Chapter Two.docx

Chapter Two: People and Places A. Country Overview China, officially People's Republic of China, is a country in Asia It is situated in the eastern part of Asia, on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the biggest countries in the world. It has an area of about 9.6 million square kilome...

Chapter Two: People and Places A. Country Overview China, officially People's Republic of China, is a country in Asia It is situated in the eastern part of Asia, on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the biggest countries in the world. It has an area of about 9.6 million square kilometers which comprises of about 6.5 percent of the world's total land area. It has the largest population of any country in the world The capital of China is Beijing. China has big cities and it also has many small towns, villages and farmland. It is bordered by many other countries, and many different languages are spoken B. Land China can be divided into three natural realms 1. Eastern Monsoon China 2. Northwest Arid China 3. Tibetan Frigid Plateau China is a mountainous country, with two-thirds of its total land area covered by mountains, hills and plateaus. Out of the world's twelve high peaks of more than 8,000 meters, seven are located in China. China has a great number of rivers. The inland river system accounts for 36 rivers. Among these, the Yangtze River, Yellow River, Heilongjiang River, Pearl River, and Huaihe River are the major ones. China is also a country with numerous lakes. Five major lake regions can be identified: The Northern Lake Region The Northwestern Lake Region The Qinghai-Xizang Lake Region The Eastern Lake Region The Southwest Lake Region C. History China is one of the world's oldest civilizations. Chinese civilization first arose in the valley of the Yellow River around 2200 B.C. The earliest recorded human settlements in what is today called China were discovered in the Huang He basin and date from about 5000 B.C Today China is playing an important role in the world economy and political affairs. It is expected that China could play a more dynamic role in international and regional affairs. D. People The Han Chinese people (so called for the Han Dynasty) make up approximately 92% of the total population. Non-Chinese groups represent only about 8% of the population, but the interior regions in which they live constitute more than half of the total area of the country. Among the main non-Chinese minorities are the Thai-speaking group, the Hui, the Uigurs, the Tibetans, the Mongols, and the Koreans. E. Economy China is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. It has experienced tremendous economic growth since the late 1970s. It is one of the world's largest economies. The two most important sectors of the economy are agriculture and industry which together employ more than 70 percent of the labor force. China is one of the world's major mineral-producing countries. Coal is the most abundant mineral (China ranks first in coal production). It is the most important energy source for the country. High-quality, easily mined coal is found throughout the country, but especially in the north and northeast. China is one of the world's top producers of antimony, magnesium, tin, tungsten, and zinc, and ranks second (after the United States) in the production of salt, sixth in gold, and eighth in lead ore. Today China is enjoying a huge market and promising developmental prospects. F. Government China is a one-party state, with real power lying with the Chinese Communist party. The National People's Congress is the highest state body and the only legislative house in the People's Republic of China. The President, the head of state, and the Vice President are elected by the National People's Congress for five-year terms. Lesson 2 :The Republic of India A. Country Overview India, officially the Republic of India, is a country filled with interesting facts ranging from its history and geography to its culture. It is the second largest country in Asia and the seventh largest country in the world. The Indian subcontinent comprises fully one third of Asia. The capital of India is New Delhi, and the country’s largest cities are Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi, and Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). B. Land India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China, and Nepal. It has an area of about 3.3 million square kilometers. Rajasthan with an area of 342,239 square kilometers is the largest state in India. Northern India is separated from the rest of Asia by the Himalayan Mountains. The country is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south. India can be divided into six physiographic regions. These are: 1.The Himalayan Mountains 2.Northern Plains 3.The Great Indian Desert 4.The Peninsular Plateau Coastal Plains 6.Islands Among these six physiographic units, The Peninsular Plateau is the largest physiographic unit of India. , the Indus, and the Brahmaputra. All begin in the Himalayas. The Ganga is the longest river of India. These Himalayan Rivers have long courses from their source to the sea. Rivers play an important role in the lives of the Indian people. They provide irrigation, potable water, cheap transportation, electricity, and the livelihoods for a large number of people all over the country. C. History One of the earliest civilizations, the Indus Valley civilization flourished on the Indian subcontinent from 2600 B.C. to 2000 B.C. South Asia's first cities were established around 2600 B.C. in what is now Pakistan and western India. The people who built and ruled these cities belong to what archaeologists refer to as the Harappan Culture or Indus Civilization. D. People With nearly 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous nation in the world after China. Greater Bombay is the district with highest population in India. And Mumbai is the most populous city of India. The estimated population of Mumbai is about 18 million (as of 2006). India is a country where people of many different communities and religions live together in unity. There are many diverse ethnic groups among the people of India, reflecting the complexity of its history and culture. Islam is the second-most practiced religion in India after Hinduism with more than 13.4% of the country's population (over 138 million as per 2001 census). India's Muslim population is the world's third largest and the world's largest Muslim-minority population. The principal official languages of India are Hindi and English. Although Hindi (spoken in the north) and English (the language of politics and commerce) are used officially, more than 1,500 languages and dialects are spoken in India. F. Government India, one of the world's largest democratic countries, is a Union of twenty eight states and seven union territories. The government comprises of three branches: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. The executive branch is headed by the president. The President of India is the Head of State and the Commander- in -Chief of the Armed Forces. E. Economy India's major industries include telecommunications, textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, and information and technology-enabled services. Hindalco Industries Limited is India's leading aluminum and copper producer. It is the world's largest aluminum rolling company and one of the biggest producers of primary aluminum in Asia. Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and the second largest in the passenger vehicles market. India has entered the club of top 20 exporters of goods and reclaimed its position among top ten services exporters in 2010.India exports engineering goods, petroleum products, precious stones, cotton apparel and fabrics, gems and jewelry, handicrafts, software exports, and tea