Message to the economy of foreign Asia. Foreign Asia

Foreign Asia is the largest region in the world in terms of population and area, and has retained its primacy since the ancient times of the birth of the first civilizations. The total area of ​​Foreign Asia reaches 27.5 million km2. The region includes 40 sovereign states, many of which belong to the group of developing countries.

All countries of Foreign Asia are quite large in area, two of them, China and India, have the status of giant countries. The borders that separate the states of Foreign Asia are established according to natural and historical boundaries.

The political structure of states is very diverse: in Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, Jordan, there are constitutional monarchies; in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, absolute monarchical regimes have been preserved, all other states have a republican form of government.

Natural conditions and resources

Foreign Asia has a fairly uniform tectonic structure and topography. The region has the largest range of altitudes on the planet: mountain ensembles are combined with vast plains. The territory of Asia is located on the Precambrian platform, some areas on the Cenozoic folding.

Due to this geographical location, the states of Foreign Asia have many natural mineral resources. Rich reserves of coal, manganese and iron ores and other minerals are concentrated within the Hindustan and Chinese platforms.

The main wealth of the region is the gas and oil basins, which are located in most states of South-West Asia. The agroclimatic characteristics of Asia hinder the establishment of agricultural activities.

Population

The population of Foreign Asia is more than 3 billion people. Many states are experiencing a process of so-called “demographic explosion”. Government policy in many countries is aimed at reducing the birth rate; in China and Japan, large families are forced to pay special taxes.

The ethnic composition of Foreign Asia is diverse: representatives of more than 1 thousand ethnic groups and nationalities live here, the most numerous peoples being the Chinese, Bengalis, Hindustanis and Japanese. Only Iran and Afghanistan are among the mononational countries.

The peoples of Asia belong to 15 language families; such linguistic diversity is not found in any region of the world. Foreign Asia is the cradle of all world religions; Christianity, Islam and Buddhism were born here. Shintoism, Confucianism and Taoism also occupy a leading place in the region.

Economy of Foreign Asia

In the last decade, the role of the countries of Foreign Asia in the world economy has increased significantly. The level of economic development here is more contrasting than in any other region of the world. Absolute leadership in industrial development belongs to Japan.

This is the only state in Foreign Asia that is part of the G7. Other industrialized countries include China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. The economy of the Gulf states is focused primarily on the oil industry.

Mining and metallurgy are well developed in Mongolia, Jordan, Vietnam and Afghanistan. In most countries, the main share of EAN is engaged in agricultural production. The most popular plant crops are rice, tea, wheat and millet.

The economy of the region as a whole is characterized by the following features:

  • Most countries are characterized by a transition period from feudalism to capitalism.
  • The economy of most countries is developing quite rapidly, which ensures an increased role of the region as a whole in the world economy.
  • The specialization of the countries in the region is very diverse.
  • In the international division of labor it acts, first of all, as a major supplier of mineral and agricultural raw materials to the world market. The share of Overseas Asia in the world's manufacturing industry, especially heavy industry, is small. Its leading industries (ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical and textile industries) are mainly represented by their enterprises in Japan and China and in a small group of developing countries that have recently achieved significant success in developing their economies (India, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq). Large metallurgical plants have been created in China, Japan and Turkey.
  • The leading sector of the economy of the vast majority of countries in Foreign Asia is. The majority of the economically active population is employed in agriculture.

Agriculture of Foreign Asia

The peculiarities of the agriculture of Foreign Asia are the combination of commercial and consumer farming, landowner and peasant land use, as well as the predominance of food crops over industrial crops.

The main food crop of Foreign Asia is rice. Its countries (China, India, Japan, etc.) provide over 90% of world rice production. The second most important grain crop in Foreign Asia is wheat. In coastal, well-moistened areas, winter wheat is grown, in the arid continental part - spring wheat. Among other grains, corn and millet are significant. Despite the fact that Foreign Asia produces the overwhelming majority of rice and about 20% of the world's wheat, many of its countries are forced to buy grain, since their food problem has not been solved.

Foreign Asia occupies a prominent place in the world in the production of soybeans, copra (dried coconut pulp), coffee, tobacco, tropical and subtropical fruits, grapes, and various spices (red and black pepper, ginger, vanilla, cloves), which are also exported.

The level of development of livestock farming in Foreign Asia is lower than in other regions of the world. The main ones are cattle breeding and sheep breeding, and in countries with a non-Muslim population (China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan) - pig breeding. Horses, camels, and yaks are bred in desert and highland areas. Export livestock products are insignificant and mainly consist of wool, hides and skins. In coastal countries, fishing is of great importance.

The distribution of agriculture in the vast area of ​​Foreign Asia is highly dependent on environmental factors. In general, several have formed in the region.

  • The monsoon sector of East, Southeast and South Asia is the main rice growing area. Rice is sown in river valleys on flooded fields. In the higher parts of the same sector there are tea plantations (China, Japan, India, etc.) and opium poppy plantations (Laos, Thailand).
  • Subtropical farming region - coast. Fruits, rubber, dates, and almonds are grown here.
  • The area of ​​grazing livestock - and South-West Asia (here livestock farming is combined with oases).

In most developing countries of Foreign Asia, industry is represented primarily by mining industries. The reason for this is their good supply and the general low level of development of processing (end) industries.

However, the differences in the level of economic development of various countries and regions of Foreign Asia are so significant that it is advisable to consider the region’s economy regionally.

If we proceed from the ten-member structure of the world economy, then within Foreign Asia there are five centers (among them, three centers are individual countries):

  • China;
  • Japan;
  • India;
  • Newly industrialized countries;
  • Oil exporting countries.

China Since the 70s, he began an economic reform (“Gaige”), based on a combination of planned and market economies. As a result, there has been unprecedented growth in the country's economy. In 1990, China already ranked 3rd in GDP after Japan, and by 2000 it was ahead. However, based on GDP per capita, China still lags significantly behind leading countries. Despite this, China largely determines the progress of the entire Asia-Pacific region. Modern China is a powerful industrial-agrarian country, occupying important positions in (first place in coal and steel production, production of cotton fabrics, televisions, radios, gross grain harvest; second place in the production of electricity, chemical fertilizers, synthetic materials, etc. The face of China is primarily determined by its severity.

Japan came out of the 2nd World War with a completely destroyed country. But it not only managed to restore the economy, but also became the No. 2 power in the world, a member of the G7, and came out on top in many economic indicators. At first it developed primarily along an evolutionary path. Using imported raw materials, such basic industries as energy, metallurgy, automotive, shipbuilding, chemical, petrochemical, and construction industries were created almost anew. After the energy and raw materials crises of the 70s, the revolutionary path of development began to prevail in Japanese industry. The country began to limit the growth of energy- and metal-intensive industries and focus on the latest knowledge-intensive industries. It has become a leader in the field of electronics, robotics, biotechnology, and has begun to use energy. Japan ranks first in the world in terms of the share of spending on science. Since the 90s, the “Japanese economic miracle” has faded and the pace of economic development has slowed down, however, the country still maintains a leading position in many economic indicators.

India is one of the key countries in the developing world. She began economic reform in the 90s and achieved some success. However, it remains a country of very great contrasts. For example:

  • it ranks fifth in the world in terms of total industrial production, but 102nd in terms of national income per capita;
  • powerful enterprises equipped with the latest technology are combined with tens of thousands of handicraft industries (“industry at home”);
  • in agriculture, large farms and plantations are combined with millions of small peasant farms;
  • India ranks first in the number of cattle and one of the last in the consumption of meat products;
  • in terms of the number of scientific and technical specialists, India is second only to Russia and the United States, but occupies a leading position in “brain drain”, which has affected almost all areas of science and technology, and at the same time half of the population is illiterate;
  • In Indian cities, modern, well-appointed areas coexist with slums, home to millions of homeless and unemployed people.

Among the rest of the countries of Foreign Asia, Türkiye, Iran, Pakistan, Israel, etc. stand out in terms of level of economic development.

The peculiarities of agriculture in Foreign Asia are the combination of commercial and consumer farming, landlord and peasant land use, as well as the predominance of food crops over industrial crops and livestock farming.

The main food crop of Foreign Asia is rice. Its countries (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines, etc.) provide over 90% of world rice production. The second most important grain crop in Foreign Asia is wheat. In coastal, well-moistened areas, winter wheat is grown, in the arid continental part - spring wheat. Among other grains, corn and millet are significant. Despite the fact that Foreign Asia produces the vast majority of rice and about 20% of the world's wheat, many of its countries are forced to buy grain, since their food problem has not been solved.

Foreign Asia occupies a prominent place in the world in the production of soybeans, copra (dried coconut pulp), coffee, tobacco, tropical and subtropical fruits, grapes, and various spices (red and black pepper, ginger, vanilla, cloves), which are also exported.

The level of development of livestock farming in Foreign Asia is lower than in other regions of the world. The main branches of livestock farming are cattle breeding and sheep breeding, and in countries with a non-Muslim population (China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan) - pig breeding. Horses, camels, and yaks are bred in desert and highland areas. Export livestock products are insignificant and mainly consist of wool, hides and skins. In coastal countries, fishing is of great importance.

Accommodation Agriculture in the vast area of ​​​​Overseas Asia is highly dependent on environmental factors. In general, several agricultural areas have formed in the region.

1. The monsoon sector of East, Southeast and South Asia is the main rice growing area. Rice is sown in river valleys on flooded fields. In the higher parts of the same sector there are tea plantations (China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, etc.) and opium poppy plantations (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand).

2. The region of subtropical agriculture is the Mediterranean coast. Fruits, rubber, dates, and almonds are grown here.

3. Region of pastoral livestock farming - Mongolia and South-West Asia (here livestock farming is combined with farming in oases).

In most developing countries of Overseas Asia industry represented predominantly by the mining industries. The reason for this is their good supply of mineral resources and the general low level of development of processing (upstream) industries.

However, the differences in the level of economic development of various countries and regions of Foreign Asia are so significant that it is advisable to consider the region’s economy regionally.

If we proceed from the ten-member structure of the world economy, then within Foreign Asia there are five centers (among them, three centers are individual countries):

2. Japan;

4. New industrial countries;

5. Oil exporting countries.

China Since the 70s, he began an economic reform (“Gaige”), based on a combination of planned and market economies. As a result, there has been unprecedented growth in the country's economy. In 1990, China already ranked 3rd in terms of GDP after the United States and Japan, and by 2000 it was ahead of Japan. However, based on GDP per capita, China still lags significantly behind leading countries. Despite this, China largely determines the progress of the entire Asia-Pacific region. Modern China is a powerful industrial-agrarian country that occupies important positions in the world economy (first place in the production of coal and iron ore, steel smelting, production of cotton fabrics, televisions, radios, and gross grain harvest; second place in the production of electricity, chemical fertilizers, synthetic materials, etc. The face of China is primarily determined by heavy industry.

Japan emerged from World War 2 with a completely destroyed economy. But it not only managed to restore the economy, but also became the No. 2 power in the world, a member of the G7, and came out on top in many economic indicators. Japan's industry initially developed primarily along an evolutionary path. Using imported raw materials, such basic industries as energy, metallurgy, automotive, shipbuilding, chemical, petrochemical, and construction industries were created almost anew. After the energy and raw materials crises of the 70s, the revolutionary path of development began to prevail in Japanese industry. The country began to limit the growth of energy- and metal-intensive industries and focus on the latest knowledge-intensive industries. It has become a leader in the field of electronics, robotics, biotechnology, and has begun to use non-traditional energy sources. Japan ranks first in the world in terms of the share of spending on science. Since the 90s, the “Japanese economic miracle” has faded and the pace of economic development has slowed down, however, the country still maintains a leading position in many economic indicators.

India is one of the key countries in the developing world. She began economic reform in the 90s and achieved some success. However, it remains a country of very great contrasts. For example:

It ranks fifth in the world in terms of total industrial production, but 102nd in terms of national income per capita;

Powerful enterprises equipped with the latest technology are combined with tens of thousands of handicraft industries (“industry at home”);

In agriculture, large farms and plantations are combined with millions of small peasant farms;

India ranks first in the number of cattle and one of the last in the consumption of meat products;

In terms of the number of scientific and technical specialists, India is second only to Russia and the United States, but occupies a leading position in “brain drain”, which has affected almost all areas of science and technology, and at the same time half of the population is illiterate;

In Indian cities, modern, gentrified areas coexist with slums, home to millions of homeless and unemployed people.

Indian industry employs 20% of the economically active population. From a country of light and food industries, India has turned into a country with developed heavy industry. India produces machine tools, diesel locomotives, cars, tractors, televisions, as well as the latest electronic equipment, equipment for nuclear power plants and space research. India ranks first in the developing world in terms of nuclear industry development.

Agriculture in India accounts for 60% of EAN. In recent years, as a result of government investments and the use of the achievements of the “green revolution,” grain collection has increased significantly and the country has become largely self-sufficient in grain, albeit at a very low level of consumption (250 kg per person).

Natural conditions in India are favorable for the development of agriculture. India has two main agricultural seasons and two main agricultural zones:

The main rice-growing zone is the southeastern part of the Indo-Ghana lowland;

The main wheat zone is the northwestern part of the Indo-Ghana lowland.

In addition to these zones, there are areas for the cultivation of fibrous, oilseed, sugar, and tonic crops.

India has developed a special territorial economic structure, which distinguishes it from other developing countries. There is no single dominant center in the country. There are, as it were, four “economic capitals”

– in the west - Bombay (machine-building, petrochemical, cotton factories, nuclear energy, the largest port);

In the east - Kolkata (the second industrial center and port after Bombay, distinguished by the processing and export of jute);

In the north - Delhi (a large industrial, transport, administrative and cultural center);

In the south is Madras.

Newly industrialized countries consist of two echelons:

The first echelon is Korea, Singapore, Taiwan (together with Hong Kong - the “four Asian tigers”);

Second echelon – Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia.

All these countries have achieved significant economic success in a short time, especially in the automotive industry, shipbuilding, oil refining industry, petrochemicals, electronics, electrical engineering, and light industry. In their development, they were guided by the experience of Japan. However, transnational corporations (TNCs), which focused on cheap labor, played a decisive role in their development. Therefore, almost all the high-tech products of these countries go to the West.

Oil exporting countries specialize in oil production and petrochemicals. These are the countries of the Persian Gulf, which received rapid development due to oil and very quickly entered from feudalism into capitalism. Most of these countries' income comes from oil and gas exports (Saudi Arabia - 98%)

Among other countries of Foreign Asia, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea stand out in terms of economic development.

The least developed countries in the region and the world as a whole include Yemen, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.

6. Transport of Overseas Asia– one of the weak links in most countries (with the exception of Japan). The transport system of these countries has not yet been fully formed. There is a predominance of one or two types of transport, a high proportion of pack, horse-drawn and bicycle transport.

Rail transport is most developed in India and Pakistan, pipeline transport in the Middle East, road transport in India and China, sea transport in Japan, China, Singapore, and the Gulf countries.

7. Environmental issues region have recently become significantly worse. The most pressing problems are the depletion of water resources, soil erosion, land alienation, deforestation (especially Nepal and India), etc. The main reasons for the worsening environmental problems are the transfer of “dirty production” to the region and overpopulation in many countries.

Subregions of Foreign Asia

1. South-West Asia;

2. South Asia;

3. Southeast Asia;

4. East Asia (China, Mongolia, North Korea, Korea, Japan).


AUSTRALIA AND OCEANIA

Foreign Asia is one of the largest regions in terms of territory and the largest region in the world in terms of population. It occupies the southern and southeastern parts of the Eurasian continent and adjacent islands, the largest of which are the Japanese, Taiwan, Philippine, Greater and Lesser Sunda, and Ceylon. The territory of Foreign Asia is 31.9 million km 2, which is about 3/5 of the area of ​​Eurasia and almost 1/4 of the area of ​​inhabited land. From north to south the region stretches for almost 7,000 km, and from west to east - more than 10,000 km. From the east and southeast it is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, from the south and southwest by the Indian Ocean, and from the west by the Atlantic. The land border of Overseas Asia runs along the southern border of Russia, along the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, the Suez Canal and in the middle of the island of New Guinea. Accurate drawing of borders is hampered by the political situation. Some Asian countries are striving to become members of European integration associations and, above all, the European Union. In 2004, Cyprus joined it.

Currently, 54 states are fully or partially located on the territory of Asia, of which five (Abkhazia, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Palestine, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, South Ossetia) are only partially recognized. Among the unrecognized states is the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The inclusion of Russia in the list of Asian countries is based primarily on its partial location in this part of the world (the vast majority of the country's population is in Europe, but most of the territory is in Asia). Turkey and Kazakhstan are sometimes included in the list of European countries due to having a smaller share of territory and population in Europe. Sometimes Azerbaijan and Georgia are also considered European countries (when drawing the border between Europe and Asia along the Greater Caucasus, they have small territories in Europe), and Cyprus, which is geographically located entirely in Asia, is part of the EU and has close political and cultural ties with Europe.

The territory of Foreign Asia is usually divided into five subregions: Western Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, which differ from each other by a complex of natural historical, ethnolinguistic and religious factors (Table 7.2).

Distribution of countries by subregion in Asia

Table 7.2

Western

Central

South Asia

Eastern

Southeast Asia

Azerbaijan

Kazakhstan

Afghanistan

Kyrgyzstan

Bangladesh

Republic

Oriental

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Mongolia

Indonesia

Uzbekistan

Cambodia

Jordan

Maldives

Malaysia

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Singapore

Philippines

Palestinian territories

Saudi

Geographical data indicate the undisputed leadership in terms of territory, population and GDP production of East Asia due to the presence of China and Japan. South Asia ranks second in terms of population and GDP production (at the expense of India). In terms of the number of countries, Western Asia leads, where countries that are small in area and population predominate.

Most of the modern states of Overseas Asia were formed after World War II as a result of the process of decolonization. The countries of Central Asia gained independence in 1991 as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the 21st century. There were 48 sovereign states in the region, and there were no colonies left. The countries of Foreign Asia are extremely contrasting both in terms of territory and population, and in terms of the most important indicators of socio-economic development. Along with giant countries such as China and India, there are also microstates: the Maldives. Bahrain and Singapore. From 12 countries of the world with a population of more than 100 million people. 6 are located in Overseas Asia (China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan). On the other hand, the Maldives, Cyprus, Bahrain, East Timor and Qatar have populations below 1 million. Five countries in the region (Japan, Israel, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea) are classified as developed. Among the developing countries, there are both the leaders (China, India, and to a certain extent Turkey) and the poorest (Yemen, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). A special place in the economy of the region is occupied by oil and natural gas exporting countries with a high standard of living: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Brunei. Another group of countries that plays an important role in the region's economy are the newly industrialized countries of the “second wave.” This group includes Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The region exhibits the full range of government options that exist in the modern world, from absolute theocratic monarchies (Saudi Arabia and Oman) to parliamentary republics with deep democratic traditions (for example, Israel and India). Of the 48 states of Overseas Asia, the majority adhere to a republican form of government, and only 13 are monarchies. Monarchies include one empire (Japan), 6 kingdoms (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, Cambodia and Thailand), 4 emirates (Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE) and 3 sultanates (Oman, Malaysia and Brunei). The region is dominated by unitary states, but there are also 5 federations (UAE, Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Malaysia).

The natural resources of Foreign Asia are rich, but they are distributed extremely unevenly throughout the region. Indeed, the glacial mountain landscapes of Tibet coexist here with the hot sands of Arabia, the impenetrable jungles of Indochina with the endless steppe expanses of Mongolia, and the highest peaks of the Himalayas, proud in their solitude, with the populous fertile plains of Hindustan and Java. The region is home to the highest peak in the world - Mount Chomolungma (8848 m), and the deepest Dead Sea depression on Earth (-95 m), a place with a record amount of precipitation (Cherrapunji up to 12,000 mm/year) and one of the driest deserts on the globe - Arabian (less than 100 mm/year). The climatic conditions of Foreign Asia make it possible to engage in agriculture almost everywhere, and the main condition for its implementation is not the amount of heat (there is enough of it in most of the region), but moisture. Approximately 1/2 of the territory is characterized by increased aridity, and only in areas with a monsoon climate is there no shortage of water resources. The area of ​​cultivated land in Foreign Asia is 4.7 million km 2 (this is only 17% of the region's land fund), so there is only 0.15 hectares per capita - less than anywhere else in the world. However, these are average data. India and China have huge tracts of arable land - 160 and 100 million hectares, occupying second and fourth places in the world according to this indicator, respectively (the first place belongs to the USA, the third to Russia). Pastures cover over 22% of the region's area, of which China has more than 400 million hectares, the second largest in the world (after Australia). In terms of the share of pastures in the structure of agricultural land, Turkmenistan is the world leader (97%). Forests occupy a relatively small area (about 20% of all land), so the region ranks last in the world in terms of forest coverage (0.2 ha/person). The forests belong to the Southern Forest Belt and are concentrated mainly in the humid tropical zone of Southeast Asia. Overseas Asia accounts for more than 1/2 of the world's hardwood production. Unproductive lands make up about 40% of the region's area, which is twice as much as in other regions of the world. Most of these lands are deserts and semi-deserts. They are responsible for the characteristic yellow-brown color that distinguishes Asia in photographs from space.

Given the general aridity of the region's climate, the role of water resources especially increases. The emergence of the most ancient civilizations of the East is associated with such great rivers as the Tigris and Euphrates, the Indus and the Ganges, the Yellow River and the Yangtze. Foreign Asia ranks first among the regions of the world in terms of river flow. However, 2/3 of surface water falls in Southeast and East Asia, and the rest of the territory experiences acute water shortages. The rivers of Foreign Asia are also important transport arteries, as well as sources of irrigation, without which agriculture would be impossible in most of the region. India and China are the world leaders in terms of irrigated land area. The rivers of Foreign Asia account for over 40% of the Earth's potential hydropower resources. Among individual countries, China ranks first in the world in this indicator.

Foreign Asia is truly a treasure trove of diverse mineral resources. First of all, it is necessary to note the colossal energy resources. The region accounts for 70% of the world's proven oil reserves. The share of Saudi Arabia alone is 25%, with Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and the UAE accounting for 9-10% each. In terms of natural gas reserves (39% of the world's total), Foreign Asia shares first place with Russia. Iran, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia occupy, respectively, the second to fifth places in the world in terms of reserves of this valuable raw material. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have large reserves of natural gas. The region's coal reserves are very large - more than 1/3 of the world's. Its richest deposits are concentrated in China (first place in the world) and India. There are significant reserves of uranium and thorium ores (China, India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan). Ore resources are rich and varied. The region dominates in reserves of tin and tungsten ores - more than 2/3 of the world's (China, Malaysia and Indonesia), nickel - 1/3 of the world's (China and Indonesia), chromium (Turkey, India, the Philippines and Kazakhstan), manganese (India, China, Kazakhstan and Georgia). Large reserves of iron ore are concentrated in China and India, bauxite - in China, India and Indonesia, copper ores - in China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, gold - in China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Among non-metallic raw materials, it is necessary to note the reserves of graphite (India, Sri Lanka and South Korea) and mica (India), for which the region occupies a leading position in the world. There are large reserves of potassium salts (Israel and Jordan), as well as phosphorus-containing raw materials (China, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Israel and Iraq).

More than 60% of the world's population lives in Foreign Asia. However, at present it can be argued that the era of the “demographic explosion” is a thing of the past for this region. The population growth rate in the region is 1.4%, i.e. approximately equal to the world average. In China, as a result of an active demographic policy, population growth turned out to be half the regional average, and Japan is already moving to a narrowed population reproduction. The highest rates of population growth are characteristic of the countries of South-West Asia (Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), where it is more than twice the world average. In East Asia, on the contrary, population growth is significantly lower than the world level. It is interesting to compare data on population growth rates and GDP for the subregions of Foreign Asia. High population growth rates offset a significant part of the economic growth of the countries of the region, giving rise to social problems such as poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. The most unfavorable situation in this regard has developed in the countries of South-West and South Asia.

Foreign Asia is a very densely populated region, with an average population density almost three times higher than the world level. However, the population is distributed extremely unevenly across the territory. The highest population density is characteristic of the Indo-Gangetic Lowland, some of the Sunda Islands, as well as the coastal regions of China and Japan. More than 1 million people live on the island of Java (Indonesia) in an area equal to the state of New York. The region is home to the country with the highest average population density in the world - Bangladesh. On the other hand, the interior regions of China and Mongolia are practically uninhabited.

Foreign Asia is a region with a predominantly young population. In the countries of South-West and South Asia, over 40% of the population are children under 16 years of age. But Japan has the oldest society on Earth. In the countries of East and Southeast Asia, the bulk of the population is of working age. The gender structure of the region's population is characterized by a predominance of men, who are 75 million more than women. There are 1,049 men per 1,000 women in Foreign Asia.

Foreign Asia, along with Africa, is the least urbanized region of the world - only 1/3 of the population lives here in cities. However, given the overall colossal rural population, it is often called the “global village”. On the other hand, thanks to the role of countries such as China and India, almost half of the Earth’s citizens are concentrated in Overseas Asia.

The ethnic structure of the population is very complex and mosaic - nine language families and more than 800 different languages. The region is home to the most numerous peoples of the world - the Chinese (1/5 of the world's population), Hindustani, Bengalis, Japanese, Punjabis, Biharis and Javanese. Finally, Foreign Asia is the birthplace and main focus of the spread of the world's main religions - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism. Ethnic and religious boundaries run here both between and within countries. Such stripes in the conditions of overpopulation in the region give rise to numerous ethno-religious conflicts, such as Palestinian, Kashmir and Tibetan.

In terms of GDP production, Foreign Asia is one of the world leaders, and in terms of economic growth rates, no other region in the world can compare with it. The economic leaders in the region are China, India, and Japan, occupying first, third, and fourth places in the world in terms of total GDP production, respectively. Of the 54 countries in the region, only Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Cyprus, Israel and Bahrain are at the post-industrial stage of economic development. India, China, the newly industrialized countries of the second wave, oil and natural gas exporting countries, and countries such as Turkey, Iran and Iraq are industrial. The least developed countries in the region have an agricultural economy.

The share of Overseas Asia in global industrial production is approximately 1/3. In terms of the scale of industrial development, as well as the range of industries represented in it, three countries stand out - Japan, China and India; in terms of the state of the industry structure - Japan and the newly industrialized countries of the “first wave” (South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore). The industrial countries of the “second wave” are gradually approaching them. A special industrial structure with a sharp predominance of fuel and energy sectors is characteristic of all Gulf countries. Currently, Foreign Asia ranks first in the world in terms of production of oil, coal, iron ore, chromite, tin and tungsten ores. In the manufacturing industry, the region excels in steel smelting, production of maritime merchant ships, robots, consumer electronics, computer components, cotton fabrics, clothing and footwear.

Despite the rapid industrial development, agriculture still plays a significant role in the region. It employs more than 1/2 of its economically active population. At the beginning of this century, Asian countries produced over 50% of the world's agricultural output. China alone accounts for almost 1/4 of the world's agricultural production. The countries of the region are world leaders in both the production of basic food crops and livestock. True, it should be noted that most agricultural products are consumed within the region itself.

The transport network of Foreign Asia is unique, since despite the long length of transport routes of all types of transport, its density is significantly lower than the world average (the only exception is the developed countries of the region). In domestic transportation, railway transport plays a leading role, and foreign trade in the region is served by sea transport. The largest ports are Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong (China), Chiba and Nagoya (Japan), Ulsan and Gwangju (Republic of Korea). Cyprus, Singapore, China and Japan are among the world's top ten countries in terms of merchant fleet size. A unique transport system has developed in countries that export oil and natural gas - pipeline transport plays a large role in cargo turnover, and automobile transport plays a large role in passenger turnover.

Recently, air transport has been rapidly developing. Today, the region accounts for more than 20% of global air traffic, twice as much as 10 years ago. The largest airports are in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Bangkok and Delhi.

In recent years, the role of the service sector in the structure of the economy of Foreign Asia has been increasing. In developed countries, the share of this sector in GDP ranges from 60% to 80%. In terms of production volume of various types of services, Japan is second only to the United States in the world. Tokyo has become the third most important financial center in the world after New York and London.

Singapore, Hong Kong and Manama (Bahrain) are also major regional financial centers. Offshore zones have been created in Cyprus, Bahrain, UAE, Singapore and Malaysia. Tourism plays a significant role in the economy. Overseas Asia accounts for about 20% of international tourist trips. The countries of East and Southeast Asia are the most popular among tourists.

Foreign trade has traditionally been of great importance. A significant part of the countries in the region are characterized by an average level of export quota (the ratio of export value to GDP). The highest indicators are distinguished by the newly industrialized countries of the “second wave” and countries exporting oil and natural gas. The absolute world leader in terms of export quota is Singapore, but the DPRK, on ​​the contrary, is a striking example of an outsider. The region's share in world trade turnover is approximately 1/3. The commodity structure of exports of the countries of East, South and Southeast Asia is dominated by industrial goods and ore raw materials, and that of South-West Asia by energy resources.

Questions for self-control

  • 1. What similarities and differences can be noted among Asian countries?
  • 2. What natural resources is Asia richest in?
  • 3. What are the current trends in economic development in Asian countries?
  • 4. Why, in your opinion, did all the world’s religions originate in Asia?
  • 5. What is the reason for the fact that Asia is home to a large number of hotbeds of international tension? What solutions to existing conflicts could you suggest?
  • 6. What are “newly industrialized countries”?
  • 7. What problems of global development may arise (or have already arisen) in connection with the economic “ascent” of countries such as China and India, in which a significant proportion of the world’s population is concentrated?

Tasks for independent work

  • 1. Make a map “Natural Resources of Foreign Asia”. Highlight the resources in which European countries are world leaders.
  • 2. On the outline map of Europe, mark its subregions, label the countries and their capitals. Check the countries that are members of APEC and ASEAN.
  • 3. Using materials from the topic studied, mark the largest agglomerations of Foreign Asia on the contour map.
  • 4. Prepare a report on one of the countries of Foreign Asia.