Natural Resources

of Asia
L E C T U R E P R E PA R E D B Y:
MARVIN R. SORIANO
D E PA R T M E N T O F S O C I A L S C I E N C ES
COLLEGE OF ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCES
C E N T R A L L U Z O N S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
Asia: Physical Geography
❑ Asia makes up the eastern portion of the Eurasian supercontinent;
Europe occupies the western portion. The border between the two
continents is debated. However, most geographers define Asia’s
western border as an indirect line that follows the Ural Mountains, the
Caucasus Mountains, and the Caspian and Black seas. Asia is bordered
by the Arctic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.
❑ The geographic term “Asia” was originally used by ancient Greeks to
describe the civilizations east of their empire. Ancient Asian peoples,
however, saw themselves as a varied and diverse mix of cultures—not a
collective group. Today, the term “Asia” is used as a cultural concept,
while subregion classifications describe the distinct geopolitical
identities of the continent. These classifications are Western Asia,
Central Asia, Southern Asia, Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, and
Northern Asia.
Climate and Agriculture
❑ Asia’s stake in world markets has grown dramatically in the last half-
century. Today, Asian countries rank as some of the top producers of many
agricultural, forest, fishing, mining, and industrial products. This increased
production has brought both extreme wealth and negative environmental
impacts to the continent.
❑ Asia’s vast area allows for varied and extreme climates. It has some of the
coldest, hottest, wettest, and driest places on Earth. While many distinct
climates exist across the continent, Asia’s climate can be most generally
divided into three zones: north/central, southwest, and southeast.
❑ The continent’s north/central zone is affected by cold and
dry Arctic winds, especially the Siberia region of Russia. Hardier grains, such
as barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, and wheat, are grown in the central and
southern areas of this zone, where permanent frosts inhibit plant growth.
Animal husbandry is also very important in this zone. In Mongolia, for
example, 75 percent of agricultural land is allocated to the rearing
of livestock, such as sheep, goats, and cattle.
Climate and Agriculture
❑ The southwest zone is a dry, hot region that stretches from the Gobi
Desert in Mongolia through Pakistan, Iran, and into the Arabian
Peninsula. This zone has very few areas with enough moisture
and precipitation to produce crops. Grains, such as barley and corn, are
the principal irrigated crops of some countries. A lack of pastureland
suitable for grains, however, means heat-resistant vegetables and fruits
are grown most widely in this zone. Dates, figs, apricots, olives, onions,
grapes, and cherries are the most important of these fruit and
vegetable crops.
❑ The southeast zone is greatly affected by the
summer monsoon season. During this season, a low-pressure
system south of the Himalayas attracts moisture-laden winds from the
Indian Ocean. The Himalayas push these winds up, causing clouds and
precipitation to form at a rapid rate. As a result, many areas of
Southeast Asia are considered the wettest places on Earth and can see
more than 254 centimeters (100 inches) of rain every year.
Monsoons and typhoons
❑ Summer in China is a time of variable air movement out of the
western Pacific. If that drift is strong and low pressure over the
continental interior is intense, the summer monsoon may carry
moisture well into Mongolia. If neither the drift nor the continental low
is strong, the China summer monsoon may fail, falter over eastern
China, or cause irregular weather patterns that threaten the country
with crop failure. The monsoon there is less dramatic than in other
areas, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of China’s annual rainfall.
❑ Tropical cyclones—called typhoons in the Pacific Ocean—may occur in
coastal and insular South, Southeast, and East Asia throughout the year
but are most severe during the late summer and early autumn. Those
storms are accompanied by strong winds and torrential rains so heavy
that the maximum precipitation from the typhoons locally may exceed
the total amounts received during the normal summer monsoons.
Average date of onset of the summer monsoon
across different regions of Asia.
Super Typhoon Haiyan
Super Typhoon Haiyan (or Yolanda) passing over the
island of Leyte, Philippines, on November 8, 2013;
the storm's eye is the green ring with a blue centre.
Monsoon Farming
The natural world still dictates farming practices throughout Asia.
The annual monsoon winds bring life-giving rains, allowing farmers
to plant rice, a staple food throughout Asia, in fields called paddies.
These agricultural workers use ingenious frame-like devices to stay
as dry as possible during the backbreaking work.
Herding Camels
Semi-nomadic herders live a more settled life than nomads, but still follow
their herds for long periods of time. Mongolian shepherds and herders of
Central Asia continue to live semi-nomadic lifestyles. This man, working
near the Aral Sea, Kazakhstan, uses modern machinery (a motorcycle) to
practice the ancient tradition of herding Bactrian (two-humped) camels.
Climate and Agriculture
❑ The high temperatures and precipitation levels of Southeast Asia are
the perfect conditions for the production of rice and tropical fruits. Rice
is one of Asia’s most important agricultural commodities and a
major food staple of the entire continent. In 2010, Asia harvested
almost 570 million metric tons (627 million short tons) of rice,
accounting for more than 50 percent of the continent’s total cereal
production—and roughly 90 percent of total global rice production. Asia
also has the highest rates of rice consumption, averaging more than 79
kilograms (175 pounds) per person annually. As a result, the majority of
Asia’s rice stays within the region and international trade rates are fairly
low.
❑ Southeast Asia is also a major producer of tropical fruits, such as
mango, papaya, and pineapple. India is the world’s largest mango-
producing nation, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total global
output in 2010. Thailand and the Philippines are the region’s major
producers of pineapple.
Summer & Winter
❑ In winter continental tropical air prevails in tropical Asia; in summer it
is replaced by equatorial ocean air. The winter season’s dry and warm
winds, directed offshore toward the equatorial low-pressure axis, are
analogous to trade winds but simultaneously act as the South Asian
continental monsoon. The dry spring that follows changes abruptly and
dramatically into the rainy summer with the onset of the monsoon. The
summer monsoon brings enormous amounts of rain (up to about 25
inches [635 mm] in a month).
❑ Over the areas of Asia closest to the Equator—southern Sri Lanka,
Malaysia, and the Greater Sunda Islands—equatorial air prevails
continuously, accompanied by even temperatures and abundant rainfall
in all seasons. The Lesser Sunda Islands have a tropical monsoon
climate; their wet and dry seasons are regulated by the calendar rhythm
of the Southern Hemisphere, which is characterized by a wet summer
from November to February and a dry winter from June to October.
Forestry and Fishing
❑ Forestry, the management of trees and other vegetation in forests, is
an important but threatened industry in a select group of Asian
countries. China, Indonesia, and Malaysia make up more than half of
the forested lands in Asia. China is a major exporter of wood products,
ranking first globally in wood-based panel production, paper, and wood
furniture. Both Indonesia and Malaysia are top producers of
tropical timbers. These tropical woods, such as teak, are primarily used
in high-quality furniture and flooring.
❑ During the past 10 years, Asia has increased its forest cover by 30
million hectares (74 million acres) to create forest plantations where
trees can be intensively managed for higher-yield production. The
timber industry estimates that Asia will produce roughly 45 percent of
wood from forest plantations by 2020. These plantations will become
increasingly important as natural forest resources continue to
be depleted.
Forestry and Fishing
❑ External and internal pressures, however, threaten Asia’s timber
industry. Rapidly rising populations have dramatically increased demand
for forest products. While more of Asia’s forests have come under
environmental protection, lenient legislation and enforcement has
allowed illegal logging and timber smuggling to flourish. This is
especially true in Southeast Asia, where high-value species are found.
As a result, Asian countries have some of the worst deforestation rates
in the world.
❑ Asia represents the most important region for fisheries
and aquaculture production in the world. Aquaculture is the rearing of
fish and other aquatic animals in controlled environments. In 2008,
Asia’s marine fishing areas produced roughly 50 percent of the global
fish capture. Six of the top 10 world producers of fish are found in Asia:
China, Indonesia, Japan, India, Philippines, and Myanmar (Burma). Asia
also produced about 90 percent of the world’s aquaculture-raised fish in
2008.
Forestry and Fishing
❑ Seafood is extremely important to the lifestyle of many Asian peoples.
A recent study by the National Geographic Society places China and
Japan as the world’s leading consumers of seafood, at roughly 694
million and 582 million metric tons (765 million and 641 million tons)
annually.
❑ Emphasizing that each fish species impacts the marine environment
differently, the study measured each country’s “seafood print” based on
the quantities and types of fish consumed. While Japan eats larger,
higher-quality fish, China’s massive population is consuming smaller fish
at a much higher rate. This is because China, along with many countries
in Southeast Asia, is experiencing a rapid expansion of its middle
class population. More people can afford expensive food.
Industrial Tuna Fishing
Fish buyers use flashlights to examine tuna
spread on warehouse floor in Tokyo, Japan.
The influence of Topography
❑ Differences between the climatic conditions of the various regions of
Asia are determined to a considerable degree by topography. Different
elevation-based climatic zones are most clearly defined on the southern
slopes of the Himalayas, where they vary from the tropical climates of
the foothills, at the lowest levels, to the extreme Arctic-like conditions
of the peaks, at the highest elevations.
❑ The degree of exposure also plays a large role. The sunny southern
slopes differ from the shady northern ones, and windward slopes
exposed to moist ocean winds differ from leeward slopes, which, lying
in the wind (and rain) shadow, are necessarily drier. The barrier effect is
most pronounced in the zone of monsoon circulation (i.e., East,
Southeast, and South Asia), where rain-bearing winds have a constant
direction. In addition to the physical isolation of the leeward slopes
from the moisture-laden winds, those slopes also experience the foehn
effect, in which a strong wind traverses a mountain range and is
deflected downward as a warm, dry, gusty, erratic wind.
The influence of Topography
❑ Contrasts of climate resulting from exposure are manifested clearly in
the Himalayas, the Elburz Mountains, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines,
the Tien Shan range, the region to the east of Lake Baikal
(Transbaikalia), and many other places.
❑ The isolating barrier effect of the relief on the climate is
demonstrated most clearly in the West Asian highlands and in Central
Asia. In those regions the surrounding mountains isolate the tablelands
of the interior from moisture-laden winds. The massiveness of the
interior highlands is also a significant factor; it gives rise to local
anticyclones during the cold months of the year.
Mining and Drilling
❑ Extractive activities are an important part of the economies of many
Asian countries. China, India, Russia, and Indonesia are the continent’s
most productive mining economies. These countries extract many of
the same minerals.
❑ China is the world’s largest producer of aluminum, gold, tin, and coal.
India is also a major producer of aluminum and iron ore, along with
other minerals such as barite (used in drilling fluids), chromium (used
in steel production and dyes), and manganese (used in steel
production). Russia is a major producer of coal, tungsten (used in steel
production), diamonds, iron, and steel. Indonesia is a major producer of
coal, gold, copper, and tin.
 Mining and Drilling
❑ Countries on the Arabian Peninsula have the world’s largest deposits
of oil and natural gas. These fossil fuels are drilled for energy and fuel, and make the
region one of the most important in the international economy. The oil found
throughout the Arabian Peninsula and Middle East is of the highest quality: light
sweet crude. Light sweet crude oil is used to make gasoline, kerosene,
and diesel fuels. It is in constant demand throughout the developed world.
❑ In 2010, Saudi Arabia was the world’s largest manufacturer of petroleum liquids,
producing 10.07 million barrels of liquid fuels every day. (An oil barrel is 159 liters, or
42 gallons.) It also has the world’s largest oil reserves, at roughly 250 billion barrels.
Saudi Arabia’s economy is heavily dependent on oil exports, which account for 80 to
90 percent of the country’s total revenues. Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United Arab
Emirates accounted for roughly 57 percent of global liquid fuels production in 2010.

❑ Another major player in Asia’s liquid fuels industry is Russia. Russia has oil reserves
in Siberia, and massive natural gas reserves throughout the Arctic. Russia is the
world’s largest producer of natural gas, and the largest supplier of natural gas to
Europe. Russia has not aggressively drilled in the Arctic Ocean, but engineers say the
area holds millions of barrels of oil and gas reserves.
Burgan Field
The Burgan oil field, in Kuwait, is one of
the richest oil fields in the world. Natural
gas, some of which is seen burning here,
is often found near deposits of oil and
coal. Oil, coal, and natural gas are fossil
fuels.
Gas Field Workers in Baluchistan
Workers carry industrial equipment from a natural gas
facility in Baluchistan, Pakistan. The men are members of
the Bugti tribe, an ethnic group native to Baluchistan, near
Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.
The Built Environment
❑ Asia contains some of the most populated and fastest-growing cities
of the world. Shanghai, China, and Mumbai, India, are the largest cities
in the world. They are also among the most densely populated. Other
cities, such as Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Delhi, India, are growing rapidly.
❑ A surge of economic investment, primarily funded by the
oil, technology, and pharmaceutical industries, has fueled the
development of medium-sized cities into important metropolitan areas.
Two urban areas that demonstrate this are Hyderabad, India, and Dubai,
United Arab Emirates.
The Built Environment
❑ Hyderabad, India, the capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh, has a
population of more than 5 million people. Nicknamed “Cyberabad,” the
city has developed into one of the world’s major hubs for information
technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical production. Hyderabad
has aggressively promoted its skilled labor force and cheap investment
opportunities. In fact, the city inaugurated a township known as HITEC
City in 1998 in order to attract international IT firms. Today, HITEC hosts
offices from an array of national and international IT companies,
including Oracle Corporation, General Electric, and Microsoft.
Microsoft’s largest research and development campus outside the
United States is in the HITEC complex.
❑ Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by
a Muslim monarch called an emir. Dubai’s population has grown rapidly
to roughly 1.8 million in 2010 as a result of intense economic growth.
Cyberabad
Technology is a crucial part of the economies of many developing
Asian nations, especially India and China. Hyderabad, above, is the
hub of India's lucrative technology and outsourcing industries.
Mobile, web, and computer technologies are so important that the
city is nicknamed "Cyberabad."
The Built Environment
❑ Dubai’s rapid growth, warm climate, and luxurious lifestyle have
attracted many foreigners to the city. Dubai was the 10th most-visited
city in the world in 2009. Known as the “shopping capital of the Middle
East,” Dubai has more than 70 shopping malls. Dubai has also been
referred to as the “Expat Capital of the World” because of the foreign
majority that lives in the city. More than 75 percent of the city’s
population is male, represented mostly by laborers from countries such
as India and the Philippines who have come to work in Dubai’s
construction business. The laborers’ poor working and living conditions
have come under criticism from the international community, especially
in contrast to the city’s image as a luxury capital of the world.
Burj Khalifa
Asia is home to the world's tallest natural structure (Mount Everest, Nepal), as
well as the world's tallest man-made structure, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The
Burj Khalifa, named after the president of the United Arab Emirates (Sheikh
Khalifa), soars nearly 830 meters (2,723 feet), with 160 floors.
The Built Environment
❑ Asia has a number of state-of-the-art engineering marvels that solve
complex infrastructural problems. China’s Three Gorges Dam is the
world’s largest hydroelectric power station. The dam stands at 185
meters (607 feet) high and stretches for 2,335 meters (7,660 feet)
across the Yangtze River. It supplies millions of homes, businesses,
hospitals, and schools with safe, affordable electricity.
❑ The massive project, however, has had a devastating effect on the
human and natural environment. The damming of the Yangtze River
created a reservoir that flooded 632 square kilometers (244 square
miles), taking out hundreds of towns and villages and displacing more
than 1.2 million people. It submerged hundreds of factories, mines, and
waste dumps, allowing industrial pollutants and garbage to enter the
reservoir. The reservoir has also threatened the habitats of birds, fish,
and other wildlife populations.
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is the largest electric power plant in the
world. It sits on the Yangtze River in Sandouping, Hubei, China.
The Three Gorges Dam has a total generating capacity of more
than 18,000 megawatts, supplying power to millions of
households, businesses, schools, and hospitals.
The Built Environment
❑ The Jamnagar Refinery in Gujarat, India, is the world’s largest oil
refinery. An oil refinery is a factory where crude oil is processed and
refined into useful products, such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel oil.
Referred to as the “Refining Capital of the World,” Jamnagar has a
refining capacity of 1.24 million barrels of oil per day. The factory covers
an area larger than the city of London, England.
❑ Japan’s Shinkansen train network is one of the world’s fastest high-
speed railway lines. The so-called “bullet trains” can reach speeds of
300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour). Shinkansen links most
major cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. The Tōkaidō line,
which connects Tokyo and Osaka, is the world’s busiest high-speed rail
line. Since the railway lines were laid in the mid-1960s, it has
transported roughly 5 billion people.
Land of Bullet Trains
Japan’s Shinkansen train network is one of the
world’s fastest high-speed railway lines.
The Built Environment
❑ The Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world’s first and largest spaceport.
The facility opened in the late 1950s, when the steppes of Central Asia
were part of the Soviet Union.
❑ The world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched from
Baikonur in 1957, and the first spacecraft to carry a person
into orbit (Vostok 1, carrying Soviet pilot Yuri Gagarin) was launched in
1961. Today, the Baikonur Cosmodrome is in southern Kazakhstan,
although it is leased to and maintained by Russia. The state-of-the-art
facility allows for the launch of both manned and unmanned spacecraft,
and is vital to the support and maintenance of the International Space
Station (ISS).
References:
• The New York Times and Bartholomew, Edinburgh (1992). The New York
Times Atlas of the World. New York: Times Books (Random House)
• "Asia". Chambers World Gazetteer (5th ed.). 1988.
• "Asia". The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). 1989.
• National Geographic Channel Website
• Encyclopedia Britannica Online