ACE Class Report: Geography Asia.
Begin: 12/31/2023
Finish: 2/2/2024
Title: Geography – Asia
Author: The Travel Channel
Why I choose to take this class:
This is a geography Class about: Bali, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam. This class will broadens my perspective of Asia and improves my analytical and critical thinking skills.
What I learned from this class:
Bali:
Bali is a small Island off Java’s East coast. Bali has an area of 2175 square miles. Balinese are the largest ethnic group and speaks Balinese. Most others are Hindu. Bali has several volcanic mountains. The highest is Gunung Agung: a volcano sacred to the Balinese. Tourism is important to the economy and has encouraged the preservation and development of Balinese arts. Bali is Indonesia most important tourist destination. Rice is Bali’s largest crop. The people use an intricate system of dikes and flood gates for intensive wet rice agriculture. Between 1800 and 1900, the Dutch incorporated Bali into the Netherlands East Indies Colony.
Malaysia:
Malays, Chinese and Indians are the largest ethnic groups in Malaysia. More than 80 percent of the people live in peninsular Malaysia. Most of the nations urban areas are also there, including Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s largest city. Malaysian use many languages. The Malay language is called Bahasa Malaysia. Rural life – most people in the rural areas of Peninsular Malaysia are Malays who farm and fish and live in villages called kampongs. Their houses are built on stilts with wooden or bamboo walls and floors, and thatched palm roof. In Sabah and Sarawak, people live in isolated villages. Several families often live together under one roof called a Long house. They have vegetable gardens, hunt, fish and gather edible plants. City Life: Half the population live and work in the city. Kuala Lumpur is a bustling city with lofty skyscrapers including the Petronas Towers. The government created the City of Putrajaya to be Malaysia Administrative capital. Malaysia has a tropical climate with hot, humid weather. Many kinds of animals flourish in Malaysia. Malaysia’s plants are equally varied, with many types of tropical plants, wild orchids, and exotic hardwood trees.
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong is one of the two special administrative regions of China. Hong Kong lies on China’s Southern coast, near the mouth of the Zhu Jiang (Pearl River). Hong Kong is a major Port of Asia. It is also a center for finance, trade, tourism. Hong Kong is Chinese for Fragrant Harbor. Hong Kong consist of the island of Hong Kong; Lantau Island (Hong Kong’s largest island); about 260 Islands; and a peninsular attached to mainland China. The peninsula has two sections – The new Territories in the North and Kowloon Peninsula in the South. The Hong Kong Metropolis is a center of business, commercial services, and tourism. Hong Kong Has many modern skyscrapers that serve as headquarter for major banks and multinational cooperation’s. The metropolitan area of Hong Kong is among the world’s most crowded places. About 95% of the people of Hong Kong are Chinese. Majority of the population speaks Cantonese. Hong Kong is a center of international trade, finance and tourism. It is a free port, it collects no import duties on goods brought in except for Alcohol and Tobacco. On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was transferred from British to Chinese rule. The Basic law upholds the principle of “one country, two systems”. This principle gives Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy (self rule) as a special administrative region of China.
Vietnam:
Vietnam is bordered by China to the North and Laos and Cambodia to the West. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. The population of Vietnam is concentrated in the Red River Delta in the North and The Mekong River Delta in the South. Although Vietnam has a number of Ethnic groups, most of the people are classified as Kinh – ethnic Vietnamese. Half of all Vietnamese workers are farmers who lives in small villages. Rice is the country’s maincrop. Vietnamese fought many foreign invaders, frequently the Chinese. French governed Vietnam from the mid-1800’s until Japan occupied it during World War II. In 1954 The French was defeated in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. In 1957 war broke out between the North and South, US became chief ally of the South. In 1973 US withdrew its last combat troops. In April 1975 communist defeated South Vietnam. The national dish of Vietnam is a rice noodle soup called Pho. A fish sauce called Ngoc mam is used as seasoning in many dishes. Green Tea is the most popular beverage. Most Vietnamese practice a combination of three teachings: Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, There also have some Christians and Muslims.
How will this class contribute to my success upon release:
The geography class will contribute to my analytical and critical thinking skills. Th skills will be conveyed to others during my volunteer services.
