Asia & Oceania Lecture Review

A comprehensive vocabulary review of key facts, capitals, governments, geography, history, and economic indicators across Asia and Oceania.

Mount Everest

The highest mountain in Asia and the world, recorded on the lecture slide at $29,028\text{ ft}$.

Yangtze

The longest river in Asia, located in China and recorded on the lecture slide at $3,964\text{ mi}$.

Asia (Continental Rank)

The continent ranked largest by both land area (about $30\%$ of world land across $50$ countries) and population (about $4.6\text{ billion}$ people, or $60\%$ of the world).

Six Regions of Asia

The regional divisions of Asia identified as Northern, Western, Central, Eastern, Southern, and Southeast Asia.

Manila

The capital city of the Philippines.

People Power

The $1986$ movement in the Philippines that ended the authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos.

Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

The three major island regions comprising the $7,000+$ islands of the Philippines.

Singapore (Capital)

The capital city and seat of government of the island nation of Singapore.

Malay

The designated national language of Singapore, as well as one of its four official languages.

Four Official Languages of Singapore

The legally recognized official languages of Singapore: English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil.

Taipei

The capital city of Taiwan.

New Taipei

The largest city in Taiwan by population.

Five Branches of Government

The constitutional government structure of Taiwan, operating under a semi-presidential system led by a president and a premier.

Astana

The capital city of Kazakhstan, whose name was reverted from Nur-Sultan in $2022$.

Lake Balkhash

A major lake in Kazakhstan distinguished by having distinct fresh and salty sections.

Baikonur

The famous spaceport facility located within Kazakhstan.

December 16, 1991

The date Kazakhstan declared its formal independence from Soviet control.

Hanoi

The capital city of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City

The largest city in Vietnam.

Kinh

The dominant ethnic group in Vietnam, accounting for approximately $85\%$ of the country's population.

1986 Economic Reforms (Vietnam)

Major state economic reforms initiated in Vietnam in $1986$ that caused poverty to fall sharply.

Red River and Mekong River

The two primary rivers shaping Vietnam's geography, with the Red River in the north and the Mekong in the south.

Bangkok

The capital city of Thailand.

Siam

The historical name of Thailand, noted for never being colonized by any European power.

Wats

Traditional Buddhist temples located throughout Thailand.

Muay Thai

The traditional combat martial art recognized as the national sport of Thailand.

Port Moresby

The capital city of Papua New Guinea.

Sing-sings

Traditional cultural gatherings and tribal festivals held in Papua New Guinea.

New Guinea

The large island north of Australia that Papua New Guinea shares with Indonesia.

1975 (Papua New Guinea)

The year Papua New Guinea gained full independence after periods of British, German, and Australian administration.

Majuro

The capital city of the Marshall Islands.

Nitijela

The official name of the legislature of the Marshall Islands.

Free Association

The special relationship status the Marshall Islands maintains with the United States, providing defense and financial support.

67 U.S. Nuclear Tests

The series of nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States in the Marshall Islands between $1946$ and $1958$.

Apia

The capital city of Samoa.

Siva Tau

A traditional Samoan war dance performed before sporting events and cultural occasions.

1961 Vote vs. 1962 Independence

The critical historical distinction in Samoa where the plebiscite vote occurred in $1961$, followed by formal independence from New Zealand in $1962$.

Beirut

The capital city of Lebanon.

Maronite Catholic

The religious denomination for which the presidency of Lebanon is reserved under its confessional government system.

Chao Phraya

The central plain river basin forming the agricultural heartland of Thailand.

Ferdinand Marcos

The former president of the Philippines whose prolonged rule was ended in $1986$ by the People Power revolution.

1819 (Singapore)

The year Sir Stamford Raffles established Singapore as a British trading post.

1965 (Singapore)

The year Singapore separated from Malaysia to become a sovereign, independent republic.

Semiconductor Industry (Taiwan)

The leading manufacturing sector in Taiwan, which ranks as the world's $2\text{nd}$-largest producer and drives exports that total about $70\%$ of GDP.

1987 (Taiwan)

The year martial law was lifted in Taiwan, opening the way for its modern multiparty democracy.

World's Largest Landlocked Country

A geographic distinction held by Kazakhstan, which is also ranked as the world's $9\text{th}$-largest country overall.

840+ Languages

The exceptional linguistic diversity of Papua New Guinea, spoken across hundreds of indigenous tribes.

Theravada Buddhism

The predominant religious tradition in Thailand, adhered to by approximately $93\%$ of the population.

Coral Atolls

The low-lying geographic formations that comprise the Marshall Islands in Micronesia, making them vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Oil and Gas (~70% of Exports)

The primary natural resources and fossil fuels that account for approximately $70\%$ of Kazakhstan's total export revenue.