• Unit 10: East Asia

    East Asia is home to one fifth of the entire world population. China is the largest country in the region, and is bordered by Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan. East Asia's location on the Pacific Rim has given it easy access to the global economy. Manufacturing industry has fueled the high-tech engines of the Pacific Rim economies, which have taken advantage of the massive labor pool of the Chinese heartland.

    The island of Taiwan, off the eastern coast of China, has an independent government that has been separated from mainland China since the end of the second World War. Hong Kong, a former British possession with one of the best ports in Asia, is on the southern coast of China. The former Portuguese colony of Macau, which has also been returned to Chinese control, is just west of Hong Kong. The autonomous region of Tibet, referred to by its Chinese name Xizang, is in western China. Tibet has been controlled by China since 1949, shortly after the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was declared a country.

    In this unit, we will first study the wonderfully diverse physical geography of East Asia. East Asia is surrounded by a series of mountain ranges in the west, Mongolia and Russia to the north, and Southeast Asia to the south. The Himalayan Mountains are among the highest mountain ranges in the world, and Mt. Everest is the planet's tallest peak at over 29,000 feet. These high ranges create a rain-shadow effect that dominates western China. Next, we will analyze the impact of colonialism in China, and identify how some of its regions were controlled by colonial interests. We will also explore the physical, political, economic, and cultural characteristics of China, including its population dynamics and the "One Child Only" policy. We will end the unit by looking at the physical and cultural characteristics of Japan, North Korea, and South Korea.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • identify the countries and territories of East Asia;
      • describe the physical features and climates of each country;
      • analyze the relationship between physical geography and human populations in East Asia;
      • describe how colonialism affected China;
      • discuss the three-way split in China;
      • describe China's transition from communism to a capitalist-influenced economy;
      • analyze the One Child Only Policy and discuss its affect on Chinese culture;
      • explain Hong Kong's progression from a British colony to a special autonomous region of China;
      • describe the relationship between Taiwan and mainland China;
      • explain the challenges that Tibet has experienced in becoming an autonomous region of China;
      • discuss the economic development of Japan;
      • discuss the political structure of North Korea; and
      • discuss South Korea's economy.

    • MapCheck: East Asia

    • 10.1: Introducing East Asia

      • Introducing the Realm: East Asia URL

        This section introduces the physical, cultural, and economic characteristics of the nations of East Asia. It explores China's objectives for building the Three Gorges Dam spanning the Yangtze River, and the effect of colonialism on Chinese culture.

      • Geoinquiry: The Silk Roads, Then and Now File

        In this exercise, you will explore the silk trade routes across Asia. Follow the instructions and answer the questions in this document.

    • 10.2: Emerging China

      • Emerging China URL

        This section introduces the cultural and economic characteristics of China. It also explores the One Child Only Policy and its effect on Chinese culture.

      • Understanding the Rise of China Page

        Watch this video, which examines why Western leaders and policymakers often puzzle over the growing power of the Chinese economy.

      • A Tale of Two Political Systems Page

        Watch this video, where a Chinese investor and political scientist considers more than one way to run a successful modern nation.

      • The Generation That’s Remaking China Page

        Watch this video, which describes how a new generation of Chinese citizens are transforming China.

    • 10.3: China's Periphery

      • China's Periphery URL

        This section introduces the physical, cultural, and economic characteristics of China's peripheral regions, including Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Tibet. It explore the challenges Tibet has experienced becoming an autonomous region of China, and why the Chinese government values these peripheral regions.

    • 10.4: Japan, North Korea, and South Korea