Asia

• Context

  The set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event. In geography this tends to give us background information about a place to help us understand it better e.g. political or historical context.

   
• The Silk Road

  A historical network of trade routes between Asia and Europe from approximately 100BC until around 1453.  Chinese silk was the main thing traded, but spices, jewels, perfumes, tea, dates and porcelain were traded too.

   
• Colonisation

  When one country has part or total control over another country.  The USA and some European powers took control of several countries in the past. The British Empire ruled over ‘colonies’ - the many countries under its control.

   
• Relief

  The height and shape of the land.

   
• Plateau

  A flat, elevated landform that rises sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side.

   
• Plate tectonics

  Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that move over the mantle.  As these plates move, they create tectonic activity such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

   
• Climate

  The average weather of a place over 30 years.

   
• Monsoon

  A seasonal change in wind direction that occurs in SE Asia, bringing with it heavy rain.

   
• Biome

  A large scale ecosystem e.g. Tropical rainforest, desert.

   
• Population distribution

  The spread of people in an area.

   
• Population density

  The number of people living in a given area, measured in people per km2.

   
• Population pyramid

  A graph that shows us the structure of the population, showing age and gender distribution.

   
• Life expectancy

  The average age a person is expected to live to.

   
• Urbanisation

  The growth of populations living in urban (built up) areas compared to rural (countryside) areas.

   
• Informal settlement

  An area of poor-quality housing, lacking in amenities such as water supply, sewerage and electricity, which often develops spontaneously and illegally in a city in a developing/emerging country.

   
• Poverty

  When people experience a lack of money and access to vital resources such as food, safe drinking water, shelter, education and healthcare.

   
• Globalisation

  The process of countries all over the world becoming more connected via trade and cultural exchange.

   
• TNC

  Trans-national company/corporation.  A company that operates in more than one country.

   
• GDP

  Gross domestic product.  The total amount of money a country makes.  This can be divided by the population to get a value “per capita”.

   
• Superpower

  A powerful and influential nation that is able to spread its influence all over the world in a number of ways.

   
• Infrastructure

  The basic equipment and structures (such as electricity connections, sewage systems, roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organisation to function properly.
• 47 countries in asia
• Some of Asia's physical geography

  • Ural Mountains in Russia
  • Himalayas mountain range in Nepal/China/India/Bhutan
  • The Dead sea in Israel/Jordan
  • Mount Fuji, Japan
  • Yangtze river in China
  • Gobi desert in China/Mongolia
  • Tibetan Plateau in China/Bhutan/India/Nepal/Pakistan
• Longitude : Longitude measures distance east or west of the prime meridian. Lines of longitude, also called meridians, are imaginary lines that divide the Earth. They run north to south from pole to pole, but they measure the distance east or west. Longitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds.
• Latitude :

  Latitude measures the distance north or south of the equator. Latitude lines start at the equator (0 degrees latitude) and run east and west, parallel to the equator. Lines of latitude are measured in degrees north or south of the equator to 90 degrees at the North or South poles
• •Asia covers a massive area – it is the largest continent in the world and has an area of over 17 million square kilometres. 

  •There are some key processes which help determine the climate.
• Why is Asia climate so diverse

  
  

  Altitude

  
  

  •As altitude increases, the temperature decreases as the composition of the air changes.  For every 100m you gain in height, the temperature decreases by approx. 1°C

  •Mountains can also protect from cold winds and create relief rainfall.
• why is asia climate so diverse

  Latitude

  •Temperatures drop the further an area is from the equator due to the curvature of the earth.

  •In areas closer to the poles, sunlight has a larger area of atmosphere to pass through and the sun is at a lower angle in the sky. As a result, more energy is lost and temperatures are cooler.
• What is atmospheric circulation?

  It is the constant movement of air within the Earth's atmosphere that distributes heat.
• How many circulation cells are there in atmospheric circulation?

  There are three circulation cells: the Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells.
• What are the names of the three circulation cells?

  The three circulation cells are the Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells.
• the mosoon

  •Each year there is a season of heavy rainfall that falls from June-September in Southern Asia.

  During this time a large proportion of the area’s annual precipitation falls, with the remaining months of the year being much drier
• Atmospheric circulation

  The Earth's atmosphere circulates heat through three main cells

  • Hadley Cell: Warm air rises at the equator, causing rain and wet climates, then cools and sinks around 30° latitude, creating dry deserts.
  • Ferrel Cell: Between 30° and 60° latitude, air flows opposite to the Hadley and Polar cells, bringing mixed weather.
  • Polar Cell: Cold air sinks at the poles and flows toward 60° latitude, meeting warmer air and creating low-pressure, wetter regions.

  Asia spans multiple latitudes, experiencing the effects of all three cells, resulting in diverse climates.
• How a monsoon works

  A monsoon occurs due to the land heating up faster than the sea, creating a low-pressure zone over the land as warm air rises. Moist air from the Indian Ocean is drawn in to fill the low pressure, rising over the Himalayas where it cools, condenses, and causes heavy rain, especially in the foothills. As temperatures drop in September, the land cools, winds reverse, and the dry season begins.
• Southern Asia has a monsoon climate : part of yr is much wetter than rest of yr

  This is bc wind blows from southwest form June untill September, bringing moisture from the Indian Ocean onto the land. In October these winds reverse and blow from the northeast. These winds are much drier. Some areas are a long way from the ocean, so recieve less rain than others
• Biome - Large scale ecosystem. It is also a region that has its own distinct climate, plants, and animals
• Asia's biomes

  • tundra
  • Taiga
  • Steepes
  • Temperate Forest
  • Cold desert
  • Hot desert
  • Mountain
  • warm moist forest
• Tundra - Cold here, ground is deeply frozen. In summer surface thaws. Ponds from everywhere and low plants grow
• The taiga is found across northern Siberia and parts of Canada. Temperatures can fall to −50 °C in winter but rise to +20 °C in summer. Precipitation is light and comes mainly in the form of snow. Taigas are dominated by coniferous trees like pine, fir, larch, and spruce. Wildlife includes moose, elk, deer, caribou, brown bear, wolf, lynx, hare, squirrel, beaver, otter, and many bird species including eagles, falcons, and owls.
• Taiga - Has thick coniferous trees like spruce + fir. Winters are long and cold summers are short, warm and damp