The Hindu Kush in Afghanistan, the Karakoram
Range between Pakistan and China, and the
mighty Himalayas.
Fertile plains extend from eastern Pakistan across
northern India into Bangladesh.
11. Some of the world’s greatest rivers, such as the
Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra.
The lower parts of the Brahmaputra and Ganges
in Bangladesh have created the world’s largest
delta
In Southern also has plateau in India, consisting
mainly of a large plateau called the Deccan.
Sri Lanka contains a mountain region surrounded
by fertile plains.
13. Eastern Asia is dominated by China, the
world’s third-largest country after Russia and
Canada. China claims the island of Taiwan,
although Taiwan is separate territory of won
government, and also the tiny territory of
Macao, in the southwest, which Portugal has
agreed to return to China in December 1999.
Eastern Asia also includes North Korea,
South Korea and Mongolia. Japan is also part
of Eastern Asia, but is covered separately.
14. The western part of Eastern Asia contains
high plateau, Mountain ranges and deserts.
The inland deserts are hot in summer, but are
bitterly could in winter.
Summers in southeast China range from
warm to hot, while its winters are cool, but
the northeast, including most of Korea, has
cold winters.
16. Southeast Asia consists of a large peninsula
attached to India and China, together with
thousands of islands to the east and south of
the peninsula.
There are several fast-developing countries in
Southeast Asia, Singapore, Thailand,
Malaysia.
Southeast contain the longest river, which
rises in Tibet, and flows through Laos,
Thailand, and Cambodia before reaching its
large delta in Vietnam.
17. Some countries there are many different
islands. In Singapore consists of about 50
islands, the Philippines contains about 7,100,
and Indonesia about 13, 600.
In the Philippines and Indonesia, there are a
lot of mountains and also contain many of the
highest peaks are active volcanoes. Some of
the biggest volcanic eruptions in modern
times have occurred in this region. They
include Tambora (1815), Krakatoa (1883)
and Mount Merapi (1931), all in Indonesia,
and Mount Pinattubo, Philippines (1991).
18. Southeast Asia has high temperatures
throughout the year and abundant rainfall,
which are rich in plants and animals.
Southeast Asia consists TEN countries.
1. Cambodia
2. Malaysia
3. Thailand
4. Brunei
5. Indonesia
6. Philippines
7. Singapore
8. Laos
9. Vietnam
10. And Timor
19. Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand are
monarchies, with elected parliaments.
Brunei is also a monarchy, and ruled by a
sultan, who is one of the world’s richest man.
Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore are
Multi-party republics.
Laos and Vietnam are socialist republics,
ruled by communist government.
Timor is an island. It has two main parts,
West Timor and East Timor.
20. West Timor became part of Indonesia in 1949
when it became independent.
East Timor was ruled by Portugal until 1975.
Southeast ASIA has about 490 million
people.
Most of the people are of Chinese, Indian or
Malay descent. Many languages are spoken.
There are around 250 languages in Indonesia.
There are many different religions but
Buddhism is the chief.