Mainland Southeast AsiaChapter 29

Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand

Landforms and River

• On the Malay Peninsula• North – Himalaya Mtns and Plateau of Tibet• Central and South – plains and low plateaus• Rivers– Irrawaddy– Chao Phraya– Mekong– Hong (Red)

• Lake– Tonle Sap

Climates, Plants, and Animals

• All Mainland SE Asia is tropical or subtropical• Monsoons– Summer brings heavy rainfall (flooding)– Winter brings dry winds (fire)

• Typhoons• Rainforests support arboreal (tree dwelling)

animals

Natural Resources

• Valuable hardwoods– Mahogany, teak, ebony

• Rapid deforestation• Iron, Manganese, Tin, Tungsten, Sapphires,

Rubies

History• Traded with China and India• Khmer empire ruled Cambodia (800’s AD)

– Capital was Angkor Wat– Hindu

• Thai’s migrated from China in 1200’s– Brought Buddhism

• 1500’s Burma colonized by Great Britain• 1500’s Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam colonized by France• Burma gained independence in 1989• Vietnam won independence after WWII

– Domino Theory caused US to intervene

(Watch last ½ of Crash Course: Cold War in Asia)

Culture

• 3 main language families– Sino-Tibetan– Thai & Laotian– Austro-Asiatic (Vietnamese)

• Religion– Theravada Buddhism and Hinduism– Confucian & Buddhism– Christianity & Islam minority– Animists in the highlands

• Food– Rice– Sauces with curries

Region Today

• Economic & political development– Myanmar is poor b/c of isolation– Laos & Vietnam are communist– Thailand has a constitutional monarchy and is an

“Asian Tiger”– All are members of ASEAN (1967)• Promotes economic development• Now is a free trade region

– Bangkok, Thailand is largest city• Has 400 wats) Buddhist temples

Agriculture

• Some places have 3 rice harvests a year• Floating markets happen on klongs (canals)• Also grow– Sugarcane– Pineapples– Opium

Today

• Myanmar – military government arrests opponents

• Thailand – growing economy due to Japanese investment