Unit 8 Asia Vocabulary

Flashcards covering vocabulary from chapters 23-31, related to the geography of South, East, and Southeast Asia.

Subcontinent

A land formation that is a large landmass separated from the rest of the continent.

Alluvial Plain

A fertile area formed of soil deposited by a river.

Monsoon

A seasonal wind that brings warm, moist air from the ocean in summer and cool, dry air from the land in winter.

Cyclone

A storm with swirling winds and heavy rainfall.

Tsunami

A large wave caused by an earthquake on the ocean floor.

Loess

Fine, yellowish-brown topsoil made up of particles of silt and clay, carried by the wind.

Archipelago

A group or chain of islands.

Shan

High mountain range in China.

Typhoon

A violent tropical storm that forms in the Pacific Ocean, usually in late summer.

Cordilleras

Mountain Ranges that run parallel to each other.

Flora

The natural vegetation of a place.

Fauna

The animal life of a place.

Jati

A division of society based on occupation and social standing.

Reincarnation

The belief that, after death, humans and animals are reborn.

Dharma

Moral duty

Karma

The sum of good and bad actions in one's present and past lives.

Mercantilism

An economic system in which colonies supply raw materials to the colonizing nation, which then sells finished goods back to the colonies.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by establishing economic and political control over other nations.

Megalopolis

A very large city.

Total Fertility Rate

Average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime.

Guru

A teacher or spiritual guide.

Lama

A Buddhist monk.

Mantra

A sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer meditation.

Stupa

A dome-shaped structure that serves as a Buddhist shrine.

Dzong

A fortified monastery in Bhutan.

Cash Crop

A farm product grown for export.

Jute

A fiber used to make burlap and rope.

The Green Revolution

An agricultural program launched in the 1960s to increase crop yields in developing countries.

Biomass

Plant and animal waste used as fuel.

Cottage Industry

A business that employs workers in their homes.

Ecotourism

Tourism that emphasizes environmental awareness and protection.

Interdependent

Dependent on one another.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Chipko

The "tree-hugger" movement that protects trees from being cut.

Poaching

Illegal hunting.

Nuclear Proliferation

The buildup of nuclear weapons.

Dalits

The "untouchables" in the Indian Caste system.

Culture Hearth

A center where ideas, practices, and innovations spread.

Dynasty

A ruling house or continuing family of rulers.

Ideogram

A pictorial character or symbol that represents a specific meaning or idea.

Atheist

A person who believes there is no god.

Homogeneous

Of the same or similar kind or nature.

Clan

A group of people united by kinship and descent.

Shogun

Military ruler in feudal Japan.

Samurai

A professional warrior in feudal Japan.

Cultural Convergence

The tendency for cultures to become more alike as they increasingly share technology and organizational structures.

Cultural Divergence

The restriction of a culture from outside cultural influences.

Acculturation

The adoption of certain cultural and social characteristics of one society by another society.

Haiku

A traditional Japanese poem consisting of three lines and seventeen syllables.

Commune

A collective farm or village.

Cooperative

A group of people who work together for a common goal.

Merchant Marine

A country's shipping fleet that engages in trade.

APEC

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, an international trade alliance that promotes open trade and economic and technical cooperation among member nations.

Trade Surplus

When a country exports more than it imports.

Trade Deficit

When a country imports more than it exports.

Dissident

A person who speaks out against the government.

Economic Sanction

Trade restrictions.

WTO

World Trade Organization, an international body that oversees trade agreements and settles trade disputes among countries.

Chlorofluorocarbons

Chemicals used in refrigerators and aerosols that damage the ozone layer.

Aquaculture

The cultivation of aquatic plants and animals for human use.

Primate City

A city that is the largest and most important city in a country.

Sphere of Influence

A country or area in which another country has power to affect developments although it has no formal authority.

Free Port

A place where goods can be unloaded, stored, and shipped free of import duties.

Junta

A military-led government.