This document provides an overview of the physical geography, climate, and human-environment interactions of Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica. It describes the varied landforms and climates of the region, from tropical islands and coasts to inland deserts and the Antarctic ice sheet. Pacific Islanders developed advanced seafaring and navigation to settle the far-flung Pacific, while European colonization introduced invasive species like rabbits and nuclear testing contaminated Pacific atolls. The region exhibits extremes from volcanic tropics to polar ice, with human activities both benefiting and damaging the environment.

1. Physical Geography of Southeast Asia,
Oceania, and Antarctica:
A Region of Extremes
This wide and varied region includes the South Pole
icescape, volcanic Pacific islands, Southeast Asian
tropics, and Australian deserts.
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2. SECTION 1 Landforms and Resources
SECTION 2 Climate and Vegetation
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SECTION 3 Human-Environment Interaction
Physical Geography of Southeast Asia,
Oceania, and Antarctica:
A Region of Extremes

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Section 1
Landforms and
Resources
• This region includes two peninsulas of Asia,
two continents, and more than 20,000
islands.
• Its landforms include mountains, plateaus,
and major river systems.

4. Southeast Asia: Mainland and Islands
Peninsulas and Islands
• Mainland Southeast Asia lies on two peninsulas
- rectangular Indochinese Peninsula is south of
China
- Malay Peninsula is 700-mile strip south from
mainland
• Malay Peninsula bridges mainland and island
archipelagoes
- archipelago—set of closely grouped islands,
often in a curved arc
- Malay Archipelago includes the Philippines,
Indonesian islands
Landforms and Resources
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continued Southeast Asia: Mainland and Islands
Mountains and Volcanoes
• Mainland mountain ranges, like Annamese
Cordillera, run north-south
- fan out from northern mountainous area
• Island mountains are volcanic in origin, part of
Pacific Ring of Fire
- volcanic eruptions, earthquakes are common in
region
Continued . . .

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Rivers and Coastlines
• Several large mainland rivers run south through
mountain valleys
- spread out into fertile deltas near coast
• Mekong River starts in China, ends in wide delta on
Vietnam coast
- farming, fishing along river support millions of
people
continued Southeast Asia: Mainland and Islands
Resources
• Volcanic activity, flooding rivers create nutrient-rich,
fertile soil
• Rivers, seas provide fish; some areas have
petroleum, tin, gems

7. Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica
No Exact Number
• No one knows how many islands there are in the
Pacific
- some estimate there are more than 20,000
- hard to count because islands vanish and new
ones appear
• As a group, the Pacific Islands are called Oceania
- includes New Zealand, Australia (a continent, not
an island)
- doesn’t include Philippines, Indonesia—culturally
Asian
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Oceania’s Many Islands
• Some islands vanish due to erosion, new ones are
created
• Volcanoes create high islands, coral reefs make up
low islands
- most islands are small; total land area is smaller
than Alaska
• In general, islands lack minerals but:
- New Caledonia has nickel, chromium, iron
- New Guinea has copper, gold, oil
- Nauru has phosphate
continued Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica
Continued . . .

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Majestic New Zealand
• New Zealand has two main islands, North Island
and South Island
• Southern Alps—300-mile mountain range down
center of South Island
- 16 peaks over 10,000 feet; over 360 glaciers
• North Island has hilly ranges, volcanic plateau
- fertile farmland; forests for lumber; natural harbors
• Few mineral resources, but dams generate electricity
continued Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica
Continued . . .

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Flat Australia
• Australia is earth’s smallest, flattest continent
• Great Dividing Range—chain of highlands parallel to
east coast
• West of range are plains and plateaus
• Murray River is largest of continent’s few rivers
• Little forestry, but rich in bauxite, diamonds, opals,
lead, coal
• Great Barrier Reef—1,250-mile chain of 2,500
reefs, islands
continued Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica
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Icy Antarctica
• Fifth-largest continent is circular in shape, centered
on South Pole
• Thick ice sheet covers landscape—world’s largest
fresh-water supply
• Transantarctic Mountains divide continent
- East Antarctica is plateau surrounded by
mountains, valleys
- West Antarctica is group of separate islands
linked by ice
• There could be coal, minerals, petroleum under ice
- in 1991, 26 nations agreed not to mine region for
50 years
continued Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica

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Section 2
Climate and Vegetation
• This region’s climates range from tropical
to desert to polar icecap.
• There is a great diversity of plant and
animal life, including some species found
nowhere else in the world.

13. Widespread Tropics
Year-Round Rains
• Tropical wet climate in coastal Myanmar, Thailand,
Vietnam, Oceania
- also in most of Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines
• High temperatures—annual average of 80 degrees
in Southeast Asia
• Parts of Southeast Asia get 100, even 200 inches of
rain annually
• Some variations—high elevations in Indonesia have
glaciers
Climate and Vegetation
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Wet and Dry Seasons
• Tropical wet and dry climate borders the wet climate
- weather is shaped by monsoons
- found in parts of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos,
Cambodia, Vietnam
• Temperatures are consistently hot, but rainfall varies
• Monsoon areas often have disastrous weather
- typhoons can occur in region during the wet
season
continued Widespread Tropics
Continued . . .

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Tropical Plants
• Southeast Asia has great vegetation diversity
- tropical evergreen forests near equator
- deciduous forests in wet and dry zone
- teak is harvested commercially
• Oceania doesn’t have diverse vegetation
- low islands have poor soil, little rain (few plants)
- high islands have rich volcanic soil, rain (flowers,
coconut palms)
continued Widespread Tropics

16. Bands of Moderate Climate
Hot Summers, Mild Winters
• Australia and New Zealand have generally mild
climates
• Mountain chain runs parallel to east coast of
Australia
• Strip between mountains and coast divides into two
climate zones
- northern part is humid subtropical—hot summers,
mild winters
- heavy rainfall—gets 126 inches of rain annually
- also climate of northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand,
Myanmar
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Mild Summers, Cool Winters
• Marine west coast climate on Australian southeast
coast, New Zealand
- ocean breezes warm the land in winter, cool it in
summer
- New Zealand’s forests are primarily evergreens,
tree ferns
• New Zealand gets rain all year; regional amounts
vary dramatically
- South Island mountains bring rain down on
western slopes
• Australia’s Great Dividing Range keeps rain on
populous east coast
continued Bands of Moderate Climate

18. Hot and Cold Deserts
Arid Australia
• One-third of Australia is desert, located in the
continent’s center
- under 10 inches of rain annually; too dry for
agriculture
• Band of semiarid climate encircles desert
- 20 inches of rain annually; crops need irrigation
• Dryness caused by tropical, subtropical heat that
evaporates rain
• Few live in dry inland region called the outback
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The White Desert
• Antarctica is earth’s coldest, driest continent
- icecap climate: temperatures can drop to –70
degrees
• Cold air doesn’t hold moisture well
- has 1/10 the water vapor of temperate zones
• Area receives little precipitation; called a polar
desert
• Plants are lichens, mosses; animals are sea life,
birds (penguins)
continued Hot and Cold Deserts

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Section 3
Human-Environment
Interaction
• Pacific Islanders developed technology that
enabled them to travel the Pacific Ocean.
• This region has been damaged by nuclear
testing and the introduction of European
animals.

21. Traveling the Pacific
Navigation Charts
• It’s believed Pacific Island settlers came from
Southeast Asia
- use land bridges, small rafts, canoes to reach
nearest islands
• Later venture further out, use stars and charts to
navigate
- on charts, sticks show wave patterns, shells show
islands
• Islanders keep secrets of charts until late 1800s
- then begin using European navigation methods
Human-Environment Interaction
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Special Canoes
• To sail ocean, islanders develop special voyaging
canoes
- double hulls stabilize canoe, allow it to carry lots of
weight
- canoes use sails, sometimes have cabin on top for
shelter
- carry plants to be grown at destination
• Large voyaging canoes are awkward in island lagoons
- use outrigger canoe—float attached on one side
for balance
continued Traveling the Pacific

23. Invasion of the Rabbits
The Rabbit Problem
• European colonizers bring animals to Australia,
including rabbits
• In 1859, Thomas Austin releases 24 rabbits into
Australia to hunt
- one pair can have 184 descendents in 18 months
- Australia has over one billion rabbits by 1900
• Rabbits strip sparse vegetation, ruin sheep pastures,
cause erosion
- resulting lack of food endangers native animals
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Control Measures
• Efforts are made to control number of rabbits
- import foxes to prey on them, but foxes also
endanger native wildlife
• In 1950s, they’re intentionally infected with
myxomatosis; 90% die
- ranches then able to support twice as many sheep
- rabbits become immune to disease; back to 300
million by 1990s
• Today a combination of poisons, diseases, fences are
used
continued Invasion of the Rabbits

25. Nuclear Testing
Tests in Bikini Atoll
• Nuclear arms race between U.S., USSR begins in
the 1940s
- U.S. conducts 66 nuclear bomb tests on Bikini,
Enewetak atolls
- atoll—ringlike coral island, or islands, surrounding
a lagoon
• Marshall Islands’ Bikini Atoll is far from shipping, air
routes
• “Bravo” hydrogen bomb test vaporizes several
islands
- radiation contamination injures or sickens many
islanders
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Long-Term Effects
• Bikini Islanders moved to the island of Kili in 1948
- conditions there don’t allow them to fish or grow
enough food
• U.S. declares Bikini safe in late 1960s, some
islanders return
- in 1978, doctors find dangerous radiation levels in
islanders
- islanders leave again
• Cleanup of Bikini Atoll begins in 1988
- still unknown when Bikini will be suitable for
humans again
continued Nuclear Testing

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