The Geography of East Asia

Hey it's Emily and Clare here! This time our team is traveling across Eastern Asia, which includes countries like China and North and South Korea. East Asia has many different landforms such as plains, mountains, and plateaus. In this entry we're going to try and describe a few of the many landforms and rivers.


The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world and are located in the southern part of East Asia. Mt. Everest is located in this mountain range and is the highest mountain in the world at about five and a half miles high! Mt. Fuji is located in Japan and is about two and a third miles high. Other mountain ranges include the Altay Shan, Tian Shan, Altun Shan, and Kunlun Shan. Though these aren't as high, they are still a magnificent sight to see.


There are two main deserts in East Asia. They are the Taklimakan and the Gobi. The Taklimakan Desert is located in western China between the Tian Shan and the Kunlun Shan mountain ranges. The Gobi desert is located in southern Mongolia and is the northernmost desert in the world.


The Plateau of Tibet was formed at the same time that the Himalayas were formed. When the Indian subcontinent collided with Asia, the land buckled and formed the Himalayas and the Plateau of Tibet. This large area of elevated level land is located between the Himalayas and the Kunlun Shan and is often called the "roof of the world."


There are two major plains in Eastern Asia and they are both located in China. The North China Plain is located on the eastern coast of China by the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. The Manchurian Plain is located in northeastern China near the Sea of Japan. These plains are essential for farming in China.


There are many water features in Eastern Asia. The two major rivers are the Chang and Huang, both also located in China. The Chang River is deep enough for cargo boats to navigate on and so it is often used for transporting goods. More than 100 million people live on the banks of the Huang River because it runs through the North China Plain, the most fertile area in China and the best place for farming. Both rivers are important to East Asia.


East Asia is surrounded by many seas and oceans. These are the South China Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea, Sea of Japan, and the Pacific Ocean. The Korean peninsula separates the Yellow Sea from the Sea of Japan. Many people live on the coasts of these seas because the climate is good and there is fertile land in some parts.


We've learned so much already about the geography of East Asia and can't wait to learn more and share it with you. Thanks for reading!


~Clare and Emily



Want to learn more about the geography of East Asia? Check out these sites!http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/webcourse/key_points/kp_intro.htm



http://www.ask.com/bar?q=geography+of+east+asia&page=1&qsrc=2106&ab=5&u=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGeography_of_Asia



http://www.ask.com/bar?q=geography+of+east+asia&page=1&qsrc=2106&ab=6&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amicuss.net%2Fdohs%2Fgeo2_2610%2Fmod6%2Freadings%2Fm6_1a.html


Mt. Fuji in Japan







Chang River

Gobi Desert