WORLD GEOGRAPHY Spring Final Review

SOUTHWEST ASIA

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY This area is covered by desert Water is very sparse The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are two very important rivers in the region  They provide water to irrigate (water crops)  Some of the most densely populated areas are around these rivers

RESOURCES Limited water Abundant resource is oil.

POPULATION/CULTURE Bedouin- nomadic herdsmen who lead a very simple life Majority religion- Muslim/Islam  One aspect of their religion is to face towards the city of Mecca to pray up to five times a day

AFRICA

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Africa has a widely varied climate and different zones of ecosystems. You can find everything from tropical rain forests to deserts here. Northern Africa has the Sahara Desert- it spans thousands of miles across the top of Africa. Atlas Mountains are located in Morocco.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, CONT. Nile River is a major river and flows through Egypt and much of East Africa. Victoria Falls are some of the world’s largest waterfalls. They are located in Southern Africa.

POPULATION Africa has been colonized by many European countries. This was an unfair practice, and led to many injustices including slavery. Apartheid was a series of unjust laws against native African people and separated races. Nelson Mandela was an important leader that fought against racial injustice.

EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY This area has tall mountains called the Himalayas. Mt. Everest is the world’s tallest mountain. This area has a variety of landscapes from rainforests to grasslands to deserts. Mongolia is a large arid grassland. The Yellow and Yangtze Rivers are located here and are some of the longest in the world.

HISTORY China was led by Emperors. Families passed on power from generation to generation and were called Dynasties. The Great Wall of China was built for protection.

POPULATION Most people in the region live along the eastern seacoast. They live in large cities. Some large cities are: Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Shanghai

RESOURCES Major food crop in area- rice It is grown in water covered fields called paddies. This area is surrounded by water and fishing is important. Overfishing threatens the amount of fish available for the population.

RESOURCES Many of these countries are highly industrialized. There are a lot of factories making goods for the public- like cars, radios, tvs, etc. The rapid industrial growth of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea has resulted in pollution.

SOUTH ASIA India

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY There are several important rivers in India  Ganges  Indus  The Ganges River is considered sacred by the people  India has large plains that are used for farming to feed the massive populations.

POPULATION Religion- Hindu Population and overcrowding is a problem in India. Many are poor and experience housing shortages and unemployment. There has been a caste system in India with different levels of wealth. The bottom of the system is very poor and mistreated. They are called the Untouchables.

POPULATION, CONT. Gandhi was a leader in India that helped the native Indians gain independence from British control. He alse helped the lower classes (the Untouchables)

AUSTRALIA

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Australia has a arid climate on the Western Half of the country. This area is called the Outback. Most of the population lives on the Eastern half of the continent. The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast.