Mainland Southeast AsiaChapter 29
Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand
Landforms and River
• On the Malay Peninsula• North – Himalaya Mtns and Plateau of Tibet• Central and South – plains and low plateaus• Rivers– Irrawaddy– Chao Phraya– Mekong– Hong (Red)
• Lake– Tonle Sap
Climates, Plants, and Animals
• All Mainland SE Asia is tropical or subtropical• Monsoons– Summer brings heavy rainfall (flooding)– Winter brings dry winds (fire)
• Typhoons• Rainforests support arboreal (tree dwelling)
animals
Natural Resources
• Valuable hardwoods– Mahogany, teak, ebony
• Rapid deforestation• Iron, Manganese, Tin, Tungsten, Sapphires,
Rubies
History• Traded with China and India• Khmer empire ruled Cambodia (800’s AD)
– Capital was Angkor Wat– Hindu
• Thai’s migrated from China in 1200’s– Brought Buddhism
• 1500’s Burma colonized by Great Britain• 1500’s Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam colonized by France• Burma gained independence in 1989• Vietnam won independence after WWII
– Domino Theory caused US to intervene
(Watch last ½ of Crash Course: Cold War in Asia)
Culture
• 3 main language families– Sino-Tibetan– Thai & Laotian– Austro-Asiatic (Vietnamese)
• Religion– Theravada Buddhism and Hinduism– Confucian & Buddhism– Christianity & Islam minority– Animists in the highlands
• Food– Rice– Sauces with curries
Region Today
• Economic & political development– Myanmar is poor b/c of isolation– Laos & Vietnam are communist– Thailand has a constitutional monarchy and is an
“Asian Tiger”– All are members of ASEAN (1967)• Promotes economic development• Now is a free trade region
– Bangkok, Thailand is largest city• Has 400 wats) Buddhist temples
Agriculture
• Some places have 3 rice harvests a year• Floating markets happen on klongs (canals)• Also grow– Sugarcane– Pineapples– Opium
Today
• Myanmar – military government arrests opponents
• Thailand – growing economy due to Japanese investment
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