East Asia Quiz

1. China’s One Child Policy was put into effect in 1979 as an effort to help decrease the problem of overpopulation and other environmental issues. China created this policy or law that allowed families to only have one child. Many see this law as violating the human rights of people because of the strict governmental restrictions. This can sometimes include forced sterilizations and abortions to families who have already had one child. This can also affect the relationships between family members. They will have less opportunity to bond with other brothers, sisters, cousins etc. There is also much pressure to bear a son because they are thought to be valued higher in the Chinese society. Boys can be bigger and stronger and help out more with job tasks.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/11/1171

2. The Three Gorges Dam is the largest dam in the world, which stands at 600 feet and 1.4 miles wide. It was designed to help control flooding, improve navigation on the Chang Jiang, and to generate electricity. This project has cost billions of dollars and has dramatically affected the surrounding environment and population. The dam has negatively disrupted the environment so much that some types of wildlife, such as the fish-sturgeon which may now go extinct. This project has also had a great impact on human life. It has forced over 1.9 million people who once lived where the dam now forms a reservoir to relocate into a different area.
Pulsipher, 2006, p.335-336

3. The connection between China and Sudan is a business relationship. The Chinese buy oil from Sudan, which in turn increases their profit for spending. China has previously supplied Sudan with millions of dollars worth of small arms. These weapons have been thought to be used in the genocide and North vs. South civil war. These events have killed many of innocent civilians of the Darfur region, which has caused people to abandon their homes and families.
http://www.stoparmstosudan.org/pages.asp?id=24

4. According to Pulsipher, Confucianism is closely related to China’s bureaucratic ruling tradition. The goals that Confucius had were to eliminate violence from the society and to help reform the government. The values and beliefs that he created affected the overall structure of families living within Eastern Asia. The model for Confucian philosophy was the patriarchy, which was determined further by gender and age. Confucian ideals were thought to maintain the power and position of emperors and their bureaucratic administrators at the expense of merchants.
Pulsipher, 2006, p. 338-339

5. There are many environmental problems that face China. Many of these issues stem from their over populated and developed country. Air pollution is one of the biggest problems for this region of the world. Pulsipher believes the air quality in China’s cities is among the worst in the world. The air pollution is thought to be caused by the burning of coal and also be the emissions from various vehicles. One direct consequence of this pollution is acid rain. Air pollution can have many lasting effects on the people living in these conditions. One is recurrent illnesses and increase in allergies. This can negatively impact many people’s lives. This can also affect the rest of the world by contributing to global warming by emitting CO2.
Pulsipher, 2006 p.336-337

6. An American’s daily life differs from a Japanese person’s daily life in many ways. The biggest difference between the two cultures is seen in the working world. First, the work days are much longer and businesses expect much more work/dedication to their company. They expect that employees are committed to their work and that they must work overtime. They also expect that leisure time is to be spent with business colleagues to help build and maintain relationships. People living within this culture take the emphasis off of spending time with family, but rather put important business opportunities first. Transportation is another big difference between these two cultures. The transportation systems that are used in Japan are used much often and are more efficient.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e625.html

7. Hong Kong-It is a part of China after the UK cut their ties with them in 1999. It is one of two special administrative regions (SAR) of China. Hong Kong has a special relationship with China because it does not have to participate in the Chinese socialist economic system. It more or less serves as China’s connection to the global economy. Hong Kong is special because it has a capitalists economy where it promotes its low taxes. This freedom allows many businesses to have success.
Macau-This is the second special administrative region (SAR) that is a part of China. Macau has the ability to control its own economics as well as customs, which allows it to have some freedom. Macau is protected by China and this power allows them to control the diplomatic relations. The freedom that is granted to both of these (Hong Kong and Macau) regions allow for a higher quality of life compared to the rest of China.
Taiwan-Today, the status of Taiwan is still unresolved between Taiwan and the Chinese government. There have been many people who have fled to Taiwan to evade and escape the government of China. Taiwan considers that they are independent from China because they have a less controlling government. Similar to the other regions, they offer more freedoms which helps to contribute to the greater quality of life seen in this region.
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country/4562d8cf2/MAC.html

8. The two countries on the Korean Peninsula are North and South Korea. They are separated because of many political differences. The WWII established a boundary (38th Parallel) that today separates the two countries. The U.S. views North Korea as a threat or danger because of their government. They have a communist government and are trying to develop nuclear weapons. These nuclear threats have created much tension between the U.S. and North Korea. The U.S. views South Korea as an ally because of its similar democratic system. They have been allies because of their similar thoughts and beliefs. This relationship is much stronger compared to the relationship between North Korea.
http://www.kedo.org/

9. There have been many conflicts between Tibet and China. Their relationship is seen as a hostile and unstable one. According to the BBC news they reported that the, “allegiances of many Tibetans lie with the exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, seen by his followers as a living god, but by China as a separatist threat" (BBC, 2008). Tibet has been trying to gain independence from China for many years. However, the Chinese government keeps restricting them because of their beliefs and many other issues. This has negatively impacted many people living in Tibet because they say they are losing their characteristics that make them unique.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7299221.stm

Photos courtesy from http://www.bing.com/

South Asia

A. Why does South Asian countries have to deal with monsoons? How do monsoons affect seasons? How have the monsoons affected life in South Asia? Specifically address life in Bangladesh.

-- South Asian countries have to deal with monsoons because of the winter and summer wind patterns. In the winter, there is cool and dry air that flows from South Asia out to the ocean. It is the opposite during the summer because the air with the moisture flows from the Indian Ocean in towards the countries located in South Asia. This brings heavy rains and it affects many different aspects of life. The monsoons can dictate the amount of precipitation a region has, which can affect things like agriculture. The amount of rainfall can either destroy or help crops grow. Monsoon season is especially tough on people who live in Bangladesh. This is because heavy rainfall is common characteristic of this country because of its location. It is located just south of the foothills of the Himalayas which are close to the intertropical convergence zone, which draws a lot of rain. This amount of precipitation makes it very difficult to maintain crops during very wet and very dry seasons.

B. Explain the environmental issues around the Ganges River and the impact this has had on the people of India.

--There are many problems that surround the pollution of the Ganges River. The Ganges River has been important to the people of India because it has served for many years as a resource for drinking, cooking and bathing. This river is now being over-polluted by the people within this country because of several of reasons. The old sewage system which was built by the British has exceeded its capacity. This system, because of its capacity, is now dumping raw sewage directly into the river which leads too much of the pollution. There is also a Hindu tradition in which people scatter their dead loved ones cremated body into the river. However, the process of the cremation is not fully successful and this problem also contributes to the pollution of the river. This pollution has affected the many people who rely on this river for their everyday life. The pollution of this river has caused various illnesses and it doesn’t allow people to use it for their needs. There are many solutions that are trying to be implemented to make this river cleaner to help the people and animals that use this river.

C. In what areas is the population density highest in South Asia and why? What are the reasons for the population growth in South Asia? What impact does the massive population have on South Asia?

--There are many areas within South Asia that have very high population densities. These regions consist of southern and northern India and Bangladesh. There are many factors that have contributed to this massive population growth in South Asia. One reason is because of the incentive to have large families so that the children can contribute to labor such as farming to help the family bring in a larger income. Another factor that is causing high population is because of the poor access to healthcare within these regions. This causes many babies and young children to die at an early age. This means that families will try to have multiple children to ensure that at least one will survive to adulthood. The impact of high population density contributes to many economical and environmental problems. There is not an equal distribution of resources to the people living within these highly populated regions.

D. How did the caste system develop and what affect has it had on the human geography of the region?

--The caste system is an ancient development that divided a society into hereditary hierarchical categories. A person is thought to be born into a given category and destined to live the life of those types of people. This traditional system has had many affects on human geography throughout the years. It has caused much discrimination between classes of high and low standing. Traditionally ones sub-caste would determine where one lived, what they ate, who they were associated with and what type of job and life they would have. Now India has began to try to eliminate the discrimination between the various categories of the caste system. They have begun to implement a affirmative action program that guarantees rights and jobs to those people who are thought to be in the lower classes.

E. What are at the roots of the conflict over the Punjab and Kashmir regions? What groups are involved with the conflict?

--Punjab is the home of the Sikh people. The state of Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947. During this transition, the Sikh community chose to live in the Indian part of Punjab because they thought that their identity would be better protected by living within this region. However, they have felt alienated by the people of India. This has caused much violence between these two groups of people. There have been many deaths due to the violence of angry citizens. Kashmir is a region that has been dominated by Muslim influence. Some of the citizens living within this region believe that it should be turned over to Pakistan. However, the king of Kashmir who is a Hindu wants Kashmir to remain independent. There are many regional conflicts in which people dispute the territorial boundaries of land. These are two examples of regional conflicts of the citizens living within these territories. The conflicts are usually felt by local citizens who want to associate with a different country, but this association can be very troubling because there are many political reasons. Politics play an important factor in determining the regional conflicts.

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