"Today East Asia must be recognized as one of the core areas of the world economy and it is emerging as a center of political power as well." (Rowntree, et al., Chapter 11)
- This chapter describes East Asia, which includes China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Taiwan. This is the most populous region in the world.
- You should understand the historical cultural cohesiveness of this region, while recognizing the evolution of economic and political diversity in the past half-century in East Asia.
- Upon completion of this chapter, you should be familiar with the physical, demographic, cultural, political, and economic characteristics of East Asia. In addition, you should understand the following concepts and models:
- Environmental geography
- Three Gorges Dam in China; Flooding in China; Soil erosion; Forests and deforestation; Pollution; Endangered species; Physical geography and environments.
- Population and settlement
- Settlement and agricultural patterns in Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea; Global context; Cities in East Asia.
- Cultural coherence and diversity
- Writing systems; Confucianism; Religions, including Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, and secularization; Linguistic and ethnic diversity; Cosmopolitan fringe; Chinese heartland.
- Geopolitical framework
- China; Japan; Post-WWII geopolitics; Global dimensions.
- Economic and social development
- Japan's economy and society; Social conditions and women in Japan; South Korea; Taiwan and Hong Kong; Chinese development, including communism and post-communism; Social conditions in China; Population control and women in China.
