HANDOUT 4

PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES OF ASIA, NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module, the student should be able to:
a. Identify the following cultural and perfectives of Asia, North and South America;
b. Compare and contrast the different countries in Asia, North and South America in terms of the
Population, economy and resources, political geography and cultural life.
c. Enumerate the different countries in both north and south America.
INTRODUCTION
ASIA
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 sub-region
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. Asia is
the largest of the world's continents covering approximately 30 percent of the Earth's land area. It is
also the world's most populous continent, with roughly 60 percent of the total population.
The continent of Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent with over 4 billion
people calling Asia home. Asia also contains the world's most populous country, China, and the
world's largest country, Russia. Asia borders Africa and Europe to the west and the Pacific Ocean to
the east.
The continent of Asia is so large and diverse that it often is divided into sub-regions;
 Northern Asia
 Central Asia
 Middle East
 Southern Asia
 Eastern Asia
 Southeastern Asia
 Western Asia
Asia is rich in diverse races, cultures, and languages. Many of the world's major religions came out
of Asia including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Asia has a major influence on
world culture and the world's economy. Countries such as Russia, China, Japan and India produce
products and services that are used by every nation in the world. Asia is also abundant in natural
resources. Oilin the Middle East is a major supplier of much of the world's energy.
There are a total of seven continents in our world. Asia is the biggest of them all. Asia tops the list
when it comes to size and population. The population of Asia is 4.4 billion. This huge mass of land
consists of forty-eight countries. All the forty-eight countries of Asia are members of the United
Nations. Most of Asia is situated in the eastern hemisphere. However, some parts of it also come in
the northern hemisphere. Two countries from Asia that are Turkey and Russia share their territories
with Europe as well.

Asia is an interesting continent as it contains the largest countries in terms of landmass and
population. Russia tops the list of large countries. However, most parts of Russia are in Europe. China
is the biggest country when it comes to population. There are more people in China than in Australia,
North America, New Zealand, Western Europe, and South America combined. The largest city in Asia
is Shanghai which is situated in China. There are almost 24 million people who live in Shanghai. One
of the smallest countries is also situated in Asia, Maldives.
Asia is quite influential. It has diverse cultures, races, and languages. All of the major religions of the
world such as Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism have their histories in Asia. Asia
plays an integral role in the world's economy. Many countries such as China produce and trade
services and products. Many of the natural resources are present in abundances in Asia. For example,
much of the world's oil is supplied by the Middle East. Some of the most beautiful landscapes of the
world like Arabian desert, Thal desert, Mount Everest and Island of japan are in Asia.

NORTH AMERICA
This is a continent in Earth’s Northern and Western Hemispheres. It contains the countries
Canada, Mexico, USA, and many others. In terms of area, it’s the third-largest continent, after Asia
and Africa. This huge size means that North America is host to a diverse range of climates and
habitats.
The far north of North America, spanning Canada and Alaska, lies within the Arctic Circle. This means
it’s extremely dark and cold for most of the year. The southern part of North America, which is often
confusingly called ‘Central America’, is much closer to the equator. As you might expect, it has a
warmer more tropical climate. In between, there’s everything from mountains, to wetland sand
deserts!
North America, third largest of the world’s continents, lying for the most part between the Arctic
Circle and the Tropic of Cancer. It extends for more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) to within 500 miles
(800 km) of both the North Pole and the Equator and has an east-west extent of 5,000 miles. It
covers an area of 9,355,000 square miles (24,230,000 square km).

North America occupies the northern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World,
the Western Hemisphere, or simply the Americas. Mainland North America is shaped roughly like a
triangle, with its base in the north and its apex in the south; associated with
the continent is Greenland, the largest island in the world, and such offshore groups as the Arctic
Archipelago, the West Indies, Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands), and the Aleutian
Islands.

The continent is richly endowed with natural resources, including great mineral wealth, vast forests,
immense quantities of fresh water, and some of the world’s most fertile soils. These have allowed
North America to become one of the most economically developed regions in the world, and its
inhabitants enjoy a high standard of living. North America has the highest average income per person
of any continent and an average food intake per person that is significantly greater than that of other
continents. Although it is home to less than 10 percent of the world’s population, its per
capita consumption of energy is almost four times as great as the world average

SOUTH AMERICA
South America is the fourth largest continent in size and the fifth largest in population. It is
located primarily in the southern hemisphere. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the
Pacific Ocean to the west. The geography of South America is dominated by the Andes Mountain
Range and the Amazon River (second longest river in the world). The Amazon rainforest is one of the
world's most important natural resources and provides around six percent of the world's oxygen.
South America, the fourth-largest continent, extends from the Gulf of Darién in the northwest
to the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in the south. Along with the islands of Tierra del Fuego,
the continent includes the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador), Easter Island (Chile), the Falkland Islands
(United Kingdom), and the Chiloé and Juan Fernández archipelagos (Chile).
Cultural Geography

Historic Culture
The historic cultures of South America developed in connection with distinct
regional landscapes. The three principal regions of early development were the Pacific coast, suited
to fishing and trading societies; the major rivers of the Amazon basin, with abundant water, plant,
and animal resources; and the Andes, where mountains provided security.

The Incan Empire is the most well known as indigenous culture of South America. The Inca
Empire was established in 1438 in the Andean city of Cuzco, Peru. Over a period of 100 years, the
empire expanded to include parts of present-day Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, and
Colombia.

The importance of African slaves represented a major shift in the cultural landscape of South
America. Most slaves were brought to Brazil. Their unique cultural practices
were integrated with indigenous Indian beliefs as well as European rituals.,,
Contemporary Cultures
South America’s rich history is explored by contemporary cultures. Organizations are reaching
a broader global audience in order to spread social and political messages, and bring
in revenue from tourism and investment. Indigenous societies continue to have a strong presence in
South America. COICA, the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the
Amazon Basin, integrates nine organizations that represent each country of the Amazon region.
COICA protects indigenous practices, focusing on sustainable use of resources. The group has
worked on issues such as environmental legislation, cultural representation, and leadership training
for indigenous peoples.

Religious practices remain the backbone of many South American cultures.

While Catholicism dominates the continent, other spiritual beliefs have influenced both
spiritual and secular activities. The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a festival held every year about
40 days before Easter, is an important example of a religious celebration that has been adopted
vvvby secular culture. It is both an important event in the Catholic calendar and one of the
largest revenue generators in Rio.

Political Geography

Political geography is the internal and external relationships between governments and citizens.

South America’s history and development have been shaped by its political geography.
Comparison between North America and South America:

 
North America South America

A continent in the Western A continent in the Western

Description
and Northern Hemisphere. and Southern Hemisphere.

Type of Continent Continent

Settled by Paleo-Indians in 18,000 BC Paleo-Indians in 18,000 BC

17,840,000 km2
24,709,000 km2 (9,540,000 sq
Area
mi)
(6,890,000 sq mi)

Population 528,720,588 (2008) 385,742,554 (2011)

Includes 23 Countries 13 Countries

  Antigua and Barbuda
 Bahamas
 Barbados
 Belize
 Canada
 Costa Rica
 Argentina
 Cuba
 Bolivia
 Dominica
 Brazil
 Dominican Republic
 Chile
 El Salvador
 Colombia
 Grenada
 Ecuador
List of Countries  Guatemala
 Guyana
 Haiti
 Paraguay
 Honduras
 Peru
 Jamaica
 Suriname
 Mexico
 Trinidad and Tobago
 Nicaragua
 Uruguay
 Panama
 Venezuela
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
 Saint Lucia
 Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
 Trinidad and Tobago
 United States

English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, Spanish, and

Predominant Languages
many others many others

Time Zones UTC-10 to UTC UTC-2 to UTC-5

EVALUATION:
Directions: Identify the following question. Write your answer on the space provided. NO ERRASURES
AND ALTERATION. (1 Point each)

__________________ 1. It is the third largest of the world’s continents, lying for the most part
between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer.
__________________2. This was originally used by ancient Greeks to describe the civilizations east
of their empire.
__________________3. What continent is rich in diverse races, cultures, and languages.
__________________4. It is the fourth largest continent in size and the fifth largest in population.
__________________5. How many countries included in south America?
_________________ 6. How many countries included in north America?
_________________ 7. It is the internal and external relationships between governments and
citizens.
__________________8. This continent is richly endowed with natural resources, including great
mineral wealth, vast forests, immense quantities of fresh water, and some of the world’s most fertile
soils.
__________________9. How many continents around the world?
__________________10. It is the most well known as indigenous culture of South America.
II. Enumeration (1 point each) Write your
1-6 What are the sub-regions of Asia?
7-8 What are the three particular continent we discussed.
9-12 Give at least four countries in north America
13-15- Give at least three countries in south America.
III. Essay (5 points)
Discuss briefly what is Asia?

Prepared by:

MYRA R. ESCAÑO, LPT

Subject- In-Charge