Southeast Asia is a major world economic center, known to most for its popular tourist destinations. This vast region is very diverse in terms of ethnic composition of the population, culture and religion. All this eventually affected the general life, is of great interest to tourists from all over the world.

The countries of Southeast Asia is a generalized definition referring to a number of states concentrated south of China, east of India and north of Australia. Despite this, usually the map of southeast Asia includes 11 states.

From the middle of the last century to the present, this part of the world is actively developing and playing a huge role in the global economy. The population of southeast Asia is about 600 million people, the most populous state is Indonesia, and the most populous island is Java.

The length of the region from north to south is 3.2 thousand kilometers, and from west to east - 5.6. The countries of Southeast Asia are:

Sometimes this list includes some other territories controlled by states that are part of Asia, but in general, by location, they are not from among the countries of the southeast. Most often these are islands and territories controlled by China, India, Australia and Oceania, these include:

• (China).
• (China).
• (Australia).
• (China).
• Nicobar Islands (India).
• islands (India).
• Ryukyu Islands (Japan).

According to various sources, about 40% of the world's population lives in the countries of Southeast Asia, many of them have united in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Thus, in 2019, almost half of the world's GDP is produced here. The economic characteristics of recent years are marked by high development in the region in many areas.

Tourism sector

The end of the war between the US and Vietnam had a positive impact on the popularization of resorts in the late 60s. They are still actively developing today, especially since citizens of our country can go to most of these states under a simplified visa regime, and many do not require a visa at all. The countries of Southeast Asia, due to the tropical climate, are suitable for a beach holiday all year round.

Nevertheless, in some parts of this giant peninsula, the climate differs at different times of the year, so it will be useful to study the maps beforehand. In the middle and second half of winter, it is better to go to India to the island or to Vietnam, since at this time of the year there is no constant rainfall inherent in the tropical climate. Still suitable for recreation Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

• south of China;
• Indonesia;
• Malaysia;
• pacific islands.

The most popular destinations among our tourists are Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Peoples and cultures

The racial and ethnic composition of Southeast Asia is very heterogeneous. This also applies to religion: the eastern part of the archipelago is mostly inhabited by followers of Buddhism, and there are also Confucians - due to the large number of Chinese immigrants from the southern provinces of the PRC, there are about 20 million of them here. These countries include Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and a number of other states. It is also not uncommon to meet Hindus and Christians. In the western part of Southeast Asia, Islam is predominantly practiced, it is this religion that ranks first in terms of the number of followers.

Ethnic composition The region is represented by the following peoples:

And in this list - only a small part of all ethnic groups and subgroups, there are also representatives of the peoples of Europe. By and large, the culture of the southeast is a mixture of Indian and Chinese cultures.

The Spaniards and the Portuguese, who colonized the islands in these places, had a great influence on the population. Arab culture also played a huge role, with about 240 million people practicing Islam here. Over the centuries, common traditions have developed here, almost everywhere in all these countries people eat using Chinese chopsticks, they are very fond of tea.

Yet there are amazing cultural features that will interest any foreigner. One of the most superstitious peoples in the archipelago are the Vietnamese.. For example, it is customary for them to hang mirrors on the outside of the entrance: if a dragon comes, he will immediately run away, frightened by his own reflection. There is still a bad sign to meet a woman in the morning, leaving the house. Or it is considered bad form to lay out cutlery on the table for one person. It is also not customary to touch a person’s shoulder or head, as they believe that good spirits are nearby, and touching them can scare them away.

Demography

In the countries of Southeast Asia, the birth rate has decreased in recent years, however, this part of the world ranks second in terms of population reproduction.

The inhabitants here are very heterogeneously settled, the most densely populated place is the island of Java: the density per 1 square kilometer is 930 people. All are settled on the Indochina Peninsula, which occupies the eastern part of Southeast Asia, and on the western Malay Archipelago, consisting of many large and small islands. The population prefers to live in the deltas of numerous rivers, the highlands are less populated, and the forests are almost deserted.

Most of all people live outside the cities, the rest settle in developed centers, more often the capitals of states, the lion's share of the economy of which is replenished by the tourist flow.

Thus, almost all of these cities have a population of over 1 million, yet most of the population lives outside of them and is engaged in agriculture.

Economy

Looking at the map, the countries of Southeast Asia can be conditionally divided into 2 camps. The first one includes the following:

• Laos;
• Cambodia;
• Vietnam.

In the post-war period, these countries chose the socialist path of development, when, in fact, territorial division began in order to strengthen national sovereignty. Back in the 1980s, these countries had practically no manufacturing industry, the local population was mainly engaged in agricultural activities. According to UN statistics of those years, these states had a low level of development, per capita income usually did not exceed $500 a year.

The second camp includes the following countries:

• Indonesia;
• Malaysia;
• Singapore;
• Philippines;
• Thailand;
• Brunei.

The countries from this list united in the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) and took the path of a market economy. As a result, the socialist camp achieved less success, although initially the chances for all these countries were almost equal. The income per person per year ranged from 500 to 3 thousand dollars.

The most developed ASEAN countries today are Brunei and Singapore, with about $20,000 per capita. Such indicators were achieved due to the fact that Singapore has a well-developed industry, and Brunei acts as an exporter of petroleum products. Several factors helped the emerging ASEAN:

• Export.
• Industry.
• Foreign investments.
• Creation of corporations with a flexible viable system.
• Reforms.

The ASEAN countries began to develop successfully due to the presence of a large amount of natural resources, in addition, they are constantly engaged in the export of their goods. Even in the countries of Southeast Asia, components are made for various household appliances, electronics and other equipment. Thailand also exports cars.

In countries following the path of socialism, the restructuring of the system began to take place in the late 1980s and produced visible results in just a few years. Vietnam is engaged in oil refining, natural gas production, iron ore, and more. Foreign capital poured into this country from Singapore, a number of European countries. Thailand invested in Laos, and at the end of the 20th century, both states were also able to join ASEAN.

EAST ASIA

The region is formed by 6 countries that border on South, Southeast, North and Central Asia, have access to the seas of the Pacific Ocean: Japan, Yellow, East China and South China.

Until July 1, 1997, the region also included Hong Kong(a former colony of Great Britain), which came under the jurisdiction of the PRC and became its special administrative region of Hong Kong. On December 20, 1999, the same act was carried out with regard to Macau (a former colony of Portugal), which also became a special administrative region of the PRC - Macao.

Position Taiwan- special. In fact, it was not recognized by the world community; in 1971, it was expelled from the UN, since the power of China was recognized as the only legitimate representative of power on the island, and Taiwan was its integral part. Taiwan, on the contrary, considers itself the legitimate representative of all mainland China, and the PRC - "a country temporarily occupied by the communists."

Bright and large-scale history of development largest state region - China, which is the birthplace of one of the most powerful civilizations on the planet, where one of the most ancient and large crops humanity. Clothing and written monuments testify that the people achieved a significant flowering of philosophical, technical thought, literature, and art. A thousand years before our era, the Chinese already knew, for example, magnetic compass. Chinese iron production is the oldest in the world. Long before the Europeans, the Chinese began to produce paper and gunpowder. The idea of ​​book printing also originated in China. Chinese porcelain, silk and metal products have long enjoyed well-deserved worldwide fame.

The features of the economic and geographical position of the region include:

• passing through the territory of China and Mongolia of the shortest land routes from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the countries of Europe;
• extremely advantageous coastal position (the length of the coastline is 18,676 km);
• the presence of three practically non-freezing seas - the Yellow, East China and South China, which is of exceptional importance for the economy. They provide access to the Pacific Ocean, which accounts for 1/4 of all shipping the globe.
• The large industrial function of the seas, their important role in international transportation. The ocean coast is becoming more and more recreational.
• All countries in the region are members of the UN (China is one of its co-founders), most countries (except Mongolia and the DPRK) are members of APEC, Japan is a member of " big seven”, and the DPRK - non-aligned movements.

Natural conditions

The East Asia region occupies almost 8% of the Earth's land area. Its natural conditions are varied.

The terrain is very complex.. In the west is one of the largest and highest uplands on the globe - Tibet with an area of ​​almost 2 million km2. Surrounded by powerful ranges - Kun-Lun in the north, Karakoram in the west, the Himalayas in the south and the Saint-Tibet mountains in the east, the highlands have numerous internal ridges that reach 6000-7000 m in height, and intermountain plains with a height of 4000-5000 m. the plains are cool even in summer, daytime temperatures do not exceed +10 ... + 15 ° С, frosts occur at night. Winter here is long, with severe frosts (-30 ... -400 C), winds blow almost constantly, the air is very dry, and precipitation falls up to 100 mm per year, almost the same as in the desert. Therefore, according to the conditions of plant landscapes, Tibet is classified as a cold high-mountainous desert. The snow line is located at altitudes of 5000-6000 m ( highest position on the globe). Tibet is composed mainly of sandstones, limestones, shales, ridges - mostly granites and gneisses.

The region is characterized by high seismic and volcanic activity. Earthquakes occur in the belt of young mountains and are especially frequent in the Japanese Islands, where there are 150 volcanoes, including 60 active ones. On average, one notable earthquake occurs every three days. One of the most seismically unsafe is the Tokyo Bay area.

With seismic events in deep sea trenches, located a few tens of kilometers east of the region, seaquakes and the huge tsunami waves caused by them are associated, from which the eastern coasts of Japan, Taiwan, etc. suffer the most.

In the east, low mountains alternate with accumulative plains, where the largest is the Great China Plain, the emergence of which is due mostly to the deposits of the city of Huanghe. Its surface is flat, its height is up to 100 m, composed of a thick layer of aluuvium. There are also low plains on the Korean Peninsula, where they occupy 1/4 of the territory.

Climate. The region is located in three climatic zones (temperate, subtropical and subequatorial). The tropical belt is absent here due to the monsoon circulation. Large expanses of Mongolia and Western China (Tibet) are stretched in areas of high-mountain climate (arid). Monsoon air flows in the warm period of the year blow from the ocean to dry land, in the cold - vice versa. The summer monsoons bring precipitation, the amount of which decreases from south to north. In the south-eastern part of the region there is 1000-2000 mm of precipitation, in the eastern part - 400-900 mm, in the north-eastern part - 250-700 mm. In the monsoon zone, spring and autumn are predominantly dry, so artificial irrigation is widely used in agriculture.
The great rivers of Asia - the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Salween, the Mekong, the Yangtze, the Huang He - originate from the Tibetan Plateau. Its eastern mainland and insular parts have a relatively dense river system, there are very few rivers in the west, and vast deserts and semi-deserts are completely devoid of them. Many rivers are navigable. Without exception, speech is used for irrigation.

Natural resources.

Mineral resources are very rich. Most of them are concentrated in China - one of the "geological barns of the world." The region has significant reserves of coal (there are in all countries, but the maximum is in China, which occupies the first place in the world in terms of its production - 1290 million tons per year), brown coal (north of Mongolia and northeast of the DPRK), oil (northeast and west of China, sea shelf), oil shale (northeast and south of China). In Japan and South Korea, very few deposits are of industrial importance.

Through the eastern territories of the mainland of the region stretches Pacific metalogenic belt, which is associated with deposits of manganese, tungsten, molybdenum, tin, antimony, mercury and other metals. Their largest reserves are in China, North Korea, Mongolia; iron ore - in the northeast of China, copper-molybdenum deposits - in the north of Mongolia (Erdenet deposit). Japan is poor in industrial metal deposits.
Non-metallic minerals form reserves of phosphorites (many in central and southern China, in northern Mongolia), graphite (South Korea), fluorite (very large stocks in the northeast of Mongolia), sulfur (in Japan, the deposits are associated with the volcanic origin of the islands, where the northern regions of Honshu are rich in sulfur).

source fresh water are the numerous lakes of Japan, China, South Korea. Agro-climatic resources are favorable (especially in the east). The monsoon climate makes it possible to farm in two modes: in the dry and wet seasons. In the south, 2-3 crops are harvested per year.

There is an acute shortage of suitable and affordable land in Japan, which is reclaiming new territories from the sea. Therefore, almost 1/3 of its shores are bulk or reclaimed, artificial "garbage islands" are widespread.
The region is not rich in forest resources. The forest cover of the territory is on average less than 40%. Coniferous forests dominate in the northeast of China, in the north of Mongolia, Japan, mixed - in Japan, northern and central parts of China. Humid tropical (rain) forests have not been preserved in their natural form, their small massifs grow in the southeast of China, in Taiwan. In general, forests are significantly depleted by human economic activity.

Due to the pollution of land, reservoirs, atmosphere by industrial and domestic wastes, the ecological state of the countries of the region has significantly deteriorated. Protected areas are of great importance in the preservation of natural ecosystems.

Population

Population. The region belongs to the most populated in the world. In 2000, 1439.7 million people lived here, which make up almost 24% of the population of the entire Earth. China is the most populous country in the world (1222 million people).
demographic features. The overpopulation of the region, the traditions of having many children caused an acute demographic problem, especially in China. This required urgent action on the part of the government, whose demographic policy is aimed at reducing the birth rate and natural population growth. As a result of its implementation, the population growth rate at the beginning of the 60s of the XX century. were approximately 2% per year, at the end of the 90s - almost 1.3%.

Demographic policy in China is based on the following principles:

For urban residents, a one-child family is obligatory (the slogan: “One family - one child”), but in areas where national minorities live, the number of children is not limited;

Support on national level families with only one child: cash bonuses, subsidies related to medical care, high pensions, priority in providing housing in the city and a personal garden in the countryside;

Families with two children receive no food stamps and pay a 10 percent payroll tax;

For rural families with one child, the size of household plots has been increased;

In 1984, the CCP Congress adopted the slogan "Reward for one child, progressive punishment for the third and the next";

Promotion of late marriages. Officially, the age of marriage was raised by 2 years for both articles and is 22 years for men and 20 years for women. Additional restrictions are also introduced, for example, a categorical ban on creating families for students, the violation of which can lead to expulsion from a higher educational institution. Nevertheless, there is now a revival of the tradition of "early marriages";

Free abortion.

The birth rate in 2000 was reduced to 18-20% per year, and the death rate to 6-8%. Thus, natural increase was 12-14%. The PRC gradually moved to the group of countries of the first type of population reproduction.
Mongolia, on the contrary, has a huge area, and the population is more than 2.4 million, which is a consequence of the centuries-old tradition of Lamaism (observance of the vow of celibacy in male monasteries, where up to 1/3 of the male population was until 1921).

The ratio of men and women in the region is proportional: women - 49.9%, men - 50.1%. The population under the age of 14 is 24%, 15-64 years old - 68%, older - 8%.

Racial composition. The majority of the population of the region (Chinese, Mongols, Koreans) are Mongoloids. The southern Chinese and Japanese are of mixed racial type (mongoloid and australoid traits). The Ainu live in Japan - natives who belong to a separate racial group of Australoids.

Ethnic and religious composition

The ethnic composition is very heterogeneous. Here are the following language families:

Sino-Tibetan family:

Chinese group. The Chinese (Han) belong to it, the Dunganins (hui) are Muslim Chinese;

Tibeto-Burmese group. Covers the peoples of the Izu, the Tibetans (they live in the southwest of China), etc.;

Altai family:

Mongolian group. it is formed by the Khalkha Mongols (inhabitants of Mongolia), the Mongols of China (they live in the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia);

Tungus-Manchu group. These are the Manchus (living in the northeast of China), who are very much assimilated by the Han;

Turkic group. It includes Uighurs, Kazakhs, Kirghiz (they live in the north-west of China);

The Japanese are a separate family;

Koreans are a separate family;

The Ainu are a separate family, represented by the natives of Japan, who remained mainly on about. Hokkaido;

Thai family. They belong to the Zhuang - the largest people of China from national minorities (up to 12 million people), who live in the south of the country, the peoples of Tai, Li, etc.;

Austro-Asiatic family. They form the peoples of Miao, Yao, coffee, who live in the south of China on the border with the countries of Indochina;

Austronesian family - gaoshan (indigenous people of the island of Taiwan).

Religious composition. A variety of religions and their directions are widespread in the region. First of all, this is a powerful cell of Confucian culture, which originated in China in the 6th-5th centuries. BC. Over time, Buddhism penetrated East Asia from India, and local religions - Taoism (China) and Shintoism (Japan) - retained their significance. The peoples of northwest China (Dunganin, Uighur, Kazakh, Kirghiz) are Sunni Muslims.

Confucianism is the basis of a specific East Asian civilization. His moral and ethical system provides for a comprehensive regulation of society, group standards of behavior, high discipline and developed moral attitudes.

Many East Asian countries are multi-confessional, where several religions coexist.

Placement of the population.

Peculiarities of natural conditions determined the uneven settlement of people in the region. Japan and Korea are more densely populated (300-400 people/km2). China is rather unevenly populated: according to an average density of 127 people / km2, 90% of the population lives in its east on 1/3 of the country's area. In Tibet, the population density is less than 1 person/km2.

There are generally uninhabited areas. The processes of urbanization in the region are very diverse. For example, Japan, South Korea are the most urbanized countries in the world (78-81% of urban residents).

There are more than 250 million people living in cities in China. It is unusual for him to spread the urban way of life to rural settlements. 900 million people live in small villages (100-200 families).

The five largest agglomerations of Asia are located precisely in its eastern region: Tokyo (30.3 million people), Osaka (16.9 million), Seoul (15.8 million), Chongqing (15 million), Shanghai (13.5 million) . China, being a predominantly rural country, has more large cities than anywhere else: over 100 million-plus cities, and in almost 50 cities the population exceeds 500 thousand people. The three largest agglomerations of Japan - Keihin (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, etc.), Hanshin (Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and up to 100 others), Chukyo (Nagoya and other 80 settlements) - are merging into the world's largest urbanized system - the megalopolis of Tokkaido, which stretches for 600 km between Tokyo and Osaka, uniting over 60 million people.

Human Resources. The region owns huge labor resources both in cities and in villages. Persons of working age - up to 810 million. Most of all employed in the manufacturing industry, their number is rapidly increasing in the financial sector. The share of employment in agriculture is significant only in China (50%), while in Japan - only 7%, in industrial production - 26% (in China - 15% - the lowest figure in the region).

The main social problems in the region are the "aging" of the population and uneven distribution.

General characteristics of the economy

The countries of East Asia are the most heterogeneous in the socio-economic aspect.

• Japan, South Korea and Taiwan belong to the capitalist countries with developed mixed economies;
• China is coming in a special way economic development, combining the principles of planned and market management.
• Mongolia embarked on the path of economic and political reforms after the domination of the totalitarian regime.
• North Korea is a unique state where people are still trying to build communism on the basis of a command-administrative system in the economy and a totalitarian regime in politics.

In the countries of the region (except Japan), the state holds leading positions in economic life.

• In China and the DPRK, the socialist economic system dominates. The most important means of production are concentrated in the public sector of these countries: enterprises of industry, transport and communications, financial institutions, state agricultural enterprises.
• In Taiwan, the state controls most financial companies and corporations, the entire telecommunications system, metallurgy, railways, shipbuilding, chemical industry, production of building materials, owns 70% of land, controls the banking system.
• In South Korea, the state regulates macroeconomic parameters, credit and tax spheres, controls financial activities, manages the activities of public sector enterprises, which combines a significant part of the extractive areas, infrastructure, the service sector, and railways.
• In Japan, the public sector is small and operates primarily in the areas of infrastructure. At the local level, the state owns public utilities, transport, schools, hospitals, several thousand companies that are engaged in the construction and operation of public housing, toll roads, port facilities, shopping malls and markets, etc. Many large monopoly associations have close economic ties with the public sector, actively use government loans and loans.

At the beginning of the XXI century. the countries of the region have better prospects for economic growth than a decade ago. By becoming economically open, they were able to import the latest technologies, knowledge and business practices. Enterprises have become more flexible in their activities, to which they were pushed by competition and the need to adapt to new economic conditions.

In the ICPP, the countries of the region differ significantly in areas of specialization. Japan stands out in high-tech areas (electronics industry, robotics, automotive, household appliances), belongs to the top three world leaders in the development of the chemical industry (especially pharmaceuticals, organic synthesis chemistry) and biotechnology.

The NIS countries have a strong position in the science-intensive areas of mechanical engineering (electronics, production of computers, communications, electronic toys, etc.). South Korea is one of the world leaders in the development of shipbuilding. Light industry (production of fabrics, linen, footwear) is highly developed in all NIS countries.
China is an important producer of agricultural products (vegetables, fruits, pork, soybeans, tea, raw silk, leather), as well as textiles, metal, certain engineering products (bicycles, household appliances), food and light industry products (clothing, shoes). Mongolia exports wool, leather, fur and handicrafts from them.

Japan.

It is a G7 country, an economic leader in the world in many respects, which ranks 3rd after the US and China in terms of GNP ($3.15 trillion) and 2nd after the US in terms of industrial production. Its rapid development began in the 1950s and 1960s. and over time it was called the "Japanese miracle". Economic growth is associated with the presence in the country of cheap but skilled labor, as well as with such traits of the Japanese character as collectivism and respect for elders. Growth was achieved without foreign loans, at the expense of own capital, purposeful state policy, state planning and protectionism.

Japan accounts for up to 12% of world industrial production. It ranks 1st in the world in the production of ships, machine tools, electronics and electronic components, robots; produces over 60% of the world's TVs, 12% of artificial fibers, is the undisputed leader in terms of fish catch (over 12 million tons per year). Its important achievements include one of the world's largest gold and foreign exchange reserves (over $221 billion) and huge foreign assets (up to $1 trillion). In the mid-1980s, Japan became the largest creditor in the world and is the second-largest shareholder of the International Monetary Fund after the United States (over $10 billion).

Due to the aggravation of economic contradictions with the main trading partners and increased competition from new industrial countries at the end of the 80s of the XX century. Japan began restructuring its economy in order to expand domestic demand, increase the role of the service sector and informatics, further development own scientific and technical potential. The areas of “high potential growth”, high-tech projects and science-intensive areas have become priorities: telecommunications, microelectronics, fiber-optic materials, aviation and astronautics, medicine, biotechnology, environmental protection, etc.

Special attention In Japan, science and education are given to science and education, which have become the main structural factor in economic growth. Respectively state program development national system research and development (R&D) was carried out the transition from importing technical achievements to the development of its own, Japanese R&D system. Fundamental measures have been taken to improve the training of personnel and further develop international scientific cooperation. Large scientific centers have been created that are engaged in developments in the field of solid state physics, nuclear energy, plasma physics, the latest structural materials, space robots, etc.

An important role in the Japanese economy is played by various associations, federations, unions, cooperatives, enterprises of all forms of ownership, and other bodies according to sectoral and functional characteristics.
The leaders of the world economy include such Japanese companies: Toyota Motors, Matsushita Electric, Sony Corporation, Honda Motors, Hitachi, Takedachemikel Industries, Kenon Inc., Fujitsu, Fuji Photo Film, Bridgestone Corporation, Nippon Electric Company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Toshiba, etc.

Small and medium-sized businesses operate effectively in all areas. They are the most active and mobile elements of the market in the development of competition, increasing the competitiveness of goods. Nearly 99% of Japanese companies belong to the SME sector. Their role is especially large in the automotive, electronic and electrical fields.
Japan has fairly low unemployment rates. During the 70s and 80s of the XX century. its level fluctuated between 2-2.8% and only in the 90s slightly exceeded 3%. Japanese management is effective. The country has long had a "system of lifetime employment". Taking into account the mentality of the population, work motivation systems function.

At the end of XX century. Japan's foreign exchange reserves grew rapidly. The government introduced a system of measures to liberalize the export of Japanese capital abroad. Today it is the largest banking center and international creditor. Its share in international loans increased from 5% in 1980 to 20.6% in 1990. The export of capital is the main form of foreign economic activity. Most of all Japanese capital works in the USA (42.2%), Asian countries (24.2%), Western Europe (15.3%), Latin America (9.3%).
The banking system of Japan is formed by public and private banks. The world's leading financial groups are Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Sumitomo Bank, Sunwa Bank, Dai-Ichi-Kange Bank, Fuji Bank, Industrial Bank of Japan, Tokai Bank .

Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong. DPRK. Mongolia.

Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong. They belong to the NIS of the "first wave" with high rates of economic development. South Korea ranks 11th in the world in terms of GNP ($764 billion). Very high growth rates of its economy (average 8-12% in the 80-90s). Taiwan is an important exporter of capital in the world, especially to Southeast Asia (over the last 5 years of the 20th century, investments in this region reached $36 billion). Hong Kong has become business capital Asia, one of the largest international financial and monetary centers (the third financial capital of the world). Its currency exchange ranks 5th in the world, and over 560 banks are concentrated in the territory, among which 365 represent 50 countries.

Decisive factors raging development of the newly industrialized countries of the region are cheap, skilled and disciplined labor, foreign technology and capital, guaranteed markets in developed countries, purposeful government policy. With the rise in the cost of labor, these countries are focusing on the development of scientific research and increasing the knowledge intensity of production. Local research and development parks are called "silicon greenhouses".
DPRK. It is a socialist state with a planned command and administrative economy. It is experiencing an economic crisis, which is intensified by political, ideological and military confrontations with South Korea. It is actively developing a nuclear program that is causing concern to the world community.
Mongolia. In the mid-90s, she chose the so-called path of "centrism", the concept of which was largely formulated under the influence of Buddhist philosophy. Mongolia was proclaimed a country that had passed to socialism directly from feudalism, bypassing the capitalist stage. But this experiment was unsuccessful. Today it is an arena of active economic interests of powerful neighbors - China, South Korea and Japan.

China.

In the economy, it combines the command-administrative (planned) and market structures. Since the beginning of the reforms (since 1982), China has become one of the most powerful states in the world, with a GNP of $4.5 trillion in 2000, achieved stability in the economy and politics, and increased real income citizens by 2-3 times.
The socio-economic achievements of the PRC are among the most memorable in world economic history. recent decades XX century They are reflected in the growth of industrial production, the retention of leading positions in the world in the production of many types of products. China is the world leader in the production of coal, cement, grain, meat, cotton, and holds leading positions in oil production and electricity generation.

Leading global corporations consider China as the most promising country in the world market. According to experts, the capacity of the Chinese market is over $300 billion. China actively attracts foreign capital and ranks second after the United States in terms of the number of enterprises with foreign investment. In the mid 90s of XX century. they accounted for 7.5% of all industrial enterprises and almost 19% of manufactured products. In 1999, 19 million people worked at such enterprises, which provided 14.5% of China's GDP. At the end of the 90s of the XX century. the export of Chinese capital expanded significantly and amounted to 18 billion dollars. According to this indicator, it ranks 8th in the world.

China will remain one of the countries with the most attractive conditions for foreign investment for a long time to come. The country's population is over 1.2 billion people, and, according to the World Bank, the average wage is only $780 a year. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the Chinese economy at the beginning of the XXI century. worked up to 39 billion dollars of foreign investment, while in all other large countries of East Asia together - 44 billion dollars.

While achieving significant results in terms of economic growth, dynamics and volumes of industrial and agricultural production, China, however, continues to lag behind the leading industrial countries and countries with medium-developed economies in terms of production, labor productivity, per capita income and standard of living. Its economy remains isolated from global economic processes - only 1/5 of it depends on foreign trade, which is much less than in all other developed Asian countries. China's huge domestic market is limitless for any manufacturer. And since the stratum of the poor is quite significant, then an increase in the standard of living in the country for more than one year will mean a directly proportional increase in demand for consumer goods.
Of notable interest are the features of the Chinese reforms. Despite the fact that the Chinese government constantly emphasizes the "socialist path" of the country's development, the monopolization of power by the Communist Party remains, the country's economy has consistently blazed a path to a market basis. The country is carrying out large-scale privatization of state property, the financial market is developing dynamically, the tax system is efficient, and corruption has been prevented. Economic reforms in China are far from "shock therapy", gradual and rational. Therefore, the country managed not only to avoid a transformational recession, but also to ensure a high dynamism of economic development, a stable improvement in the living standards of the population.

The Chinese economic model is based on the following factors:

Multi-variant forms of ownership - from national to private;

Coexistence of planned control levers with market ones. The state regulates the economy at the macro level, while the micro level is formed and guided by the market. From the second half of the 80s of the XX century. the postulate is spreading in the country: “the state directs the market, the market regulates enterprises”;

Distribution according to work, supplemented by the principle of distribution according to capital, i.e. on share contributions, profits from valuable papers and etc.;

A clear scheme of sectoral priority: agriculture - light industry - heavy industry;

Consistent implementation of the policy of openness to the outside world.

In the implementation of an open foreign economic policy, China has embarked on the creation of free economic zones (FEZs) of various directions. At the end of the 90s of the XX century. over 120 such formations functioned, which were supported by government policy. In total, according to various estimates, there are from 1.7 thousand to 9 thousand economic zones in the country with various preferential regimes. Among them are Xiamin (Amoi), Shantou (Svatou), Zhuhai, Shenzhen, Fr. Hainan etc.
China is quickly integrating into the world trade and financial systems, the landmark event of this process was its admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Foreign economic relations

Most countries in the region (except the DPRK) adhere to the “open door” principle, which provides for the attraction of foreign capital, scientific and technical cooperation, etc. Regarding this, Japan is the most active, accounting for almost 6% of imports and up to 9% of exports, 15% of direct foreign investments of the world. The most important trend in the country's foreign economic activity is the transition from predominantly foreign trade to intensive investment activity.

Exports ($1,003.8 billion) are dominated by:

In Hong Kong - clothing, jewelry, toys, electrical and optical goods, textiles, footwear;

In China - agricultural raw materials and products, handicrafts, agricultural machinery, machine tools, light industry goods, sporting goods, toys;

In the DPRK - firewood, magnesite clinker, cement, garments, fish;

In South Korea - ships, cars, steel, electrical and electronic products, light industry products, clothing, shoes, fish;

In Mongolia - livestock products (wool, leather, sheepskin), mining and light industry;

In Taiwan - electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics;

In Japan - machinery and equipment, ships, electronic devices, metals and metal products, chemical products, light industry goods.

Imports ($853.9 billion) are dominated by industrial raw materials and semi-finished products, fuel, foodstuffs; in Taiwan, arms.

Recreation and tourism

Although the region has favorable recreational resources, however, mass tourism is underdeveloped here. During the year, the region is visited by 35 million tourists, which generate a profit of $22.8 billion.

The prerequisites for the development of the tourist area is one of the world's largest natural and cultural potential: Tibet, Karakoram, Tien Shan, Kunming Stone Forest, Li Valley, Yangtze Three Gorges, Hukou Waterfall on Huanghe, zone volcanic activity on about. hokkaido, national park"Inland Sea of ​​Japan", "Three Views" of Japan (Matsushima, Amanohashidate, Itsukushima), Kagashima Bay are among the most famous natural objects in the world. In the region, 27 mountains are sacred to Taoists and 14 to Buddhists. Natural landscapes are complemented by cultural structures (Great Chinese Moor, pagodas, pavilions, arches, temples, Taoist, Buddhist, including lamaist monasteries, imperial palaces, villas, mausoleums, monuments of landscape gardening art, etc.), they are complemented by original theatrical art, characteristic sports (sumo, karate, kendo, aikido, kyudo), festivals, geisha institute and tea ceremony, etc.
Main tourism centers: Beijing, Shenyang, Xi'an, Suzhou, Lhasa, Seoul, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Kamakura, victims atomic bombing the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Northeast Asia- sub-region of Asia, the area of ​​​​which is approximately 10.5 million km2. The population of this region is 1577 million people, which is more than 20% of the world's population.

The map of Northeast Asia can be viewed from different points of view, but it mainly includes the following countries: Macao, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mongolia, Korea, Japan. This region has the largest population and densely populated area. In a Northeast Asian country like Hong Kong, the population density reaches 6,480 people per kilometer. Most of all the inhabitants of the region are Chinese, as well as a large number of Koreans and Japanese.

The largest country in terms of area and population is China, and the smallest is Macao, with an area of ​​only 16 km2. Macao is mostly Chinese, but the official language is Portuguese. The economy of this country relies mainly on textile production, but tourism plays an important role, as well as the development of gaming houses.

The countries of Northeast Asia have rapidly developing economies, Japan and China are in the top ten in terms of economic development. According to forecasts, China may soon reach the first stage in terms of economy. In addition to agriculture, industry and high-tech industries are developing rapidly in the region. Tourism also occupies a large niche in the economy of Northeast Asian countries.

Buddhism and Confucianism can rightfully be considered common religions in the region. In Japan, more than half of the people are adherents of Shinto, and in Mongolia Tengrianism and shamanism have been preserved.

The culture of this subregion is distinguished by primitiveness. In all countries, without exception, they value their history and carefully treat age-old customs and traditions. Northeast Asia is the center of the most ancient civilization. The states of the countries of this region are trying to protect the culture of their countries from the influence of the West, but still every year it penetrates deeper and mixes with the original culture of the region.

The flora and fauna of the region also deserves attention. On the territory of Northeast Asia, you can find unusual animals, such as the Himalayan bear or long-eared jerboa, as well as plants that amaze with their beauty, such as cherry blossoms, which attract tourists from all over the world.

Includes Northeast (Dunbei) and East China, the Korean Peninsula, about. , Hainan Island and smaller ones. The combination of ancient platform structures and young alpine structures in the zone of contact between the mainland and the ocean is characteristic. looks like a staircase descending from west to east. Natural integrity is in the commonality of geological development, climate and the organic world. Monsoon determines seasonal differences in. The climate has not changed much since the Cenozoic, therefore, antiquity, species diversity of flora and fauna (boreal, subtropical and tropical representatives).

Certain differences between the mainland and the islands. On the mainland there are Precambrian and Mesozoic folded-block structures (Yanshan folding), the islands form a geosynclinal belt (seismism, volcanism). The climate of the mainland is continental and drier. flora and fauna are characterized by high endemism and species diversity; the latter is reduced on the islands due to their isolation. Anthropogenic dominate. There are three physical and geographical countries: Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula, East China, and the Japanese Islands.

Northeast China (Dongbei. It has a complex orography. Mountain ranges surround the flat Manchurian Plain (Songliao) on three sides. At the base lies Chinese, complicated by later movements. Lavas flowed along large faults. Lavas and volcanoes are characteristic of both mountains and mountains. Volcanic massifs are especially significant in the Manchurian-Korean mountains (volcano Baitoushan, 2750 m).

The interior of Dongbei is the Songliao Plain of alluvial and lacustrine deposits with basement projections and volcanic eruptions. Along the plain of the Sungari River, along the course of the Liaohe River - the South Manchurian Plain. In the west, the Greater Khingan is a medium-altitude ridge stretching from north to south for 1200 km. Asymmetric structure: the western slopes are gentle, the eastern slopes are steep with deeply incised river valleys.

Lesser Khingan - low mountains of granites and basalt covers. Altitude 400-600 m, rarely up to 1000 m. In the mountains - tributaries, Sungari.

In the south, the Greater Khingan passes into the Yinshan Range. The formation of the Yinshan Ridge occurred in two stages - Jurassic and Cretaceous Yanshan folding. From the southeast, the Liaoxi Mountains adjoin it - rocky ridges, scree rocks with deep valleys. Manchurian-Korean mountains - a fragment of the Sininsky shield, northwestern part The East Manchurian Mountains, the southeastern - the North Korean Mountains, are separated by a deep fault, in which the valleys of the Yalujiang and Tumynjiang rivers. The highest peak of the entire system is Paektusan in the Baitoushan massif (2750 m). The southwestern extension is the mountains of the Liaodong Peninsula.

The climate is sharply continental. In winter, cold air from Siberia (winter monsoon). The average January temperature in the north is -20° (abs. min. -40°). Summers are hot, humid, 80% of all precipitation, uneven distribution. On the border from 250 mm, in coastal areas up to 1000 mm. The average July temperature in the north is 23°, in the south 28° (max +39°).

Many rivers. Most belong to the Amur basin. The largest is the Songhua River with the Nunjiang tributary. In the south - the Liaohe River, in the lower reaches it is navigable. The rivers are characterized by a summer maximum (sometimes floods). They freeze in winter.
Development organic world under constant conditions, the influence of Quaternary glaciations did not manifest itself - therefore, the richness of species, the abundance of relics. Northeast China is the center of the formation of the Manchurian flora. The Manchurian type dominates, preserved in the Manchurian-Korean mountains: Korean cedar, black fir, oak, Manchurian walnut, Manchurian and Amur lila, Manchurian ash, velvet or cork tree. Shrub undergrowth: honeysuckle, Amur lilac, Manchurian hazel, aralia, lemongrass, Amur grapes. From a height of 1000 m, cedar-spruce and spruce-fir: Ayan spruce, white fir. Above 2000 m there are crooked forests, even higher - associations of dwarf pine. On the northern slopes of the Dahurian forest type: Dahurian larch, Mongolian oak, black and white birch. The southern slopes are in deciduous forest, the western slopes are treeless.

The Manchurian fauna is also characterized by high endemism and richness of species. The Korean and Amur tiger, snow leopard, Far Eastern cat, brown and black bear, red wolf, sable, otter, spotted deer, red deer, roe deer, musk deer, wild boar live. From birds: wild ducks and geese, cranes, pheasants, kingfishers, blue magpie, mandarin duck. Snakes, muzzles, vipers.

Special features: complex orography, mountain ranges on three sides. Basaltic lavas and volcanic massifs. 80% of precipitation is brought by the summer monsoon. The center of the formation of the Manchurian flora is the abundance of relics and species richness.

Korean peninsula. Remains of an ancient land bridge with (exchange of flora and fauna). In tectonic terms, it is part of the Shandong-Korean massif, which experienced large vertical movements in the Meso-Cenozoic, especially strong in the northeast. Here are the chains of the North Korean mountains with the sweets of recent volcanism. The highest point in Korea is the active Paektusan volcano (2750 m) in the Baitoushan massif.
Along - the East Korean mountains, their northern part - the Kymgansan (Diamond) mountains are strongly dissected, with deep canyons, rocks, waterfalls.

The river network is dense and branched (Yangtze, Xijiang). The regime of the rivers is determined by the monsoon (max. in summer). Developed network of channels. Grand Canal 1762 m long from to Hangzhou. The canals are used for navigation and (a quarter of the land is irrigated).

Flora and fauna are diverse (climate stability, lack of glaciation). Vegetation of temperate, subtropical and tropical latitudes, more than 20 thousand species, many endemics (ginkgo tree, tree ferns). But quantitatively, the organic world is poor because of the high population density.
In the Holarctic part of East China, two provinces of the East Asian floristic region are distinguished - the North Chinese mixed forests and the Central Chinese laurel forests. The border is the Qinling Range in the west and the Shandong Mountains in the east. In the north, forests such as maple, elm, ash, walnut, pine on brown forest soils. The evergreen flora is characteristic of the Central China province: magnolia, laurel, ginkgo, cryptomeria, southern views pines, cypresses.

In the mountains, subtropical forests at an altitude of 800-1000 m are replaced by deciduous (maple, chestnut, honey locust), and from 1500 m by coniferous (fir).

In the south, in the paleotropical part, palm trees appear, pandanus, cunningamia, and tree ferns appear in the forests. On the coast there are mangrove forests (avicenia, rhizophora).

Among the animals are Holarctic and Indomalayan elements. In the north, the red wolf, fox, lynx, deer. In the southern and central regions, macaque monkeys, raccoon dogs. Many types of birds. There are over 1,000 species of fish in the rivers and lakes of China.

In Eastern China, a number of natural areas stand out: the North China Plain, the Loess Plateau, Shandong, Qinling, the Sichuan Basin (Red Basin), the lowland of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, Nanling, Xijiang, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Taiwan and Hainan.

Japanese islands. They are part of the volcanic ring. Four large islands and a number of small ones, the extreme southern chain is the arc of the Ryukyu Islands. The archipelago is located on a folded base, which passes into the continental shelf in the west.
The formation proceeded in several stages, starting from the Paleozoic. The base was created in the Hercynian and Mesozoic folding. In the Neogene, vertical movements prevailed, which led to the separation of the islands from the mainland and the formation of marginal seas. are active now.

From the east, the islands are framed by deep-water ones. It is the ocean-facing side of the arcs that is affected. combined with, which is most active in the inner zone of the islands facing the mainland. There are 1,500 volcanoes in Japan, of which 40 are active. Volcanoes are confined to fault zones that have a longitudinal direction. The largest fault is the Great Ditch (Fossa Magna) or the Fuji graben, which crosses Honshu and can be traced southeast on the islands of Izu, Bonin and Volkano. Fossa Magna divides Japan into two parts - northeast and southwest, different in structure. South-western with numerous folds, thrusts, it distinguishes the outer and inner belts, separated by the Median Fault. Northeast (Hokkaido and northern Honshu) from Paleozoic and Mesozoic deposits, crumpled into folds in the Yanshan orogeny. Tectonic activity, volcanism determined the characteristic features: great fragmentation, a combination of intermountain basins and medium-altitude uplifts, dissected by deep river valleys.

The mountains of the islands are characterized by a pronounced longitudinal strike. There are so many chains in Hokkaido: one of the northeast direction and serves as a continuation of the Kuril arc, the second - (Kitami-Hidaka) is extended to the northwest and passes into uplift. At the intersection of the chains, a mountain junction was formed with the peak of Asahi (2290 m) - the highest point of Hokkaido.

Honshu is the most large island, has the shape of a giant arc. The axis of its northern half is almost perpendicular to the axis of the southern half, which is determined by the direction of the mountain ranges. In the northern part of Honshu along West Bank the mountains of Dewa and Echigo stretch along the eastern one - Kitakami and Abukuma, and between them the watershed ridge Ou. In the southern part of Honshu rise mountains Akaishi, Kiso and Hida (Japanese Alps). In the central wide section of the island, there is a powerful Fossa-Magna fault line, stretching for 250 km. There are many volcanoes along it and the highest one is Fujiyama (3776 m).
On Shikoku and Kyushu, the mountains are low with strong tectonic and erosional dissection. The shores are ingressive, riasic. Small spots of lowlands, the largest is Kanto, crossed by the Tone River. On the western coast, along the valley of the Shinano River, there is a fertile, densely populated Echigo plain. On the island of Hokkaido is the Ishikari lowland.

Ryukyu is an archipelago of 98 small islands stretching for 1000 km. The largest is Okinawa. Islands of volcanic and coral origin.

Mineral resources are diverse (coal, oil, polymetals, manganese, silver, etc.), but not a single deposit can satisfy the needs of the country.

The climate of the islands is determined geographic location between 45 and 24 ° N, meridional elongated ridges, the influence of currents (and the Kuril-Kamchatsky).

Most of it lies in the subtropical zone, northern Honshu and Hokkaido in temperate, Ryukyu in tropical. The climate is monsoon. The average winter temperature is much lower than in other parts of the globe at the same latitudes: in the north of Hokkaido, the average January temperature is -9-12 °, in the south of Kyushu + 8 °, the average July is 20 and 27 °, respectively. There is a lot of precipitation (1000-3000 mm) and it is unevenly distributed throughout the year. The winter monsoon over the sea is saturated with moisture and gives 1500 mm to the west coast. In summer, sea tropical air moisturizes East Coast(3000 mm). In intramountain depressions and valleys 1000 mm. In autumn, typhoons hit Japan. In Hokkaido in winter, precipitation is in the form of snow, the thickness of the cover is up to 4 m.

A dense river network is associated with an abundance of precipitation. Most are torrents with rapids and waterfalls. The rivers of the western slopes of the mountains have a winter maximum, those of the eastern slopes have a summer maximum. The largest river in Japan is the Ishikari (654 km) in Hokkaido. Honshu is divided into the Tone and Shinano rivers. There are many lakes and they are diverse in their origin. Dominated by volcanic lakes in craters extinct volcanoes. There are tectonic and origin. The largest lake Biwa lies in a tectonic depression.

The vegetation of the islands is rich and varied, with many endemics. Japan is a country of forests (2/3 of the territory). In landscapes, latitudinal. In the north of Hokkaido, there are coniferous forests of the taiga type on podzolic soils of Hokkaido spruce, Sakhalin fir, birch, and alder. In the undergrowth, southern impurities, incl. bamboo.
The south of Hokkaido and the north of Honshu are covered with broad-leaved trees on brown forest soils. Beech, maple (20 species), Manchurian ash, a local species of walnut, chestnuts, lindens are common. There are local conifers: Japanese cypresses, cryptomeria, fir, larch. In the undergrowth are evergreen species - bamboo, magnolia, wild cherry - sakura. Lots of vines. Broad-leaved forests rise up to 500 m, giving way to coniferous, and then elfin forms of cedar, birch, and pine.

South of 36-37°N - subtropical evergreen forests on red earth soils. This is the south of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. Oak species dominate, Japanese maple, sakura, camphor laurel and subtropical conifers (cryptomeria, thuja, yew, Japanese pine species) are admixtures. Lianas and epiphytes are abundant. In the undergrowth of azaleas, aralia, gardenia, magnolia. In the mountains, forests rise to 500-800 m, giving way to broad-leaved, from 1800-2000 m to coniferous. In the Alps, the highlands are occupied by subalpine and.

Tea, citrus fruits, cotton, jute, camphor laurel are cultivated. The Ryukyu Islands are located in the rainforest zone on lateritic soils. They are characterized by multi-tiered, abundance of species (palm trees, fig trees, ferns). Cultivated plants - sugarcane, palm trees, mulberry tree.
The fauna is characterized by the depletion of species, high endemism due to island isolation. The Japanese black bear, Japanese macaque, flying dog, giant salamander, Japanese crane, pheasant live in the tropics. In the north - brown bear, sable, squirrel. Under protection in Japan, 25% of the country. Half of the national parks, the largest of them - Shikoku-Toya, Bandai-Asahi, Fuji-Hakone-Izu.
Special features: area of ​​active seismic and volcanic activity (40 active volcanoes). The characteristic features of the relief are great fragmentation, a combination of intermountain basins, medium-altitude folded-block uplifts, deep river valleys. Wealth, diversity and a large number of endemics in flora and fauna. Country of forests (2/3 of the territory).

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The subcontinent of East Asia occupies the Pacific margin from to the southern borders of China. Its western borders (outside Russia) run along the Greater Khingan, the eastern edge of Alashan, at the foot of Eastern Tibet (Sikan). To the south, East Asia extends to about 20 ° N. sh., that is, it enters the tropical zone. From the east, the region is washed by marginal seas, which have a very great influence on the nature of the region. Russian Far East by natural properties belongs to this subcontinent, but its features are discussed in the course physical geography Russia.

East Asia

Within foreign East Asia, four physiographic countries are usually distinguished. Three of them are on the mainland. These are Northeast China and Korea, Central China and South China. In addition, the Japanese islands are traditionally included in the subcontinent, the nature of which is similar in many respects to the mainland of the region.

East Asia was formed on a basis of different ages (from the Precambrian structures of the Chinese platform to the modern Pacific mobile belt). Only on final stages the history of the development of the region, the processes of its formation were more or less the same. The subcontinent stretches from north to south from temperate to tropical latitudes, and therefore is located in three climatic zones. The common features of nature within East Asia are explained by the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its seas, as well as, to some extent, the Quaternary history of development. The interaction of a huge ocean with a massive continent creates special conditions for atmospheric circulation.

The whole of East Asia is characterized by the features of a monsoonal climate. Almost complete absence sublatitudinal mountain barriers contributes to the free penetration of the air flow of the winter monsoon far to the south, and the summer - to the north. The same circumstance facilitates the exchange of species of the organic world between the northern and southern parts of the region. The neotectonic stage of the formation of the surface of the subcontinent was characterized by very active movements earth's crust accompanied by faults and outpourings of lavas. This is apparently due to the fact that the region is closely adjacent to the mobile Pacific subduction zone.

As a result, there are features of nature common to the entire subcontinent.

The dominance of the monsoon climate with dry and relatively cold winters with a predominance of the anticyclonic weather regime and rainy warm summers. The summer maximum precipitation is typical for the entire region, but the proportion of summer precipitation in their total amount decreases from the northern to the southern regions. The formation of climates is greatly influenced by cyclonic activity.

It manifests itself in different ways and in different seasons, but is common throughout the subcontinent. A significant place in climatic conditions is occupied by tropical cyclones (typhoons) propagating along the coast of the mainland far to the north beyond the tropics.

Full-flowing rivers have a monsoon flow regime with a summer maximum. The increase in summer runoff is facilitated by the melting of snow in the mountains, where the main rivers of the region originate. In the middle and lower reaches, most rivers flow on flat plains, where they deposit much solid material. River runoff is volatile: the flow often changes, and sometimes the position of the channels.

Characteristic is the antiquity of the organic world, which was formed starting from the Paleogene, and perhaps from the end of the Mesozoic in more or less uniform climatic conditions. During the periods of the Pleistocene glaciations of Eurasia, with a cooling of the climate, plants and animals "retreated" unhindered to the south and then just as freely returned to more northern regions. This contributed to the formation of biocenoses with an exceptionally rich species composition, the preservation of relict species in the flora and fauna, and the interchange of species characteristic of different climatic zones.

There are some common features in the structure of the surface of the region, especially its mainland. It is dominated by protrusions of ancient structures in combination with tectonic depressions filled with alluvial, sometimes lacustrine deposits. There are traces of ancient volcanism as a result of the tectonic instability of the region, which is located between large mobile belts near the zone of interaction of large lithospheric plates. Basalt covers are widespread.

The territory of the subcontinent has long been densely populated by people. Climatic conditions and the presence of vast plains with fertile soils contributed to the development of agricultural production in the region for many millennia. As a result, the natural vegetation cover was very poorly preserved, and the soils were cultivated. In many areas it is impossible to understand what conditions were here before the appearance of man. Even the slopes of low mountains have been unrecognizably changed, turned into systems of man-made terraces.

Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula

The region is located in the north of overseas East Asia within the temperate climate zone with a pronounced monsoon circulation. Its borders are drawn in the north along the state borders of Russia, in the west - along the Great Khingan and the eastern outskirts of the Ordos plateau, in the south - along the foot of the Qinling ridge and along the watershed of the basins of the Huang He and Yangtze rivers. In the east, the region goes to the Pacific Ocean and its seas - the Yellow and the Sea of ​​Japan.

The northern border is not natural, but political, the southern one is climatic, and therefore fuzzy: on the Great Plain of China, the landscapes of the region are gradually replaced by the landscapes of Central China. The territory is occupied by the northeastern provinces of China, North and South Korea. Interestingly, along the natural boundary between the region and the Central Asian regions, the Great Chinese Wall- a structure that protected the agricultural population from the raids of pastoralists-nomads of Central Asia.

The region is based on the Sino-Korean Precambrian and Mongolian-Dunbei Epipaleozoic platforms, which experienced differentiated vertical movements along faults in the Cenozoic. Basement protrusions form, in most cases, medium-altitude and low blocky or folded-blocky mountains, and thick strata of river and lake alluvium have accumulated in the depressions.

The mountain ranges, composed mainly of crystalline rocks, are characterized by a small height, the presence of leveling surfaces at different heights. Their slopes, as a rule, are strongly dissected by tectonic faults and erosion.

The plains formed in syneclises.

In the north, the South Manchurian and Central Manchurian accumulative lowlands, formed within the Songliao syneclise, are connected with the Middle Amur and Khanka lowlands. In the east, the Great Plain of China is located in a young (Neogene) trough between the protrusions of the ancient basement, which is filled with a thick (hundreds of meters) thickness of alluvium of the river. Huang He interbedded with loess. Among the plains and along its outskirts, low mountain ranges rise on the ledges of the foundation (Taishan, Taihangshan, etc.).

A special place is occupied by the Loess Plateau. The thickness of crystalline and sedimentary rocks here is covered by loesses, which play a landscape-forming role. The ancient erosion relief is leveled by thick (up to 100-250 meters) loess deposits. The plateau has a height of 2000-2200 meters in the west and an uneven surface, and to the east it descends to 1200 meters and is a flat plain dissected by a dense network of ravines and gullies formed as a result of erosion of loess strata. Loesses are also common in other regions of Northeast China. They overlap the bottoms of the valleys, and in some places even the mountain slopes.

A characteristic feature of the region's surface structure is numerous faults, pre-Cenozoic intrusions, and Cenozoic volcanism. Young lava plateaus dissected by erosion are widespread (Changbaishan in Korea covers an area of ​​500x250 km). The region is prone to earthquakes.

The monsoon variant of the temperate climate is characterized by large temperature amplitudes and uneven distribution of precipitation throughout the year.

There are dry cold winters (average January temperatures - up to -20°С and even up to -28°С) and humid warm summers (average July temperatures - 15-26°С). During the summer season, up to 80% of precipitation falls, mainly in the form of heavy rains during the passage of cyclones of the Pacific polar front, carrying tropical marine in the warm sector. A milder climate is typical only for the southern part of Korea, where winter temperatures are mostly positive. As in areas sharply continental climate, there is usually a dry, cool spring here, and part of the snow evaporates before it has time to melt. Autumn is usually warm and dry. Annual rainfall within the region varies greatly, ranging from 1200 mm in the east to 300 mm in the northwest.

The region is often subject to typhoon invasions in late summer and early autumn. Sometimes in summer time the influence of continental air masses from Central Asia intensifies, in such years there are severe droughts.

Belonging to the Amur, Liaohe and Huanghe basins, they have a clearly defined monsoon regime with summer floods. The rise of water in the spring-summer season is enhanced by the melting of snow in the mountains. In the north, the runoff is somewhat regulated by swamps and lakes, the largest of which is Khanka. Rivers freeze. They carry a huge amount of solid material into the sea, the main part of which is loess.

Especially a lot of turbidity is carried by the Huang He - the Yellow River. On the Great Chinese Plain, it meanders, forms numerous oxbow lakes, often its channel is raised above the interfluve spaces. The river often changes the location of its channel and mouth. The modern Huang He delta, which arose a hundred years ago, has moved into the sea for 20 km, despite the fact that tectonic subsidence is taking place here.

The peculiarity of the vegetation of the region is explained both by modern environmental conditions (damp, warm summers and severe winters with little snow) and by the history of formation. During the periods of cooling and warming during the Pleistocene glaciation, the change of xerothermic and pluvial epochs, plant migration took place and adaptive speciation took place. Hence the great diversity and the presence of relic groups. By many indications, most of the region was formerly occupied by forest vegetation. Forests are still preserved in the north and on the mountain slopes.

The northwestern regions are characterized by taiga with a predominance of Dahurian larch, to the south an admixture of hardwoods (oak, birch, poplar, etc., often represented by endemic species) increases. Shrub undergrowth is rich. But the mixed and broad-leaved forests of the south and east of the region are especially distinguished by the richness and originality of the species composition. They grow Korean cedar, black fir, Mongolian oak, Manchurian walnut, linden and ash, Amur velvet (Far Eastern cork tree), and numerous wild fruit trees.

These forests are characterized by a dense shrub layer. There are many powerful vines - actinidia, lemongrass, vineyard, wild Amur grapes, etc. This gives the forests a kind of "tropical" look. In the grass cover there is a relict plant with unique medicinal properties - ginseng. The forest vegetation is poorly preserved, heavily modified, in particular, as a result of selective logging, the proportion of conifers has been artificially reduced in it. In the lowlands of the central part of the region, within the Loess Plateau and in some areas of dry mountain slopes, the indigenous type of vegetation is the steppe, but the steppe flora is almost not preserved.

Brown and gray forest soils formed under the forests, varying degrees podzolized, on the low plains under the steppe vegetation - chernozems and chestnut, and in some places - desert burozems. Flat lowlands are often swampy. Salinization processes are quite widely developed, there are solonchaks, solonetzes and solods. Chestnut soils predominate on the Loess Plateau.

The fauna of the region was formed in the same way as the flora - animals migrated and adapted to changing conditions.

Bears live in the forests - brown and black (Himalayan), Ussuri tiger, leopard (leopard), forest cat, raccoon dog, sable, marten-marten, red deer, spotted deer, musk deer, numerous rodents, the bats and others. There are many different birds, the fauna of reptiles and fish is peculiar. Insects are often brightly colored and reach large sizes.

The fauna of the steppes is close to the Mongolian.

The region has great natural resources - land (flat areas with fertile soils), agro-climatic (climate with humid warm summers), forest (except for trees with valuable wood, there are medicinal plants - ginseng, magnolia vine, etc., forests are rich in fur-bearing animals), mineral . Of the latter, coal, iron ores and gold are of the greatest importance. There are large deposits of aluminum, magnesium and tungsten ores.

The Great Plain of China, the Loess Plateau, the Korean Peninsula are areas of long-standing settlement and intensive land development. The rural population in some places reaches a high density. All suitable for processing on the plains and gentle mountain slopes are plowed up. Natural landscapes have been altered here to such an extent that it is often impossible to determine their original state. This applies especially to the regions of the north of the Great Chinese Plain.

Many cultivated plants originated from the region. Rice, kaoliang, soybean, corn, cotton, fruit trees are grown.

The population has to contend with land degradation, especially with intense erosion, with floods caused by summer floods and the passage of typhoons.

Central China

This region occupies the territory of the subtropical belt within East Asia. It is located in the river basin. The Yangtze, in the north includes the Qinling Mountains, in the west it borders on the Tibetan Plateau at the foot of the Sino-Tibetan Mountains. In the east, Central China goes to the seas of the Pacific Ocean, in the south the border runs along the watershed of the rivers of the Yangtze and Xijiang basins. Here the subtropical climate is replaced by a hotter tropical one.

The natural features of the region are determined by the well-defined features of the monsoon climate and the position within the South China ancient platform and the zone of Paleozoic folding, which manifested itself in the north and east. An important role, as elsewhere in East Asia, was played by the history of the development of the nature of the region in the last stages.

Most of Central China is composed of medium and low mountains of various origins.

In the north, there is a rather high (up to 4000 m) Qinling Range, which was formed in the Hercynian orogenic epoch as a continuation of the Central Asian system. Mountains, as a rule, have flat tops and are dissected by deep gorges. To the south, the low Dabashan ridge stretches, and the depression between these mountains is occupied by a wide valley of the river. Hanshui. Further south, a system of low mountains begins, formed as a result of Mesozoic movements that engulfed the sedimentary cover of the platform. The Yangtze cuts through the ridges, and along its course a chain of basins has formed, the largest of which is the Sichuan (Red Basin), filled with a thick layer of loose red sediments.

All basins were formerly occupied by lakes, and in the lower reaches they have survived to this day, playing an important role in regulating the flow of the river. South of the Yangtze, the surface is a system of gently sloping mountains usually up to 2,000 meters high (box-shaped anticlines) and wide synclinal valleys (the Wuyishan and Nanling highlands). The ridges approach the coast, forming a rias coast. In the west, on the raised structures of the platform foundation, there is the Yunnan Highlands and, to the east of it, the Guizhou Highlands up to 1000 meters high, composed of limestones.

Climatic conditions are distinguished by a significant degree of continentality, despite the maritime position of the region as a whole.

The annual amplitudes of mean monthly temperatures reach almost 30°C due to the anomalously cold winter for these latitudes (the influence of a strong and stable winter monsoon). There are cold snaps down to negative temperatures. The amount of precipitation in comparison with the more northern region increases significantly due to the development of cyclonic activity on the polar front, which occurs between the monsoon and trade winds and local air masses. Cyclone activity intensifies in summer, but does not stop completely in winter, which reduces the seasonal difference in precipitation. There is practically no dry period in the Yangtze Valley. The region is prone to typhoons, during which several hundred millimeters of rain can fall at once.

The rivers of the Yangtze basin flow in wide valleys, but also break through mountain ranges, forming rapids. Their regime is typically monsoonal. In the summer there are floods, especially strong during typhoons, when heavy rains are combined with surging winds. The flow of the Yangtze in the lower reaches is regulated by lakes, in which water accumulates when the river level rises. A network of reservoirs has also been created.

The organic world is characterized by a mixture of southern and northern groups plants and animals, as well as an abundance of relict species.

Subtropical forests of evergreen magnolias, laurels, camphor, tung trees, ginkgo, conifers - cypresses, podocarpus, southern pines have an admixture of deciduous - oak, beech, hornbeam, birch, etc. The lower tiers form bamboos, camellias, fan palm, ferns, cycads , numerous creepers. In these forests, there may be combinations such as orchids on birch trees or raspberries in the undergrowth of an evergreen forest. Qingming forms a rather sharp divide between the vegetation of the temperate and subtropical zones. Among animals, tropical leopards, panda, Himalayan bear, macaques, gibbons, lemurs, viverra, etc. are common.

Central China has the richest natural resources. Its bowels contain huge reserves of ore minerals: iron (including magnetite), tungsten, tin, molybdenum, copper, lead, zinc, manganese ores. Antimony deposits are exceptionally rich. There is gold and silver. Agro-climatic conditions allow growing rice, cotton, tea bush, citrus, tung and mulberry trees, tobacco and other crops. Her flat areas, valleys and basins, the lower slopes of the mountains are cultivated and occupied by agricultural crops. In the Red Basin, the growing season reaches 300 days and a year. You can get two crops of different crops.

The region is extremely densely populated. Natural conditions are greatly changed anthropogenic impact. Forests are preserved only in the mountains and around the temples. A number of reserves and reserves have been created in which the few remnants of subtropical forests and their inhabitants are protected. Flood control is very important for the inhabitants of the region. Irrigation culture is high here.

South China

This small region occupies the southern edge of the subcontinent. In the south it borders on Indochina (approximately along the tectonic valley of the Red River and the foot of the Yunnan-Guizhou Highlands), in the west it is bounded by the Sino-Tibetan Mountains. Its main difference from other parts of East Asia is its hot climate (average January is above 13°C). This determines the originality of the nature of the region.

The climate, according to circulation conditions, is usually attributed to the subequatorial belt. Indeed, in the summer, equatorial and tropical sea air comes here with the monsoon, and a lot of precipitation falls.

However, the winter here is not dry (10-12% of the annual precipitation) and cold (in the tropics, the average January temperature is 13 ° C and there are frosts), which is not typical for the subequatorial climate with its usually even code of high temperatures. Cold winters are associated with the penetration of the continental monsoon here from the north, and precipitation in winter (as in subtropical Central China) is associated with the action of cyclones of the polar front. The total amount of precipitation in the region is high - 1500-2000 mm. Most of all, the features of the subequatorial climate are expressed on about. Hainan, where only 7% of the annual norm falls during the winter, but the temperature amplitude still reaches 11 ° C.

The surface of the region is low and medium-altitude mountains and hilly uplands. The mountains reach their highest height (above 3000 meters) on about. Taiwan.

The main river of South China, the Xijiang, has a more uniform flow than other rivers of East Asia.

Tropical evergreen and deciduous forests of the South Asian type are well preserved in places, despite intensive land use. Above them, subtropical evergreens grow in the mountains, and above 1800 m - coniferous forests.

In conditions of high temperatures and good moisture, agriculture is developed in the region. Tropical crops are grown in the valleys, and subtropical crops are grown on the terraced mountain slopes. In the lowlands, there are rice fields everywhere. Xijiang is a fish river. At the mouth of its inhabitants have long been also engaged in the extraction of pearls.