Countries of foreign asia. Cheat Sheet: Overseas Asia

Foreign Asia is the largest part of the world, which is located on the largest continent - Eurasia. The shores of this part of the world are washed by two oceans at once - the Indian and the Pacific. The coastline in the eastern part of the mainland is very indented, and along the coast are the Philippine, Ryukyu and Japanese islands. These islands separate the ocean from its marginal seas - East China, Yellow and Japanese. Southeast of Overseas Asia is the world's largest cluster of archipelagos - the Moluccas, the Lesser and Greater Sunda Islands.

In the southern part of the continent, the Arabian, Hindustan and Indo-Chinese peninsulas protrude into the ocean. They are separated by the Arabian Sea. The islands located in the Indian Ocean - Sri Lanka, Lakandiv, Andaman, Maldives and Nicobar - also belong to this continent.

Geographical position countries on this continent - different:

Mainland countries - Jordan, Mongolia, Laos, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal;
Coastal countries - Pakistan, Iran, India, Israel;
Peninsular countries - Republic of Korea, Oman, Qatar
Countries that occupy the main position - Bahrain, Cyprus;
Archipelagos - Indonesia, Japan, Philippines.

Almost all Asian countries have a coastal position, that is, they are located near the seas.

They also have significant differences in terms of the occupied territory:

Large - there are a large number of them;
Very large countries - Indonesia, Iran, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia;
Giant countries - China, India.

Sub-regions and political map

The population of the largest continent is about 5 billion people living in 46 states. Most of the countries can be attributed to the group of those that are developing. The political map of the mainland was formed under the influence of the colonial seizures of lands by Europe and wars of conquest. Even after the Second World War, the colonial possessions of the Netherlands, France and Great Britain remained on the mainland. And several Asian countries that were formally independent - China, Afghanistan and Iran, were divided according to spheres of influence between large and influential states of that time. Completely different political map the mainland looks now.

More than 20 countries of the mainland have political independence, and at the beginning of the 21st century there were 38 sovereign states. All of them are members of such an organization as the UN.

Countries with a constitutional monarchy:

Monarchy - Qatar, Oman;
Empire of japan
Sultanate - Malaysia;
Kingdoms - Thailand, Bhutan, Cambodia, Jordan;
Emirates - Bahrain.

It should be noted that quite recently there were much more monarchies in this region. Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq, for example, were also governed by a monarchical form of government. Nepal also had a monarchy that existed there for 240 years, however, in 2008 it was abolished. With regards to Saudi Arabia and Brunei, they have a theocratic monarchy. That is, their church head and king are one and the same person.

The mainland is divided into such large parts of the regions:

Central Asia;
South-East;
Southwest;
South;
Eastern.

These sub-regions of the mainland are cultural and historical, differing in natural, religious, ethnolinguistic and historical factors. The analysis of the map makes it possible to conclude that the sub-region of East Asia has the unconditional superiority, moreover, both in terms of the size of the territories and the number of population. Thanks to China, of course. Second place is, thanks to India, South Asia. And Southwest Asia is in first place in terms of the number of countries located there, which have small territories and population.

Economic centers of Asia

There are five centers of the world economy on the mainland. Among them, a special place belongs to such separate countries as: Japan, India, China and two more groups of states - new oil-exporting and industrial states.

The social and economic development of the PRC has experienced many ups and downs. However, the implementation of the economic reform, which was started there in the 70s and was based on the planned, as well as market development economy, has become the cause of a sharp rise in the economy. In terms of GDP, the PRC managed to come out on top in the world already in the 90s, surpassing only Japan and the United States. A little later, in 2006, the PRC overtook Japan in GDP indicator and took 2nd place in the world economic rating... By the beginning of 2020, the PRC expects a 4-fold increase in GDP.

The economic sphere of Japan, which was completely destroyed during the war, not only recovered, but also radically rebuilt. Japan has become a world power after America and is the only member from Asia in the G7. However, Japan's "economic miracle" eventually came to naught, and this became the reason for the slowdown in the country's development. Japan's economy was negatively impacted by financial crisis that covered Southeast Asia in the 90s.

Another state plays a very important role in the world economic market. the region- India. The economic reforms that were carried out here in the 90s accelerated the development of India as much as possible. This state, after the countries included in the "big seven" and China, was able to take the 9th place in the world market in terms of volume industrial production... However, if you look at the country's per capita indicators, there is simply an incredible lag behind most countries in the world.

There is one more economically powerful "backbone" formed relatively recently - these are the new industrial states. This group includes two "echelons":

The first consists of countries such as Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. These countries are called "Asian tigers";
The second includes: Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. All three countries are members of an association such as ASEAN.

Back in the 80s, these countries began to transform their economies like Japan. Now they are successfully developing the petrochemical, oil refining and automotive industries. The electronics, electrical and shipbuilding industries are well developed. The production of consumer goods - footwear, fabrics, clothing - is constantly increasing. The reason that these countries have achieved their " economic miracle", Foreign investments and the activity of local businessmen have become. By the level of high economic development on the mainland, one can distinguish such states as: China, Turkey, Israel, Iran, as well as Pakistan. There are also countries that are much less developed, such as Cambodia, Yemen, Laos, Afghanistan, Myanmar, etc.

Foreign Asia includes 48 states and is subdivided into 5 sub-regions. The subregions of Overseas Asia are Southwest, South, Southeast, East and Central Asia. What are the features and geographic location of these regions?

general characteristics

The area of Overseas Asia is 32 million square meters. km. All 48 states can be divided into island, inland and coastal. The island states include, for example, Japan, the Maldives, etc., to the coastal states - India, South Korea, etc., to the inland states - Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, etc.

Rice. 1. Table characteristics of Foreign Asia.

Out of 48 countries, only 4 states can be called economically developed. These are Japan, Singapore, Israel, South Korea. The rest of the countries belong to the group of developing countries.

The climate of Western Asia is diverse. The region is located in the subtropical, equatorial (extreme south) and temperate zones (north of the region).

Western Asia is washed by many bays, seas and oceans. Asia has access to all four oceans: in the north it is washed by the waters of the Arctic Ocean, in the east by the Pacific Ocean, in the south by the Indian Ocean, and in the west by the Red Sea, which belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin.

The natural conditions of the regions are very diverse. The main Natural resources- oil (countries of the Persian Gulf), gas (countries of the Persian Gulf, Turkmenistan), coal and iron ore (China, India), non-ferrous metal ores. There is an extremely uneven supply of mineral resources in the region. In most countries, there is a lack of land, and in South-West and Central Asia - water resources.

Industry and agriculture

According to the level of industrial development, 6 groups of countries are distinguished:

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Japan (second in the world in terms of economic potential) - high level industrial development. Israel is also developing rapidly.
China and India stand out for their large scale of production, but lag behind in the production of goods for the share of the population.
New industrialized countries(NIS) (Korea, Singapore). The basis of the economy is the manufacturing industry (including mechanical engineering).
Oil exporting countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait). The economy is based on oil production.
Countries with initial industrialization: mining and light industry (Mongolia, Vietnam, etc.)
Least developed countries (Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Bhutan), where modern industry is almost absent.

Agriculture represented by three types:

Growing of rice, tea, sugar cane, etc. (areas with a monsoon climate).
Subtropical agriculture, which is widespread in Mediterranean countries (fruits, grapes, citrus fruits, olives, wheat).
Cultivation of cereals, pasture cattle breeding, widespread in dry regions of Central, South, South-West Asia.

Rice. 2. Flooded rice cultivation fields in China.

For all types, cotton is an important crop and is largely exported.

Population of Overseas Asia

4.2 billion people live on the territory of Overseas Asia. 50% of the world's population is concentrated here. The most populous country is China, with a population of 1.4 billion. The population density is extremely uneven: high density in coastal and island states, low - in desert states (for example, Mongolia and Kazakhstan). The region has a very low level of urbanization.

Among the countries, the state with the highest population density is Bangladesh with the capital Dhaka.

Rice. 3. Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh.

The composition of the population of Overseas Asia is ethnically very complex. More than 1 thousand peoples live on its territory, which belong to different linguistic families. The largest peoples are the Chinese, Japanese, Biharians, Bengalis.

EGP of Overseas Asia

In the EGP of Foreign Asia there are positive and negative sides... One of the positive features is the coastal location of most of the countries in the region. In addition, there are mineral resources that are diverse and are the basis for the existence of heavy and light industries. Thanks to a large number oil produced in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Asia occupies an important place in the world economy.

There are five centers of Overseas Asia:

China;
Japan;
India;
NIS (newly industrialized countries);
oil exporting countries).

What have we learned?

Overseas Asia is a large macro-region with five sub-regions. Occupying an area of 32 million sq. km, and having 48 states, this territory plays an important role in the world economy. In this article for the 11th grade of geography, brief information is given about the regions, their geographic location and economic features.

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Discipline "Asian Country Studies" Lecture 1

General economic and geographical characteristics of Asia

Overseas asia(ZA) is the largest region in the world in terms of area and population, and it retains this primacy, in essence, throughout the entire existence of human civilization.

Square Z.A.- 27 million km2, it includes more than 40 sovereign states. Many of them are among the oldest in the world.

PER.- one of the centers of the origin of mankind, the birthplace of agriculture, artificial irrigation, cities, many cultural values and scientific achievements. Most of the countries in the region are developing countries.

Geographical position. general review

The economies of Asian countries are determined by their neighboring position, the coastal position of most countries, deep location some countries.

The first two features have a beneficial effect on their economy, and the third makes it difficult for external economic relations.

The political structure of the countries is very diverse: Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Jordan

Natural conditions and resources

The region is extremely heterogeneous in terms of tectonic structure and relief: within its limits, the greatest amplitude of heights on earth is noted, both ancient Precambrian platforms and areas of young Cenozoic folding, grandiose mountainous countries and vast plains are located here. As a result, the mineral resources of Asia are very diverse. The main basins of coal, iron and manganese ores, and nonmetallic minerals are concentrated within the Chinese and Hindustan platforms. Ores predominate within the Alpine-Himalayan and Pacific fold belts. But the main wealth of the region, which also determines its role in the MGRT, is oil. Oil and gas reserves have been explored in most of the countries of South-West Asia, but the main fields are located in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran.

Asia's agro-climatic resources are heterogeneous. Vast tracts of mountainous countries, deserts and semi-deserts are not very suitable for economic activity, with the exception of animal husbandry; the provision of arable land is low and continues to decline (as the population grows and soil erosion increases). But on the plains of the east and south, rather favorable conditions are created for agriculture.

Asia has 3/4 of the world's irrigated land.

Population

Ethnic composition Asian population It is also extremely complex: more than 1,000 peoples live here - from small ethnic groups numbering several hundred people to the largest nations in the world. The four peoples of the region (Chinese, Hindus, Bengalis and Japanese) each make up over 100 million.

The peoples of Asia belong to about 15 language families. This linguistic diversity is not found in any other major region of the planet. The most ethnolinguistically complex countries are India, Sri Lanka, Cyprus. East and South-West Asia, with the exception of Iran and Afghanistan, is characterized by a more homogeneous ethnic composition.

The complex composition of the population in many parts of the region (India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, etc.) leads to acute interethnic conflicts.

Overseas asia- the homeland of all major religions, including 3 world religions: Christianity, Buddhism, Islam. Among other national religions, it is necessary to note Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism. In many countries, interethnic contradictions are based precisely on religious contradictions.

The population of overseas Asia is unevenly distributed: the population density ranges from 1 to 800 people. for 1 km2! In some areas, it reaches 2000 people. per 1 km2.

The growth rate of the region's urban population is so high (3.3%) that this growth has come to be called the "urban explosion", but despite this, in terms of urbanization (34%), foreign Asia is in the penultimate place among the regions of the world.

For rural settlement, the village form is most characteristic.

Farm

The role of overseas Asia as a whole in the world economy has grown significantly in recent decades. But differences in the levels of development and specialization of individual countries are expressed here better than in overseas Europe... 6 groups of countries can be distinguished: Japan - occupies a separate position, since it is the "power number 2" of the Western world, the only member of the "big seven" in this region. According to many important indicators, it occupies a leading position among economically developed countries West; China and India - also made great strides in economic and social development for a short time. But in terms of per capita indicators, their successes are still small; the newly industrialized countries of Asia - the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as ASEAN members Thailand and Malaysia. The combination of a profitable EGP and cheap labor resources made it possible, with the participation of Western TNCs, to carry out in the 70-80s. restructuring the economy on the Japanese model. But their economies are export-oriented; oil-producing countries - Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia - the countries of the Persian Gulf, which thanks to "petrodollars" for short term managed to go the path of development, which would have taken them several centuries. Now not only oil production is developing here, but also petrochemistry, metallurgy and other industries; countries with a predominance of mining or light industries in the industrial structure - Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Jordan; the least developed countries - Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen - in these countries, modern industry is practically absent.

Agriculture. In most Asian countries, the bulk of the EAN is engaged in agriculture. In general, the region is characterized by a combination of commodity and consumer economy, landlord land tenure and peasant land use, a sharp predominance of food crops in crops. The food problem in many countries has not yet been resolved; in South and Southeast Asia, tens of millions of people are on the verge of hunger.

In accordance with the distribution of agro-climatic resources, population and traditions, 3 large agricultural regions have developed: a rice-growing region (covering the monsoon sector of East, Southeast and South Asia) combined with tea cultivation in the higher parts; region of subtropical agriculture (Mediterranean coast); the rest of the territory is dominated by the cultivation of wheat, millet, and grazing.

Ecology

As a result of the low culture of farming, the negative anthropogenic impact in foreign Asia is rampant. As a result of intensive mining without environmental protection, extensive agriculture, and an increase in the number of inhabitants, air pollution, depletion of water resources, soil erosion, land alienation, deforestation, and depletion of natural biocenoses occur. Frequent conflicts and wars in the region only exacerbate the situation. For example, the Gulf War led to acid rains, dust storms, massive soot and oil pollution of waters and soils, caused irreparable damage to the fauna and flora of the region. Ecocide is also not less notorious during the American aggression in Vietnam, when over the course of several years the forests of an area of about 0.5 million km2 were deliberately destroyed.

Table 10 - Demographic-socio-economic indicators of the world, Foreign Asia

Indicators	The whole world	Zarub. Asia	China	India	Japan
Area, thousand km 2
Population in 1998, million people
Fertility, ‰
Mortality, ‰
Natural growth
Life expectancy, m / f
Age structure, under 16 / over 65
Share of urban population in 1995,%
GDP per capita in 1995, $

Ogeneral economic and geographical characteristics of Asia

Foreign Asia is the largest region in the world in terms of area and population, and it retains this primacy, in essence, throughout the entire existence of human civilization. The area of Foreign Asia is 27 million km 2, it includes more than 40 sovereign states. Many of them are among the oldest in the world. Foreign Asia is one of the centers of the origin of mankind, the birthplace of agriculture, artificial irrigation, cities, many cultural values and scientific achievements. The region is mainly composed of developing countries.

Geographical position. general review

The region includes countries of various sizes: two of them belong to the giant countries, the rest, mainly, to fairly large countries. The boundaries between them run along well-defined natural boundaries. The EGP of Asian countries is determined by their neighboring position, the coastal position of most countries, the in-depth position of some countries. The first two features have a beneficial effect on their economy, and the third complicates external economic relations. The political structure of the countries is very diverse: Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Jordan are constitutional monarchies, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Brunei, Oman are absolute monarchies, the rest of the states are republics.

Natural conditions and resources

The region is extremely homogeneous in terms of tectonic structure and relief: within its limits, the greatest amplitude of heights on earth is noted, both ancient Precambrian platforms and areas of young Cenozoic folding, grandiose mountainous countries and vast plains are located here. As a result, the mineral resources of Asia are very diverse. The main basins of coal, iron and manganese ores, and nonmetallic minerals are concentrated within the Chinese and Hindustan platforms. Ores predominate within the Alpine-Himalayan and Pacific fold belts. But the main wealth of the region, which also determines its role in the MGRT, is oil. Oil and gas reserves have been explored in most of the countries of South-West Asia, but the main fields are located in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran. Asia's agro-climatic resources are heterogeneous. Vast tracts of mountainous countries, deserts and semi-deserts are not very suitable for economic activities, with the exception of animal husbandry; the provision of arable land is low and continues to decline (as the population grows and soil erosion increases).

Population

The population of Asia is 3.1 billion people. All countries in the region, with the exception of Japan, belong to the 2nd type of population reproduction, and now they are in a state of the so-called "population explosion". Some countries are fighting this phenomenon by pursuing a demographic policy (India, China), but most countries do not pursue such a policy, the rapid growth of the population and its rejuvenation continue. At the current rate of population growth, it could double in 30 years. Among the subregions of Asia, East Asia has moved farthest from the peak of the population boom. The ethnic composition of the Asian population is also extremely complex: more than 1,000 peoples live here - from small ethnic groups numbering several hundred people to the largest nations in the world. The four peoples of the region (Chinese, Hindus, Bengalis and Japanese) each make up over 100 million. The peoples of Asia belong to about 15 language families. This linguistic diversity is not found in any other major region of the planet. The most ethnolinguistically complex countries: India, Sri Lanka, Cyprus. East and South-West Asia, with the exception of Iran and Afghanistan, is characterized by a more homogeneous ethnic composition. The complex composition of the population in many parts of the region (India. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, etc.) leads to acute interethnic conflicts. Foreign Asia is the birthplace of all major religions, all three world religions were born here: Christianity, Buddhism, Muslims. Among other national religions, it is necessary to note Confucianism (China), Taoism, Shintoism. In many countries, interethnic contradictions are based precisely on religious grounds. The population of overseas Asia is unevenly distributed: the population density ranges from 1 to 800 people. by 1 km 2. In some areas, it reaches 2000 people. per 1 km 2 The growth rates of the region's urban population are so high (3.3%) that this growth has come to be called the "urban explosion". But despite this, in terms of urbanization (34%), Asia Abroad is in the penultimate place among the regions of the world. For rural settlement, the village form is most characteristic.

Farm

The role of overseas Asia as a whole in the world economy has grown significantly in recent decades. But the differences in the levels of development and specialization of individual countries are expressed here better than in foreign Europe.

There are 6 groups of countries:

1. Japan - occupies a separate position, as it is the "power number 2" of the Western world, the only member of the G7 in this region. According to many important indicators, it occupies a leading position among the economically developed countries of the West;

2. China and India - also made great strides in economic and social development in a short time. But in terms of per capita indicators, their successes are still small;

3. the newly industrialized countries of Asia - the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as ASEAN members Thailand and Malaysia. The combination of a profitable EGP and cheap labor resources made it possible, with the participation of Western TNCs, to carry out in the 70-80s. restructuring the economy on the Japanese model. But their economies are export-oriented;

4. oil-producing countries - Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other countries of the Persian Gulf, which thanks to "petrodollars" in a short time managed to go the path of development, which would take them several centuries. Now not only oil production is developing here, but also petrochemistry, metallurgy and other industries;

5. countries with a predominance of mining or light industry in the industrial structure - Mongolia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Jordan.

Agriculture

In most Asian countries, the bulk of the EAN is engaged in agriculture. In general, the region is characterized by a combination of commodity and consumer economy, landlord land tenure and peasant land use, a sharp predominance of food crops in crops. The food problem in many countries has not yet been resolved; in South and Southeast Asia, tens of millions of people are on the verge of hunger. In accordance with the distribution of agro-climatic resources, population and traditions, 3 large agricultural regions have developed: a rice-growing region (covering the monsoon sector of East, Southeast and South Asia) combined with tea cultivation in the higher parts; region of subtropical agriculture (Mediterranean coast); the rest of the territory is dominated by the cultivation of wheat, millet, and grazing.

Ecology

As a result of the low culture of farming, the negative anthropogenic impact in foreign Asia is rampant. As a result of intensive mining without environmental protection, extensive agriculture, and an increase in the number of inhabitants, air pollution, depletion of water resources, soil erosion, land alienation, deforestation, and depletion of natural biocenoses occur. Frequent conflicts and wars in the region only exacerbate the situation. For example, the Gulf War led to acid rains, dust storms, massive soot and oil pollution of waters and soils, caused irreparable damage to the fauna and flora of the region. Ecocide is also not less notorious during the American aggression in Vietnam, when forests on an area of about 0.5 million km 2 were deliberately destroyed over the course of several years.

China

Territory - 9.6 million km 2. Population - 1 billion 222 million people since 1995 Capital - Beijing.

The PRC, the third largest country in the world and the first in terms of population, is located in central and eastern Asia. The state borders on 16 countries, 1/3 of the borders are in the CIS countries. The economic and geographical position of the PRC is very beneficial, since being located along the Pacific coast (15 thousand km), the country has access to the sea from the most remote inland corners through the Yangtze River. The coastal position of the PRC contributes to the development of its economy and foreign economic relations. China is one of the oldest states in the world, which emerged in the XIV century BC, has a very complex history. Due to the obvious benefits of its position, the richness of natural and agro-climatic resources throughout its existence, China has attracted the eyes of various conquerors. Even in ancient times, the country fenced itself with a partially preserved Great Wall of China. In the last century, China was a pro-colony of England, after being defeated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. The country was divided into spheres of influence between England, France, Germany, Japan and Russia. In 1912, the Republic of China was formed. In 1945, after the defeat of the Japanese invaders with the help of the USSR, the People's Revolution took place. In 1949, the PRC was proclaimed.

Natural conditions and resources

The country is located within the fractured Chinese Precambrian Platform and younger sites. In composition with this, the eastern part is mainly low-lying, and the reserved is elevated and mountainous. Various mineral deposits are associated with various tectonic structures. In terms of their supply, China is one of the leading countries in the world, distinguished primarily by its reserves of coal, ores of non-ferrous and ferrous metals, rare earth elements, and chemical raw materials. In terms of oil and gas reserves, China is inferior to the leading oil countries of the world, but in terms of oil production, the country took the 5th place in the world. The main oil fields are located in North and North-East China, basins of inland China. Among the ore deposits, the Anshan iron ore basin, located in Northeast China, rich in coal, stands out. Non-ferrous metal ores are concentrated mainly in the central and southern provinces. The PRC is located in temperate, subtropical and tropical climatic zones, with a sharply continental climate in the west, and monsoon in the east, with a large amount of precipitation (in summer). Such climatic and soil differences create conditions for the development of agriculture: in the west, in arid regions, livestock and irrigated agriculture are mainly developed, in the east, on the especially fertile lands of the Great Plain of China, agriculture predominates. Water resources The PRC is very large, the eastern, more populated and highly developed part of the country is most provided with them. River waters are widely used for irrigation. In addition, China ranks 1st in the world in terms of theoretical hydropower resources, but their use is still very small. The forest resources of China are generally quite large, concentrated mainly in the northeast (taiga coniferous forests) and in the southeast (tropical and subtropical deciduous forests). They are used extensively on the farm.

Population

China is the first country in the world in terms of population (almost 1300 million people, or 20% of all inhabitants of the Earth), and it has been holding the palm for probably many centuries. In the 70s, the country began to pursue a demographic policy aimed at reducing the birth rate, because after the formation of the PRC (in the 50s), due to a decrease in mortality and an increase in living standards, the rate of population growth increased very quickly. This policy has borne fruit and now the natural growth in China is even below the world average. China is a young country (under the age of 15 - 1/3 of the population). Differs in the intensity of labor migration, both within the country and abroad. The PRC is a multinational country (there are 56 nationalities), but with a sharp predominance of the Chinese - about 95% of the population. They live mainly in the eastern part of the country, in the west (in most of the territory) there are representatives of other nationalities (Guans, Hui, Uighurs, Tibetans, Mongols, Koreans, Manchurs, etc.). Despite the fact that the PRC is a socialist country, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are professed here (in general, the population is not very religious). The country is home to the world center of Buddhism - Tibet, occupied by China in 1951. Urbanization is developing rapidly in the PRC.

Farm

The PRC is an industrial-agrarian socialist country that has been developing at a very fast pace lately. Economic modernization is proceeding at different rates in different regions of China. In East China, special economic zones(FEZ), using their advantageous seaside location. This strip occupies 1/4 of the country's territory, 1/3 of the population lives here and 2/3 of GNP is produced. The average income per inhabitant is four times that of the more backward hinterland. The territorial structure of the country's economy is represented mainly by the existing large industrial centers, agriculture plays an important role, in which most of the economically active population(EAN). In terms of GDP, China has come to the 2nd place in the world, although in terms of GNP per capita it has not yet reached the world average (about $ 500 per year).

Energy

China occupies one of the leading places in the world in the production of energy carriers and in the generation of electricity. The power industry in China is coal (its share in the fuel balance is 75%), oil and gas (mainly artificial) are also used. Most of the electricity is generated by thermal power plants (3/4), mainly coal-fired. Hydroelectric power plants account for 1/4 of electricity generated. There are two nuclear power plants, 10 tidal stations, and a geothermal station has been built in Lhasa.

Ferrous metallurgy- based on its own iron ore, coking coal and alloy metals. In terms of the extraction of iron ore, China occupies the 1st place in the world, and the 2nd place in the production of steel. The technical level of the industry is low. The largest factories in the country are of the greatest importance as in Anshan, Shanghai, Broshen, as well as in Bensi, Beijing, Wuhan, Taiyuan, Chongqing.

Non-ferrous metallurgy. The country has large reserves of raw materials (1/2 of the produced tin, antimony, mercury is exported), but aluminum, copper, lead, zinc are imported. In the north, south and west of China there are mining and processing plants, and in the east - the final stages of production. The main centers of non-ferrous metallurgy are located in the provinces of Liaoning, Yunnan, Hunan, Gansu.

Mechanical engineering and metalworking- occupies 35% in the structure of the industry. Keeps high specific gravity the production of equipment for the textile industry, electronics, electrical engineering, and the automotive industry are rapidly developing. The structure of manufacturing enterprises is diverse: along with modern high-tech enterprises, handicraft factories are widespread. The leading subsectors are heavy machine building, machine tool building, and transport machine building. The automotive industry (6-7 place in the world), electronics and instrument making are developing rapidly. The predominant part of China's engineering products is produced by the coastal zone (over 60%), and mainly in large cities (the main centers are Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian, Beijing, etc.).

Chemical industry... It relies on coke and petrochemical products, mining chemical and plant raw materials. There are two groups of industries: mineral fertilizers, household chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Light industry- traditional and one of the main industries, uses in its own, mainly natural (2/3) raw materials. The leading sub-industry is textile, which provides the country with a leading position in the production and export of fabrics (cotton, silk and others). The sewing, knitwear, leather and footwear subsectors are also developed.

Food industry- for a country with such a large population it is extremely important, the leading is the processing of grain and oilseeds, the production and processing of pork (2/3 of the volume of the meat industry), tea, tobacco and other food products are developed. As before, the country has developed the production of traditional subsectors: textile and clothing.

Agriculture- provides food for the population, supplies raw materials for food and light industries. The leading sub-sector of agriculture is plant growing (rice is the basis of the Chinese diet). Wheat, corn, millet, sorghum, barley, peanuts, potatoes, yame, taro, cassava are also grown; industrial crops - cotton, sugar cane, tea, sugar beets, tobacco, and other vegetables. Livestock remains the least developed branch of agriculture. The basis of livestock breeding is pig breeding. Vegetable growing, poultry farming, beekeeping, and silkworm breeding are also developed. Fisheries play an important role.

Transport- provides mainly the connection of seaports with the hinterland. 3/4 of all cargo transportation is provided by railway transport. Along with the recent increase in the importance of marine, automotive and aviation, the use of traditional species transport: animal-drawn, pack, transport carts, bicycle and especially river.

Internal differences... In the early 1980s, in order to improve planning in China, three economic zones were allocated: Eastern, Central and Western. The eastern one is the most developed; the largest industrial centers and agricultural regions are located here. The center is dominated by the production of fuel and energy, chemical products, raw materials and semi-finished products. The western zone is the least developed (animal husbandry, processing of mineral raw materials).

Foreign economic relations. Foreign economic relations - have been developing especially widely since the 80-90s, which is associated with the formation open economy country. The volume of foreign trade is 30% of China's GDP. In exports, the leading place is occupied by labor-intensive products (clothing, toys, footwear, sporting goods, machinery and equipment). Imports are dominated by mechanical engineering products and vehicles.

India

Territory - 3.28 million km 2. Population - 935.5 million people. The capital is Delhi.

Geographicposition, general information

The Republic of India is located in South Asia on the Indian subcontinent. It also includes the Laccadive Islands in the Arabian Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. India shares borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. The maximum length of India - from north to south - 3200 km, from west to east - 2700 km. India's EGP favors economic development: India is located on sea trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, halfway between the Middle and The Far East... Indian civilization originated in the third millennium BC. e. For almost two centuries, India was a colony of England. India gained independence in 1947, and in 1950 was proclaimed a republic within the British Commonwealth. India is a federal republic of 25 states. Each has its own legislature and government, but with a strong central government.

Natural conditions and resources

The main part of the territory is located within the Indo-Gangetic lowland and the Deccan plateau. India's mineral resources are significant and varied. The main deposits are located in the north-east of the country. Here are the largest iron ore and coal basins, manganese ore deposits; this creates favorable conditions for the development of heavy industries. The minerals of South India are diverse - bauxite, chromite, magnesite, brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands, ferrous metal ores, coal; in the state of Gujarat and on the continental shelf - oil. The climate of the country is mainly subtropical and tropical monsoon, in the south it is equatorial. The average annual temperature is about 25 ° C, only in winter in the mountains it drops below 0 °. The distribution of precipitation by seasons and across the territory is uneven - 80% of it falls in the summer, the largest amount is received by the eastern and mountainous regions, the least - by the northwest. Land resources are the natural wealth of the country, since a significant part of the soil is highly fertile. Forests cover 22% of India's area, but there is not enough forest for economic needs. Rivers in India have great energy potential and are also the main source of artificial irrigation.

Population

India is the second most populous state in the world (after China). The country has very high rates of population reproduction. And although the peak of the "demographic explosion" has generally passed, the demographic problem has not yet lost its acuteness. India is the most multinational country in the world. Representatives of several hundred nations, nationalities and tribal groups live in it, who are at different stages of socio-economic development and speak different languages. They belong to the Caucasian, Negroid, Australoid races and the Dravidian group. The peoples of the Indo-European family predominate: Hindustans, Marathi, Bengalis, Biharts, etc. The official languages in the country are Hindi and English. More than 80% of the inhabitants of India are Hindus, 11% are Muslims. The complex ethnic and religious composition of the population often leads to conflicts and increased tensions. The distribution of the population of India is very uneven, since for a long time, fertile lowlands and plains in the valleys and deltas of rivers, on the sea coasts were first settled. The average population density is 260 people. by 1 km 2. Despite this high figure, there are now sparsely populated and even deserted areas. The level of urbanization is quite low - 27%, but the number of big cities and cities-"millionaires" is constantly increasing; in terms of the absolute number of urban dwellers (220 million people), India ranks second in the world. But, nevertheless, most of the population of India lives in crowded villages.

Industry, energy

India is a developing agro-industrial country with enormous resources and human potential. Together with traditional Indian industries (agriculture, light industry), the mining and manufacturing industries are developing. Currently, 29% of GDP is accounted for by industry, 32% - in agriculture, 30% - in the service sector.

Energy. The creation of the energy base in the country began with the creation of hydroelectric power plants, but among the newly built in last years power plants are dominated by thermal power plants. The main source of energy is coal. Nuclear energy is also developing in India - 3 nuclear power plants are operating. Electricity production per capita is still very small.

Ferrous metallurgy. This is a growing industry. The current level is 16 million tons of steel (1993). The industry is represented by enterprises located mainly in the east of the country (Calcutta-Damodar industrial belt), as well as in the states of Bihar, Adhra Pradesh, etc.

Non-ferrous metallurgy also developed in the east. The aluminum industry, based on local bauxite, stands out.

Mechanical engineering. India produces a variety of products for machine tools, transport engineering (TVs, ships, cars, tractors, airplanes and helicopters). The industry is developing rapidly. The leading centers of mechanical engineering are Bombay, Kolkata, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore. In terms of the volume of production of the radio-electronic industry, India came in second place in foreign Asia. The country produces a variety of radio equipment, color televisions, tape recorders, communications.

Chemical industry. In a country with such a role of agriculture, the production of mineral fertilizers is becoming extremely important. The importance of petrochemicals is also growing.

Light industry- a traditional branch of the economy, the main directions are cotton and jute, as well as sewing. There are textile factories in all major cities of the country. In India's exports, 25% are products of the textile and clothing industry.

Food industry- also traditional, produces products for the domestic and foreign markets. Indian tea is the most widely known in the world.

Transport. Among other developing countries, transport in India is quite developed. In the first place in terms of importance are railway transport in domestic transport and sea transport in foreign transport.

Services sector. The largest producer of motion pictures. Second only to the United States. In recent years, the development of software products for the largest US corporations (1st place in the world) has been developed.

Agriculture

India is a land of ancient agricultural culture, one of the most important agricultural regions in the world. Agriculture employs 3/5 of the EAN in India, but the use of mechanization is still insufficient. 4/5 of the value of agricultural products comes from crop production, agriculture needs irrigation (40% of the sown area is irrigated). The main part of arable land is occupied by food crops: rice, wheat, corn, barley, millet, legumes, potatoes. The main industrial crops in India are cotton, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and oilseeds. India has two main agricultural seasons - summer and winter. Sowing of the most important crops (rice, cotton, jute) is carried out in the summer, during the summer monsoon rains; in winter, wheat, barley, etc. are sown. As a result of several factors, including the "green revolution," India is fully self-sufficient in grain. Livestock production is much inferior to crop production, although India ranks first in the world in terms of livestock. Only milk and animal skins are used, meat is practically not consumed, since the Indians are mostly vegetarians. Fishing is of great importance in coastal areas.

Foreign economic relations

India is still poorly involved in the MGRT, although foreign trade is of considerable importance for its economy. The main export items are light industry products, jewelry, agricultural products, medicines, fuel resources; the share of machinery and equipment is growing. The largest trading partners are the USA, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Hong Kong.

Japan

Territory - 377.8 thousand sq. km. Population - 125.2 million people (1995). The capital is Tokyo.

GeographicGeneral information

Japan is an archipelago country located on four large and almost four thousand small islands stretching in an arc of 3.5 thousand kilometers from northeast to southwest along the eastern coast of Asia. The largest islands are Honshu, Hokaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. The shores of the archipelago are highly indented and form many bays and coves. The seas and ocean washing Japan are of exceptional importance for the country as a source of biological, mineral and energy resources. The economic and geographical position of Japan is determined, first of all, by the fact that it is located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region, this contributes to the active participation of the country in the international geographical division of labor. During the feudal period, Japan was isolated from other countries. After the unfinished bourgeois revolution of 1867-1868, it embarked on the path of rapid capitalist development. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, it became one of the imperialist powers. In the XX century, Japan entered and participated in three major wars (Russo-Japanese and two world wars). After the end of World War II, the armed forces were disbanded and reforms were carried out. In 1947, the emperor lost his powers (according to the constitution); now Japan is a constitutional monarchy. Supreme body state power and the only legislative body is parliament.

Natural conditions and resources

The geological basis of the archipelago is underwater mountain ranges. About 80% of the territory is occupied by mountains and hills with a highly dissected relief of an average height of 1600 - 1700 m. There are about 200 volcanoes, 90 are active, including the highest peak - Mount Fuji (3 776 m.). Frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. The country is poor in minerals, but coal, lead and zinc ores, oil, sulfur and limestone are mined. The resources of its own deposits are small, so Japan is the largest importer of raw materials. Despite the small area, the length of the country in the meridional direction led to the existence of a unique complex of natural conditions on its territory: the island of Hokkaido and northern Honshu are located in the zone of a temperate maritime climate, the rest of Honshu, the islands of Shikoku and Yushu are in the humid subtropical tropical climate. Japan is in the active monsoon zone. The average annual rainfall ranges from 2 to 4 thousand mm. Soils in Japan are mainly slightly podzolic and peaty, as well as brown forest and red soil. About 2/3 of the territory, mainly mountainous areas, is covered with forests (more than half of the forests are artificial plantations). Coniferous forests predominate in northern Hokkaido, mixed forests in central Honshu and southern Hokkaido, and subtropical monsoon forests in the south. There are many rivers in Japan, full-flowing, fast and rapids, unsuitable for navigation, but providing a source for hydropower and irrigation. The abundance of rivers, lakes and groundwater has a beneficial effect on the development of industry and agriculture. In the post-war period, the ecological problems... The adoption and implementation of a number of laws on environmental protection reduces the level of environmental pollution.

Population

Japan is among the top ten countries in the world in terms of population. Japan became the first Asian country to move from the second to the first type of population reproduction. Now the birth rate is 12%, the death rate is 8%. Life expectancy in the country is the highest in the world (76 years for men and 82 years for women). The population is nationally homogeneous, about 99% are Japanese. Other ethnic groups include Koreans and Chinese. The most common religions are Shinto and Buddhism. The population is unevenly distributed over the area. The average density is 330 people per km 2, but the coastal regions of the Pacific Ocean are among the most densely populated in the world. About 80% of residents live in cities. 11 cities are millionaires. The largest urban agglomerations are Keihin. Hanshin and Chuke merge into the Tokyo megalopolis (Takaido) with a population of over 60 million.

Farm

The growth rate of the Japanese economy was one of the highest in the second half of the 20th century. The country has largely undergone a qualitative restructuring of the economy. Japan is at a post-industrial stage of development, which is characterized by a highly developed industry, but the most growing area is the non-manufacturing sector (services, finance, R&D). Although Japan is poor in natural resources and imports raw materials for most industries, it ranks 1-2 in the world in terms of the output of many industries. Industry is mainly concentrated within the Pacific industrial belt.

Electric power industry. Mainly uses imported raw materials. In the structure of the raw material base, oil is in the lead, the share of natural gas, hydropower and nuclear energy is growing, and the share of coal is decreasing. In the electric power industry, 60% of the capacity comes from thermal power plants and 28% from nuclear power plants, including Fukushima, the most powerful in the world. Hydroelectric power plants are located in cascades on mountain rivers. In terms of hydropower generation, Japan ranks 5th in the world. In Japan, resource-poor is actively developing alternative energy sources.

Ferrous metallurgy... In terms of steel production, the country ranks 2nd in the world. The share of Japan in the world market of ferrous metallurgy is 23%. The largest centers operating almost entirely on imported raw materials and fuel are located near Osaka, Tokyo, in Fujiyama.

Non-ferrous metallurgy... Due to the harmful effect on environment the primary smelting of non-ferrous metals is decreasing. Converting plants are located in all major industrial centers.

Mechanical engineering. Provides 40% of industrial production. The main sub-sectors among the many developed in Japan are electronics and electrical engineering, the radio industry and transport engineering. Japan firmly occupies the 1st place in the world in shipbuilding, specializing in the construction of large-capacity tankers and bulk carriers. The main centers of shipbuilding and ship repair are located in the largest ports (Yokohama, Nagasaki, Kobe). In terms of car production (13 million units per year), Japan also ranks first in the world. The main centers are Toyota, Yokohama, Hiroshima. The main enterprises of general mechanical engineering are located within the Pacific industrial belt - complex machine tool building and industrial robots in the Tokyo region, metal-intensive equipment in Osaka, machine tool building in the Nagai region. The country's share in the world output of the radio-electronic and electrical engineering industry is exceptionally large. In terms of the level of development of the chemical industry, Japan occupies one of the first places in the world. Pulp and paper, light and food industries are also developed in Japan.

Agriculture Japan remains an important industry, although it provides about 2% of GNP; 6.5% of EAN are employed in the industry. Agricultural production is focused on food production (the country provides 70% of its own needs in it). 13% of the territory is cultivated, in the structure of crop production (it gives 70% of agricultural products). The leading role is played by the cultivation of rice and vegetables, horticulture is developed. Livestock raising is intensively developing (cattle breeding, pig breeding, poultry farming). Due to the exceptional place of fish and seafood in the diet of the Japanese, the country fishes in all regions of the World Ocean, has more than three thousand fishing ports and has the largest fishing fleet (over 400 thousand vessels).

Transport. All types of transport are developed in Japan, with the exception of river and pipeline transport. In terms of the volume of cargo transportation, the first place belongs to road transport(60%), second place - marine. The role of rail transport is declining, while the role of air transportation is growing. Due to very active foreign economic relations, Japan has the largest merchant fleet in the world.

Territorial structure of the economy

The territorial structure of the economy is characterized by a combination of two completely different parts. The Pacific belt is the socio-economic core of the country ("front part"). Here are the main industrial areas, ports, transport highways and developed agriculture. The peripheral zone ("rear part") includes areas where timber harvesting, animal husbandry, mining, hydropower, tourism and recreation are most developed. Despite the implementation of the regional policy, the smoothing of territorial disparities is proceeding rather slowly.

External economic ties Japan.

Japan is actively involved in MRI, foreign trade is at the forefront, capital export, production, scientific and technical and other ties are also developed. The share of Japan in world imports is about 1/10. Mainly raw materials and fuel are imported. The country's share in world exports is also more than 1/10. Manufactured goods account for 98% of exports.