LESSON 1: GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF ASIA

Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the learners should be able to:

a) Identify the location of Asia in the world and its significance in the world

stage; and

b) Discuss the role of the various physical characteristics of Asia in shaping the

socio-cultural, political, and economic status of the various regions in the

continent

Introduction to Asia

Asia, the world’s largest continent roughly one-third of all land on Earth, with a

total area of over 17.2 million square miles. The enormity of the continent can be found

not only on its physical geography but also by its human population. It is the world’s

most populous continent, with approximately 60 percent of the total population with 4.7

billion people estimated. It is this geography that has played a major role in shaping

human history; some of the world's first civilizations, such as the Indus River Valley

civilization of India, or the Mesopotamian civilization between the Tigris and Euphrates

Rivers flourished here.

Location

It is located in the Eastern Hemisphere, along with the continents of Europe, Africa, and
Australia. Asia is positioned east of both Europe and Africa, and north of Australia. It is
connected to Europe, creating the super-continent of Eurasia.

The Asian continent is bounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific

Ocean to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, the Red Sea (as well as the inland seas

of the Atlantic Ocean—the Mediterranean and the Black) to the southwest, and Europe to

the west. Asia is separated from North America to the northeast by the Bering Strait and

from Australia to the southeast by the seas and straits connecting the Indian and Pacific
oceans. The Isthmus of Suez unites Asia with Africa, and it is generally agreed that

the Suez Canal forms the border between them. Two narrow straits, the Bosporus and

the Dardanelles, separate Anatolia from the Balkan Peninsula.

Five Major Regions of Asia

Given its large size, it consists of 48 countries, three of which are transcontinental

(Russia, Turkey, and Kazakhstan). Asia has been subdivided based on many factors,

including physiographical, cultural, and political. Physiographically, there are five major

regions of Asia, these are Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and

Western Asia.

Central Asia

This region is located in the west of China, south of Russia, and north of

Afghanistan. The western border of this region runs along the Caspian Sea. Central Asia

is politically divided into five countries: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,

Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Given that the name of each of the countries in this region

ends in "-stan," Central Asia is sometimes informally referred to as "The Stans." Central

Asia has not attracted much attention as a subject of study by geographers as one of the

regions in Asia and there are two reasons for this lack of appearance in books and articles.

Firstly, the region was closed off to foreigners until early 1990s because the western part

was under the Soviet rule and the eastern part was part of China. Also, due to the fact that

people in this area are transmitter of ideas and innovation across Asia rather than being

the creators.

The first important innovation in the region was the development of wheel in today

Kazakhstan. The first chariot was also developed. Thus, Central Asia played an essential

role in the transportation of goods between China and Europe during the Silk Road
trading era.

East Asia

East Asia, one of the five regions of Asia, is located in the east of Central Asia, with

its eastern border running along the East China Sea. The region occupies much of the

mainland south of Russia. China takes up four-fifths of this region. With the exception of

Mongolia, the other East Asian countries – Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan

- all lie on peninsulas and islands. East Asia is politically divided into eight countries:

China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. The

complex and powerful states, dynasties, and civilizations that emerged in East Asia

were strongly influenced by the environments in which they prospered. The towering

mountains, such as the Himalaya and the Kunlun Shan, dominate the regions western

landscape. Between these two ranges lies the Plateau of Xizang, the world’s highest

plateau. The two great rivers – the Yangtze and the Yellow – begin on the plateau and flow

onto fertile plains in Eastern China. They have been major factors to the geological,

historical, and cultural background that shaped and made the region flourished.

In today’s time, East Asia is home to about one-fourth of the world’s people. Most live

crowded together in the region’s fertile river valleys and coastal plains. The region can be

considered as home of manufacturing industry of some of the most advanced technologies

in the world as well, which fosters economic development.

South Asia

This region is often called a subcontinent, a landmass like a continent only

smaller. It has a peninsula-like shape bordered by three bodies of water: the Indian Ocean

to the south, the Bay of Bengal to the east, and the Arabian Sea to the west. The region

includes the Indian subcontinent and surrounding countries. South Asia is politically

divided into nine autonomous countries: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Iran, and the Maldives.

The rivers systems of South Asia from the world’s largest continuous floodplain

fertile valleys is of great significance to the regions agricultural abundance. The regions

climate is affected by the seasonal winds. These winds bring the rains on which the

farmers depend. Landforms, such as mountains and hills, have a powerful effect on where

and how heavily the rains fall. With a large number of South Asia’s population dependent

on the land, rainfall crucially affects lives. Most of the region’s people live on the northern

plains, an agriculturally rich area. Mountains and plateaus dominate the far northern

landscape of Asia. They include some of the highest mountain ranges such as “The

Himalayas.”

South Asia’s rich cultural landscape is a product of its varied physical environment

and a long history of human settlement. Throughout the history many people have

entered South Asia through the mountain ranges of the north and then dispersed

throughout the Indian subcontinent. The result is a rich diversity of people, languages,

and traditions. The first major civilization in the region was in the Indus River Valley,

located in present-day Pakistan, Afghanistan, and north-western India which relied on

the monsoon rains to provide water to the Indus River. Early settlers developed systems

of urban planning, baked brick houses, and the civilization at its peak numbered over five

million people. Now, the region has the distinction of being the most densely populated

area in the world.

Southeast Asia

This region is located north of Australia, south of East Asia, west of the Pacific

Ocean, and east of the Bay of Bengal. It encompasses several island and archipelago

nations that stretch between the northern and southern hemispheres, making it the only

Asian region located on both sides of the equator. Southeast Asia is politically divided into
15 countries and territories: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,

Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam. A large number of

archipelagos characterize the geography of Southeast Asia. All of Southeast Asia falls

within the tropical and subtropical climatic zones, and much of it receives considerable

annual precipitation.

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. Today, the economy of

Southeast Asia is rapidly developing.

West Asia

West Asia is located between Central Asia and Africa, south of Eastern Europe. The

majority of the region is often referred to as the Middle East, although it geographically

excludes the mainland of Egypt (which is culturally considered a Middle Eastern country).

West Asia is politically divided into 18 states: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey,

Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi

Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen. It also includes the Sinai Peninsula of

Egypt. An arid desert environment covers a large area of the region. However, West Asia

does have several points of access to large bodies of water, including the Black Sea,

Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Caspian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea.
The region is a cultural hearth where many early civilizations began. Throughout

time, many cultures developed, grew, and spread from this part of the world. From

religion and traditions to social structures, this is where a multitude of ideas blossomed.

Major natural oil deposits are within this region making the Southwest Asia a global

leader in fuel production.

Major Physical Characteristics of the Asia

Asia's physical geography can be divided into three major landforms: land of high

elevation (mountain and plateaus), land of low elevation (plains, steppes, and deserts),

and major bodies of water such as rivers and lakes.

The Mountain Systems

Mountain chains form the land boundaries between Europe and Asia. These

include the Ural Mountains of Russia, and the Caucuses south of Russia. The

Himalayas is the most famous mountain system in Asia which is specifically located in

the region of Southeast Asia that contains the world's tallest mountain, Mount Everest.

They help form a natural boundary between the countries of China and India, as well as

contain smaller nations such as Nepal and Bhutan.

The Tien Shan mountain system stretches for about 1,500 miles, on the border

between Kyrgyzstan and China. The highest peak in the Tien Shan is Victory Peak, which

stands at 24,406 feet. Tien Shan also has more than 3,900 square miles of glaciers. The

largest glacier is about 37 miles long.

The Ural Mountains run for about 1,550 miles in a north-south line from Russia to

Kazakhstan. The Ural Mountains are some of the world's oldest, at 250 million to 300

million years old. Their average elevation is between 3,000 and 4,000 feet.

Plateaus
Asia is a home to many plateaus, areas of level high ground. The Iranian plateau

covers more than 1.4 million square miles, covering most of Iran, Afghanistan, and

Pakistan. The plateau is not completely flat. The highest mountain peak is Damavand.

The Deccan Plateau makes up most of the southern part of India. The plateau's

average elevation is about 2,000 feet.

The Tibetan Plateau is the largest and highest area ever to exist in the history of

Earth. It covers an area about half the size of the United States and averages more than

16,400 feet above sea level. The Tibetan Plateau's glaciers contain the most ice outside

the poles. The ice and snow from these glaciers feed Asia's largest rivers. About 2 billion

people depend on the rivers fed by the plateau's glaciers.

Plains, Steppes, and Deserts

The West Siberian Plain, located in central Russia, is considered one of the world’s

largest areas of continuous flatland. It extends from north to south and from west to east

about 1,900 kilometers. With more than 50 percent of its area at less than 100 meters

(330 feet) above sea level, the plain contains some of the world’s largest swamps and flood

plains.

Central Asia is dominated by a steppe landscape, a large area of flat, unforested

grassland. Mongolia can be divided into different steppe zones: the mountain

forest steppe, the arid steppe, and the desert steppe. These zones transition from the

country’s mountainous region in the north to the Gobi Desert on the southern border with

China.

The Rub’ al Khali desert, considered the world’s largest sand sea, covers an area

larger than France across Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It

holds roughly half as much sand as Africa’s Sahara desert, even though it is 15 times
smaller in size. The desert is known as the Empty Quarter because it is virtually

inhospitable to humans except for Bedouin tribes that live on its edges.

Rivers

The waterways of Asia are arguably the most important geological feature for

human civilization on the continent. This great river system recorded the earliest

civilization, the Sumerians, arose in between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers which follow

roughly parallel courses through the heart of the Middle East. The lower portion of the

region that they define, known as Mesopotamia (Greek: “Land Between the Rivers”), was

one of the cradles of civilization. Due to the abundant access to water, these two rivers

regularly flooded the region called the “Fertile Crescent” named for its rich soils paved

the way to the development of irrigation system and agriculture in the near settlements.

Access to water helped with farming and trade routes. Eventually, nomadic patterns

shifted to permanent settlement of the people. This significantly brought travellers in and

out of the Fertile Crescent that led to an exchange of culture and ideas, and advancements

in the region such as writing (cuneiform), math, and flourishing of religion.

The Indus River begins in the mountains of China (Tibet region) and flows through

India and Pakistan before emptying into the Arabian Sea. The Indus River Valley or

Harrapan Civilization, first civilization in India arose around this river. This has been

important since early civilization as it provided humans with a source of water when little
other water could be found in the region, a home to mountains, hills, plains, gorges, and

deserts. It was used, and is still used, as a means of fishing, farming, trade, and

transportation

Finally, in East Asia, Chinese civilization started along the Yangtze and Yellow

Rivers; the Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, making it the third-longest river in

the world. This is because these rivers saturate the surrounding land, making river valleys

some of the fertile areas for agriculture.

Asia is significant for its lakes, two in particular. The first is the Caspian Sea, the

largest inland body of water in the world. Covering an area larger than the country of

Japan, at around 149.2 square miles, the Caspian is also the largest salt lake in the world.

The Caspian, in addition to the Urals, also serve as a physical divider between Europe and

Asia. It is one of the oldest oil-producing areas in the world and is an increasingly

important source of global energy production. The area has significant oil and natural gas

reserves from both offshore deposits in the Caspian Sea itself and onshore fields in the

Caspian basin.

The second significant lake in Asia is Lake Baikal. Located in Siberia, Lake Baikal is

the deepest inland body of water, with a depth of over 5,000 feet. Baikal is also the oldest

body of freshwater, having formed 25 million years ago; it holds the largest amount of

freshwater on Earth, containing over 20% of the total amount.

In addition to its lakes and rivers, Asia is known for its seas. In western Asia, the

most significant are the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Red Sea, on the left side of the

Arabian Peninsula, is a major trading hub for the world; the Persian Gulf, on the

peninsula's right side, has large amount of oil reservoirs under the sea floor, giving the

countries surrounding a major source of revenue. In eastern Asia, some of the major seas

include the Bay of Bengal (east of India), the Sea of Japan (separates the Korean Peninsula

and Japan), and the South China Sea (in Southeast Asia).

LESSON 2: EVOLUTION OF EARLY MAN IN ASIA

Creationism is the religious belief that nature, and aspects such as the universe, Earth,

life and humans, originated with supernatural acts of divine creation.

creation, as in the biblical account, rather than by natural processes such as evolution.

Creationism at a broad level, a creationist is someone who believes in a God who is

absolute creator of heaven and earth, out if nothing, by an act of free will. Such a deity is

generally thought to be “transcendent” meaning beyond human experience, and

constantly involved in the creation.

A doctrine or theory holding that matter, the various forms of life, and the world

were created by God out of nothing and usually in the way described in Genesis1:1-31.

Beliefs on Creationism:

A short time has elapsed since the beginning of everything.

There are six days of creation.

There was a miraculous creation of all life including Homo Sapiens.

There was a worldwide flood sometime after the initial creation, through which only

limited number of humans and animals survived.

There were other events such as the Tower of Babel and the turning of Lot’s wife into a

pillar of salt.

ADAM and EVE. According to the second account of creation in the biblical book of

Genesis, Adam was created from the dust of the earth and placed in the Garden of

Eden; Eve, the first woman, was created from one of Adam’s ribs. Tempted by Eve,

Adam ate the forbidden fruit of Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the two

were expelled from Paradise for their disobedience.

Evolutionism- Evolutionism used to denote the theory of evolution. Its exact meaning

has changed over time as the study of evolution has progressed.

Evolution is the change in the characteristics of a species over several generations and

relies on the process of natural selection. The theory of evolution is based on the idea
that all species are related and gradually change over time.

Evolution is the process of developing physical and biological change in a species over a

period of time. Natural changes and events forced species to adapt to the environment

while some faced extinction for being unable to do so. In this case, modern humans,
belonging to the genus Homo, are seen as by-products of events and processes that occurred
in the past.

The biological transition of humans from its earliest state to its current physical and

biological makeup took millions of years to complete. Despite this, scientists, through the

help of archaeological pieces of evidence and modern technology, were able to identify

and distinguish distinct transitional stages of human evolution. These stages are

described below.

Theory of Special Creation

Carolus Linnaeuos- All living things came into existence in their present forms

especially and specifically created by nature.

Theory of Evolution- Organisms might EVOLVE through time, with one type of

organisms giving rise to another type of organisms.

Jean Baptiste Lamarck- “All knowledge that is not the real product of

observation, or of consequences deduced from observation, is entirely

groundless and illusory”

Charles Darwin- “It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most

intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”

-The Struggle for Existence

-Survival of the fittest

-Natural Selection

-MICROEVOLUTION

-MACROEVOLUTION
ASIA AS A HOME OF EARLY MAN

• Most anthropologists until the mid-20th century preferred Asia, over Africa, as the

continent where the first hominids evolved.

• The “Out of Asia” theory was a scientific theory that contended that modern humans first

arose in Asia.

•Out of Asia Theory- The rise of evolutionary thought in the late 19th century the out of

Asia theory gained many new proponents, many of whom believed that the missing link

would be found in Asia.

Ernst Haeckel- Haeckel, a German evolutionary biologist, believed that

Hindustan (South Asia) was the actual location where the first humans had

evolved.

Eugene Dubois- A Dutch paleoanthropologist and proponent of the out of Asia

theory. He discovered the skeletal remains of the first representative Homo

erectus found in Java in 1891 on the banks of Solo River, East Java, Indonesia.

The find later became known as Java man.

Roy Chapman Andrews- Central Asiatic Expeditions. He visits parts of Central

Paleontologist who believed humans originated in Asia also include Johan

Gunnar Andersson, Otto Zdansky and Walter W. Granger

William Boyd Dawkins- Later, the discovery of “Peking man” persuaded

anthropologist up until the 1930s that Asia was most likely that cradle of human

species. He wrote that the tropical region of Asia was “the probable birth place of

human race”.

Alfred Cort Haddon- There is reason to believe that mankind did not originated

in Africa; but that all main races in that continent reached it from Southern Asia.”.

PREHISTORIC PERIOD

•Old Stone Age (Paleolithic)- The Paleolithic period is the first phase of the Stone Age.

This period started the creation and use of crude stone tools which are the most

primitive among the three periods. The word "Palaeolithic" is derived from the Greek

words palaios (old) and lithos(stone) to collectively mean "old stone age."

• Paleolithic began with the appearance of the first human beings.

• The early humans were nomads.

• These early human were hunter gatherers.

• They use stone tools.

• The beginnings of domestication and agriculture.

• Cave paintings have been found during this era.

•New Stone Age (Neolithic)- The word "Neolithic" was derived from the Ancient Greek

words neos (new) and lithos (stone) that collective translates to "new stone age. “

• The Neolithic or New Stone Age (7 to 10,000 years ago) pertains to a stage of culture

following the Paleolithic and is characterized by the use of polished stone implements,

development of permanent dwellings, cultural advances such as pottery making,

Also known as the Agricultural Revolution

The change from hunting/gathering to primitive farming appears so abrupt that this

technological change is often characterized as the Neolithic Revolution. The discovery of

smelting and the creation of bronze tools has given the name Bronze Age to the Late

Neolithic period.

• Change from hunter-gatherers to farmers

• Systematic agriculture: the keeping of animals and growing food on a regular basis

• Animals used for meat, milk, wool, and work

• Rise of permanent settlements

• Neolithic age began with the practice of agriculture and cattle raising.

• During this period, human started to domesticate animals, (goats, sheep, cows).

• Humans at this stage stopped being nomads and their life become sedentary.

• The first man-made stone tools appeared in Paleolithic time becoming more elaborate

during Neolithic age.

• Invention of plow, sickle and hand mill.

•Domestication- The process of increasing human control in breeding animals or plants

to regulate certain traits that will make them useful for other human needs. The

domestication of animals and plants implied that humans stayed in a particular area to

enable their resources to grow and expand. Some plants and animals utilized for

domestication included wheat, barley, corn, nuts, cattle, goats, and sheep. Adaptation of

plants and animals for human use.

• The Paleolithic period saw humans as hunter-gatherers in society. They were nomadic

people who could easily transfer from one area to another to hunt animals or gather

plants for consumption and survival. This had been the practice until around 12,000 BCE
when humans started to domesticate animals and crops. This era of this newfound

lifestyle is called the Neolithic Revolution

• Sociopolitical Evolution of Man: Neolithic Revolution- The Neolithic revolution paved

the way for the creation of civilization through permanent settlements dictated by reliable

food supply.

• Development in domestication techniques and practices allow for a more complex

society and the possibility for urbanization.

• With the emergence of towns and cities came the birth of trade and marketplaces. This

led to the economy and a hierarchical society with public leaders and castes.

• A form of social stratification was developed. This created the idea of inequality and

ideas of social power and influence.

•Economic Developments- Because of the domestication of crops and animals,

abundant supplies of food and resources were maintained.

• A selective breeding process of plants and animals that would allow for the development

of new species was introduced.

•Biological Developments- There was increase in lifespan and human population

across civilizations. People learned to play different social roles apart from being farmers

(e.g. craftsman, priest, leader).

•Evidence for the Existence of the Neolithic Revolution- Here are some actual

evidences found to support the existence of this era.

• There were morphological changes among Neolithic people, including brain size and

mandible and simple dietary changes from solely eating plants to consumption of meat.

• A subterranean structure in Abu-Hureyra, Syria was found to have been built during the

Neolithic Revolution and served as a communal storage facility.

• Paleolithic people have fairly healthy teeth, but during the Neolithic Revolution, there
was an increased caries rate. Neolithic teeth were also more worn down and pitted,

owing to hard inclusions from poorly grounded flour.

• Molleson (1994) has proven that there were changes in the bones of women that were

task-related and associated with cereal grinding.