JAPAN, KOREA, & INDONESIA Salome Uribe & Viktoriya Sazonova

Physical Coordinates JAPAN 36º 00 ' N, 138º 00 ' E KOREA 39º 00' N, 125º 47' E INDONESIA 5º 00 ' S, 120º 00 ' E

How do the days and nights vary throughout the year for Japan, Korea, Indonesia? Because Earth is tilted on its axis, the lengths of days and nights change throughout the year. Each day, depending on if the North Pole is tilted towards the Sun or not, days become longer or shorter as the year goes on. No EXTRA long or short days happen occur in Japan, Korea or Indonesia

TIME ZONES KOREA INDONESIA JAPAN GMT + 09:00 GMT + 07:00 GMT + 09:00

Latitude Locations Japan (36 00 N, 138 00 E) and Korea (37 00 N, 127 30 E) are North of the Tropic of Cancer(23 20 N). Indonesia(5 00 S, 120 00 E) is almost on the equator.

ROCKS AND MINERALS Ferberite Tin Quartz Gold Silver Copper Lead Zinc Timber Nickel

The Plate Tectonics of the Area Japan and Korea were formed by two events: sub-duction resulting in volcanic activity and the opening of the Japan Sea. In the case of Japan, the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Plate sub-ducted the eastern border of the Eurasian Plate. Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire Indonesia is at the boundary of four tectonic plates The Indo-Australian Plate The Pacific Plate The Philippine Plate The Eurasian Plate (this results in intense and frequent earthquakes which intern cause tsunamis)

GEOGRAPHY Japan: About 73% of the archipelago is mountainous, with a mountain range running through each of the main islands. Japan's highest mountain and volcano is Mt. Fuji, with an elevation of 3776 m. Most rivers are fewer than 300 kilometers in length (Shinano River is the longest river.) Korea: Mountains cover 70% of the Korean peninsula Highest mountain in Korea is Baekdusan Main rivers tend to flow westwards. 2 exceptions are the southward-flowing Nakdonggang and Seomjingang. Indonesia: archipelago of 17,000 islands mostly coastal lowlands The inland is predominantly mountainous with some 400 volcanoes, of which 100 are active

Atmospheric Pressure at the High Points and Low Points in the Area Regions of low pressure form over central Asia and southwest Asia (Asiatic Low). These pressure systems are responsible for the summer monsoon rains of Asia. As with heat, so also with atmospheric pressure, the yearly variations in Japan are less than on the neighboring continent. Indonesia experiences high atmospheric pressure; high atmospheric pressure causes only normal winds of between 25 to 30 knots, but because this is persistent, it has caused massive waves… tsunamis.

HUMIDITY Japan is generally a rainy country with high humidity, ranging from the low 60% to low 80% depending to the proximity to the coast. Since the Korean peninsula is located on the East-Asian monsoon, summers bring heavy rainfall and high humidity. Being in a tropical zone, Indonesia has an average relative humidity between 70% and 90%, with a minimum of 73% and a maximum of 87%.

Wind Patterns in Reference to the Latitudes Japan and Korean experience Westerlies (wind patterns north of the Tropic of Cancer where dry air sinks/moist air rises. Indonesia experiences Southeastern Trade Winds (winds south of the equator).

OCEANS Japan: Sea of Japan, North Pacific Ocean, Philippine sea, and East China Sea Korea: Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, and the Korea Strait Indonesia: Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean These oceans have a salinity of about 35 o/oo, as they are near the equator.

Climate Zones Japan belongs to the temperate zone with distinct four seasons, but varies from cool temperate in north to subtropical in south. Sea of Japan: The northwest seasonal wind in winter gives heavy snowfalls. In summers it is less hot than in the Pacific area but sometimes experiences extreme hot temperature. Central highland: A typical inland climate gives large temperature differences between summers and winters and between days and nights. Precipitation is not large throughout a year. Inland Sea: The mountains in Chugoku and Shikoku regions block the seasonal winds and bring mild climate and many fine days throughout a year. Pacific Ocean: It experiences cold winters with little snowfall and hot, humid summers due to the southeast seasonal wind. Southwest Islands: It has a subtropical climate which varies from tropical in the south to cool temperate in the north. Indonesia: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

BIOMES Japan: Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Temperate coniferous forests Freshwater and Marine (ex. Lake Biwa or Nansei Shoto ) Korea: Evergreen conifer forests Deciduous Forests Indonesia: Tropical rain forests Mangroves Coral Reefs

Occurrence of Severe Weather Disturbance Japan, Korea and Indonesia; occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and forest fires. Japan-tropical cyclones and severe winds, many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis. Korea-Recently decayed tropical cyclones moving inland or into southern regions. Indonesia-During an El Niño year, tropical rains usually centered over Indonesia shift eastward, influencing atmospheric wind patterns world wide… The earthquakes and cyclones cause intense tidal waves.

CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS As of 2006, Japan expelled 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year, making it one of the world's top offenders. Korea emitted about 185 million tons Indonesia is now ranked as the 3rd largest emitter in the world due to deforestation to create oil pam.

POPULATION Japan is post reproductive… Population growth rate: -0.139%, birth rate: 7.87 births/1,000 population, death rate: 9.26 deaths/1,000 population. Korea is reproductive (almost pre)… Population growth rate: 0.371%, birth rate: 9.83 births/1,000 population, death rate: 6.12 deaths/1,000 population. Indonesia is reproductive.. Population growth rate: 1.175%, birth rate: 19.24 births/1,000 population, death rate: 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)