CHAPTER 1: GEOGRAPY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

INTRODUCTION

As starting point of the study of the culture and society in Southeast Asia, we need to realize
that geographical background of the region is necessary to be known first before going further of
knowing its cultural and societal background. There are two branches of geography that we need to
consider in our study; the physical geography and human geography. Physical geography looks at the
natural processes of the Earth, such as climate topography, soil, forest and other physical features of
the countries that compose the region of Southeast Asia. Human geography looks at the impact and
behavior of people and how they relate to the physical world.

Human geography looks at the impact and behavior of people and how they relate to the
physical world. However, it is important to remember that all areas of geography are
interconnected: for example, the way human CO2 emissions affect the climate is part of both
physical and human geography. The main area of geography that looks at the connection between
physical and human geography is called environmental geography.

Human geography concerns the understanding of the dynamics of cultures, societies and
economies, and physical geography concerns the understanding of the dynamics of landscapes and
the environment.

Geography puts this understanding of social and physical processes within the context of
place - recognizing the great differences in cultures, political systems, economies, landscapes and
environment across the world, and exploring the links between them. Understanding the causes of
differences and inequalities between places and social groups underlie much of the newer
developments in human geography.

Geography provides an ideal framework for relating other fields of knowledge. It is not
surprising that those trained as geographers often contribute substantially to the applied
management of resources and environments.

Can you now answer the question, why we need to study first the geography of Southeast
Asia before we go further with our study of the culture and society in the region? Try to answer this
question before you proceed to the next part of this module.

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

The following are the specific learning outcomes expected to be realized by the learner after
the completion of this module:
1. Describe the geographical features of Southeast Asia in terms of its climate, topography,
soils and forests.
2. Distinguish the differences between the mainland region and the insular region.
3. Determine the impact of the environmental geography of the countries that comprises
Southeast Asia in relation to its location and other geographical factors.

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LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Unlock the difficulties by performing this preparatory activity first. Get the
understanding of the following main concepts before you proceed to the next part of this
module by writing your understanding in the space provided after the terms.

1. Geography
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2. Continent
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3. Climate
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4. Topography
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5. Region
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Read the content and acquire further detailed information by accessing the sources
provided.

GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

The region between China, India, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean is known as
Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia includes countries with political boundaries creating many
shapes and sizes. The political borders were created through a combination of factors,
including natural features, traditional tribal distinctions, colonial claims, and political

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agreements. The realm also has the fourth-most populous country in the world, Indonesia.
Southeast Asia is a region of peninsulas and islands. The only landlocked country is the rural
and remote country of Laos, which borders China, Vietnam, and Thailand. The physical
geography of Southeast Asia includes beaches, bays, inlets, and gulfs. The thousands of
islands and remote places allow refuge for a wide variety of cultural groups and provide
havens for rebellious insurgents, modern-day pirates, and local inhabitants.

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a sub region of Asia, consisting of the regions
that are geographically south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent and north-west of
Australia. Southeast Asia is bordered to the north by East Asia, to the west by South Asia and
the Bay of Bengal, to the east by Oceania and the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by
Australia and the Indian Ocean. The region is the only part of Asia that lies partly within the
Southern Hemisphere, although the majority of it is in the Northern Hemisphere.

A. CLIMATE

The climate in Southeast Asia is mainly tropical–hot and humid all year round with
plentiful rainfall. Northern Vietnam and the Myanmar Himalayas are the only regions in
Southeast Asia that feature a subtropical climate, which has a cold winter with snow. The
majority of Southeast Asia has a wet and dry season caused by seasonal shift in winds or
monsoon. The tropical rain belt causes additional rainfall during the monsoon season. The
rain forest is the second largest on earth (with the Amazon being the largest). An exception
to this type of climate and vegetation is the mountain areas in the northern region, where

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high altitudes lead to milder temperatures and drier landscape. Other parts fall out of this
climate because they are desert like.

Southeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change in the world.
Climate change will have a big effect on agriculture in Southeast Asia such as irrigation
systems will be affected by changes in rainfall and runoff, and subsequently, water quality
and supply. Climate change is also likely to pose a serious threat to the fisheries industry in
Southeast Asia.

B. TOPOGRAPHY

Southeast Asia’s landscape is characterized by three intermingled physical elements:

mountain ranges, plains and plateaus, and water in the form of both shallow seas and
extensive drainage systems. Of these, the rivers probably have been of the greatest
historical and cultural significance; for waterways have decisively shaped forms of
settlement and agriculture, determined fundamental political and economic patterns, and
helped define the nature of Southeast Asians’ worldview and distinctive cultural syncretism.
It also has been of great importance that Southeast Asia, which is the most easily accessible
tropical region in the world, lies strategically astride the sea passage between East Asia and
the Middle Eastern–Mediterranean world.

The physiography of Southeast Asia has been formed to a large extent by the
convergence of three of the Earth’s major crustal units: the Eurasian, Indian-Australian, and
Pacific plates. The land has been subjected to a considerable amount of faulting, folding,
uplifting, and volcanic activity over geologic time, and much of the region is mountainous.
There are marked structural differences between the mainland and insular portions of the
region.

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C. SOILS AND FORESTS

Southeast Asia, on balance, has a higher proportion of relatively fertile soils than
most tropical regions, and soil erosion is less severe than elsewhere. Much of the region,
however, is covered by tropical soils that generally are quite poor in nutrients. Often the
profusion of plant life is more related to heat and moisture than to soil quality, even though
these climatic conditions intensify both chemical weathering and the rate of bacterial action
that usually improve soil fertility. Once the vegetation cover is removed, the supply of
humus quickly disappears. In addition, the often heavy rainfall leaches the soils of their
soluble nutrients, hastens erosion, and damages the soil texture. The leaching process in
part results in laterites of reddish clay that contain hydroxides of iron and alumina.

Laterite soils are common in parts of Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam and also
occur in the islands of the Sunda Shelf, notably Borneo. The most fertile soils occur in
regions of volcanic activity, where they eject chemically alkaline or neutral. Such soils are
found in parts of Sumatra and much of Java in Indonesia. The alluvial soils of the river valleys
also are highly fertile and are intensively cultivated.

Southeast Asia is home to nearly 15% of the world’s tropical forests. However, the
region is also among the world’s major deforestation hot spots, and ranks among the highest
in terms of severe biodiversity loss, mostly due to the conversion of intact forests into
plantations, such as for palm oil.

Southeast Asia lost about 80 million hectare of forest between 2005 and 2015, and it
is feared that such deforestation could lead to over 40% of Southeast Asia's biodiversity
vanishing by 2100. Human activities such as logging and clear-cutting for food production,
cash crops and agriculture are the main drivers of this forest loss.

Forests of Southeast Asia are known for their high biodiversity, arguably among the
greatest in the world. They have been the subject of much international attention over the
past decades.

The sub-region is a major player in the tropical timber trade. Meranti timber from
the dipterocarp forests and teak from Java, Myanmar and Thailand are among the better-
known tropical timbers of the world. Plantation forestry is widely practiced; the teak
plantations of Java and the rubber plantations of Malaysia are prime examples. Special
management systems for tropical natural forests have been developed in the sub region.

D. MAINLAND AND INSULAR REGIONS

Southeast Asia can be divided into two geographic regions. The mainland portion,
which is connected to India and China, extends south into what has been called the
Indochina Peninsula or Indochina, a name given to the region by France. This mainland
region consists of the countries of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar
(Burma). This region has been influenced historically by India and China. The islands or
insular region to the south and east consist of nations surrounded by water. The countries in
this region include Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor, and the Philippines.

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a sub region of Asia, consisting of the regions
that are geographically south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent and north-west of

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Australia. Southeast Asia is bordered to the north by East Asia, to the west by South Asia and
the Bay of Bengal, to the east by Oceania and the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by
Australia and the Indian Ocean. The region is the only part of Asia that lies partly within the
Southern Hemisphere, although the majority of it is in the Northern Hemisphere. In
contemporary definition, Southeast Asia consists of two geographic regions.

E. PRESENT-DAY COUNTRIES AND ADJACENT REGIONS

Southeast Asia is composed of eleven countries of impressive diversity in religion,

culture and history: Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It is also one of the most
dynamic areas of the world economically, a factor which largely accounts for its growing
international significance.

CAMBODIA - Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation whose landscape spans low-lying plains,
the Mekong Delta, mountains and Gulf of Thailand coastline. Phnom Penh, its capital, is
home to the art deco Central Market, glittering Royal Palace and the National Museum's
historical and archaeological exhibits. In the countrys northwest are the ruins of Angkor Wat,
a massive stone temple complex built during the Khmer Empire.

THAILAND - It's known for tropical beaches, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate
temples displaying figures of Buddha. In Bangkok, the capital, an ultramodern cityscape rises
next to quiet canal side communities and the iconic temples of Wat Arun, Wat Pho and the
Emerald Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Kaew). Nearby beach resorts include bustling Pattaya
and fashionable Hua Hin.

BRUNEI - a tiny nation on the island of Borneo, in 2 distinct sections surrounded by Malaysia
and the South China Sea. It's known for its beaches and bio diverse rainforest, much of it
protected within reserves. The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is home to the opulent
Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque and its 29 golden domes. The capital's massive Istana
Nurul Iman palace is the residence of Brunei’s ruling sultan.

MAYANMAR (BURMA) - Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a Southeast Asian nation of more

than 100 ethnic groups, bordering India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. Yangon
(formerly Rangoon), the country's largest city, is home to bustling markets, numerous parks
and lakes, and the towering, gilded Shwedagon Pagoda, which contains Buddhist relics and
dates to the 6th century.

TIMOR-LESTE - or East Timor, a Southeast Asian nation occupying half the island of Timor, is
ringed by coral reefs teeming with marine life. Landmarks in the capital, Dili, speak to the
country's struggles for independence from Portugal in 1975 and then Indonesia in 2002. The
iconic 27m-tall Cristo Rei de Dili statue sits on a hilltop high over the city, with sweeping
views of the surrounding bay.

INDONESIA - officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia, between the
Indian and Pacific oceans. It is the world's largest island country, with more than seventeen
thousand islands, and at 1,904,569 square kilometers, the 14th largest by land area and 7th
in the combined sea and land area.

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LAOS - is a Southeast Asian country traversed by the Mekong River and known for
mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture, hill tribe settlements and Buddhist
monasteries. Vientiane, the capital, is the site of the That Luang monument, where a
reliquary reportedly houses the Buddha’s breastbone, plus the Patuxai war memorial and
Talat Sao (Morning Market), a complex jammed with food, clothes and craft stalls.

MALAYSIA - Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country occupying parts of the Malay Peninsula
and the island of Borneo. It's known for its beaches, rainforests and mix of Malay, Chinese,
Indian and European cultural influences. The capital, Kuala Lumpur, is home to colonial
buildings, busy shopping districts such as Bukit Bintang and skyscrapers such as the iconic,
451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers.

SINGAPORE - an island city-state off southern Malaysia, is a global financial center with a
tropical climate and multicultural population. Its colonial core centers on the Padang, a
cricket field since the 1830s and now flanked by grand buildings such as City Hall, with its 18
Corinthian columns. In Singapore's circa-1820 Chinatown stands the red-and-gold Buddha
Tooth Relic Temple, said to house one of Buddha's teeth.

VIETNAM - is a Southeast Asian country on the South China Sea known for its beaches,
rivers, Buddhist pagodas and bustling cities. Hanoi, the capital, pays homage to the nation’s
iconic Communist-era leader, Ho Chi Minh, via a huge marble mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh City
(formerly Saigon) has French colonial landmarks, plus Vietnamese War history museums and
the Củ Chi tunnels, used by Viet Cong soldiers.

PHILIPPINES - officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in

Southeast Asia. Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands that
are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon,
Visayas and Mindanao.

Most countries in the region enjoy national autonomy. Democratic forms of

government and the recognition of human rights are taking root. ASEAN provides a
framework for the integration of commerce, and regional responses to international
concerns.

China has asserted broad claims over the South China Sea, based on its Nine-Dash
Line, and has built artificial islands in an attempt to bolster its claims. China also has asserted
an exclusive economic zone based on the Spratly Islands. The Philippines challenged China in
the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013, and in Philippines v. China (2016),
the Court ruled in favor of the Philippines and rejected China's claims.

SOURCES:
1. https://www.britannica.com/place/Southeast-Asia
2. https://asiasociety.org/education/introduction-southeast-asia
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia
4. https://www.csis.org/analysis/southeast-asia-2019-four-issues-watch
5. http://ontheworldmap.com/asia/map-of-southeast-asia.html

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 After reading the content, answer the following questions and perform the
suggested activities.

CHALLENGE YOUR SELF

1. Describe the geographical features of Southeast Asia in terms of the following

factors:

a. Climate
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b. Topography
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c. Soils
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d. Forests
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2. Distinguish the differences between the mainland region and the insular region of
Southeast Asia by filling-in five (5) characteristics of both regions in the table below.

Mainland Region Insular Region

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 3. Determine the impact of the environmental geography of the countries that
comprises Southeast Asia in relation to its location and other geographical factors on
the following aspects of the society of Southeast Asian Countries.

a. Economic aspect
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b. Political aspect
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c. Social aspect
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TRY THIS OUT

1. Draw the political map of Southeast Asia and label the countries comprising the
region. You may also include indications of any physical features found in the area.

2. Create a geographical profile of the Southeast Asia as a region. Include in this profile
the dominant natural resources found in the area, its means of livelihood, major
products tradition and culture, and other unique or distinct features.