The Geographical Examination of Japan, Taiwan and the Koreas

The Geographical Examination of Japan, Taiwan and the Koreas

Archipelago

Japan Current

Korean Peninsula

Mount Fiji

Ring of Fire
In addition to
China, four other
countries make
up the region we
call East Asia
- Japan
- Taiwan
- North Korea
- South Korea

Total surface area: 377,944 sq km

Capital: Tokyo

Language: Japanese

Religion: Buddhism and Shinto are
widely practiced

Population: 127, 100, 000

Government: Constitutional
Monarchy (Emperor)

Major Imports/Exports: Machinery
and Manufactured goods

Currency: Yen

Total surface area: 36,009 sq km

Capital: Taipei

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Religion: Mix of Confucianism,
Buddhism and Taoism

Population: 22, 500, 000

Government: Republic

Major Imports/Exports: Textiles and
machinery

Currency: New Taiwan Dollar

Total surface area: 120,540 sq km

Capital: Pyongyang

Language: Korean

Religion: Cultural influences of
Buddhism and Confucianism

Population: 22, 000, 000

Government: Communist

Major Imports/Exports: Minerals
and petroleum

Currency: Won

Total surface area: 100,210 sq km

Capital: Seoul

Language: Korean

Religion: Christianity is the largest
religion, followed by Atheism and
Buddhism

Population: 48, 000, 000

Government: Republic

Major Imports/Exports: Electronic
equipment and machinery

Currency: Won
There are many statistical measures of the large difference in the
quality of life between the North and the South. One gripping
visual indication comes from a satellite picture of the Korean
peninsula at night. Compared to its neighbors, North Korea
(outlined for clarity) seems like a black hole. Source:
chartercities.org/blog/37
The Ring of Fire is the
circle of volcanoes
bordering the Pacific
Ocean.
An arc of islands east
of China marks where
the Pacific, Philippine
and Eurasian tectonic
plates meet. Most of
the mountainous
islands, including
Taiwan and Japan,
were formed by
volcanic activity.
Plate movements
cause frequent
earthquakes that can
generate tsunamis
and violent volcano
eruptions.

Japan is an archipelago- an island chain

Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest peak at 12,388 ft.

The islands of Japan are totally surrounded by bodies of waterthe Sea of Okhotsk to the north, the Sea of Japan and the East
China Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the south and the
Pacific Ocean to the west.

The Korean Peninsula separates the Sea of Japan and the
Yellow Sea. It is home to both North and South Korea.

The highest point in North Korea is Baekdu Mountain which is a
volcanic mountain near the Chinese border.

The Han River flows through South Korea’s capital of Seoul.
Cherry Blossoms And Mount Fuji in Japan

As islands, both Japan and Taiwan import many of their
resources.

Japan, Taiwan and South Korea enjoy booming fishing
industries, however Japan has been criticized for overfishing. With only 2% of the world’s population, Japan
consumes 15% of the global fish catch.

Taiwan has a small mineral reserve, however the coal
supply is almost exhausted. There is an abundance of
cedar and oak.

North Korea has an abundance of iron ore and tungsten
while South Korea has graphite.

All four countries share mid-latitude climates

Taiwan, part of South Korea and the southern part of
Japan experience a humid, subtropical climate with
warm/hot summers and heavy rains from the Pacific
monsoons. Taiwan receives monsoon rains twice a year.

The northeastern quarter of North Korea and Japan have
a cooler humid climate. Their summers are warm, but their
winters are very cold and snowy.

Ocean currents influence climate especially in Japan. The
warm water Japan Current and the cold Kuril Current
have an effect on the monsoons

All are less vulnerable to drought than China due to their
close proximity to the ocean
As a group of islands, Japan’s seasons are very unique and beautiful. Shown are
the four seasons in Japan- Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Source: http://megamalljapan.blogspot.com/2010/07

Because of their location, Japan, Taiwan
and both Koreas experience natural
disasters that can sometimes be very
deadly

All four countries are susceptible to
tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons,
flooding caused my monsoon rains and
volcanic eruptions.
A tsunami wave crashes over a street in Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, in
northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011.
Source: news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011