THE GEOGRAPHY OF CHINA, MONGOLIA, AND TAIWAN

Geography

BBS

2014-2015

NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS

China is the third largest country in land area behind Russia and Canada respectively.

The Himalayas, the world’s largest mountain range, are located along the SW border with Nepal and Bhutan.

Between the mountain ranges border the north and south is the Plateau of Tibet.

The plains and river valleys of eastern China are the most densely populated areas in the country.

To the north of China is Mongolia. The Mongolian Plateau makes up the majority of the country. The Gobi Desert extends from China into Mongolia as well.

Southeast of China is the island of Taiwan located in the Pacific Ocean. This island is located near active tectonic plates so earthquakes do occur.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS

China has huge amounts of energy and mineral resources. Coal is a major resource found in the North and Northeastern regions of the country.

Hydropower is a major energy resource in China as well. Many dams are built to produce hydroelectricity, such as the Three Gorges Dam.

Paddy fields are common on arable land in China and uses intensive agriculture, or human labor. Aquaculture is also important to harvest fish and marine life.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

For centuries, China had contact with the outside world mostly through overland trade routes, such as the Silk Road extending from China to the Black Sea.

European influences reached China in the 1500s. The Republic of China was formed in 1912 after the

overthrowing of the Qing dynasty after attempts to keep out colonizing powers (Europe, Japan, the US).

In 1945 after years of unrest with Japan, the Communist Party began fighting for control to create the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under Mao Zedong. This eventually came to fruition by 1949.

HISTORY AND CULTURE

Communists had the challenge to feed the people of China and how to parcel land.

Gender equality became the norm under communism in China.

In 1958 under the Great Leap Forward initiative, Mao attempted to industrialize the country. It did not work.

The Cultural Revolution (1966-77) came in direct response to the Great Leap Forward.

After Mao’s death in 1976, new leader Deng Xiaoping pushed forward to modernize China and to introduce a market economy.

THE REGION TODAY

China Southern China is the most productive region economically because of it population

and place (physical characteristics). Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong are located in this region.

Taiwan Taiwan is one of Asia’s richest and most industrialized countries. Its major trading

partners are China, Japan, and the US. China’s Communist government claims that Taiwan is still a province of China.

However, Taiwan’s government claims to be the legitimate government of China.

Mongolia Mongolia is the least densely populated country in the world. The country had its first free elections in 1990. Before this, it had been under the

influence of the Soviet Union. Recently, its economy has opened up to foreign aid and investment.