1. ASIA VOCABULARY
agricultural terracing
the practice of creating flat areas in the mountains in order to
farm
ancestor worship
the idea that when a family member dies their spirit can help
bring you good fortune in this life
archipelago
chain of islands such as the Japanese Islands and the Philippines
ASEAN
economic organization of countries in Southeast Asia
atman
soul in Hinduism
batik
a type of cloth in Indonesia
brahman
people at the top of the caste system in India, also known as
priests or teachers
Buddhism
major religion in Southeast Asia that believes in reincarnation,
karma, and nirvana, founded by Siddhartha
caste system
system of social organization in India
command economy
an economy in which the government owns the means of
production
Confucianism
philosophy in China that developed an intricate system of ethics
cyclone
a tropical storm in Asia similar to a Hurricane and also called a
typhoon

2. deforestation
when trees are cut down faster than they can grow back
free market economy
an economy in which the means of production are owned by the
people and it operates on supply and demand
Ganges River
river that flows through northern India into the Bay of Bengal
and is considered sacred by Hindus
Gobi Desert
desert in Western China that is in the rain shadow of the
Himalaya Mountains
green revolution
period in the 1950s when better types of rice were introduced
into Asia
Himalaya Mountains
mountain range that separates India from China that includes
the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest
Hinduism
major religion in India that is polytheistic, believes in
reincarnation and karma, and the idea that everyone as a soul
called atman
ideogram
type of writing in China
karma
the idea that when someone does something good or bad it will
come back to them
Kashmir
region located between India and Pakistan that both countries
claim
loess
wind blown dirt that is common in China

3. megalopolis
highly urbanized areas where major cities are connected by
urban sprawl
mixed economy
an economy where the government owns some major industries
monsoon
wind pattern that brings rain to parts of Asia
mosque
place where Muslims worship
nirvana
the Buddhist concept of heaven but it is more closely associated
with release from suffering or the attainment of enlightenment
OPEC
economic organization that controls the price and production of
oil in the world
orographic precipitation
rain that is caused by mountain ranges
pagoda
a building with a distinctive curved roof that is common in Asia
and can be used for a shrine or religious temple
rainforest
forest that grows in a tropical wet climate zone and has broadleaf
trees
reincarnation
the idea that when a person dies their spirit will be reborn
ring of fire
area around the Pacific Ocean where many tectonic plates meet
causing more earthquakes and active volcanoes
Shintoism
ethnic religion in Japan that believes in nature spirits called kami
steppe

4. dry grassland near deserts
Taoism
religion that developed in China that believes in balance and
action through inaction
yurt
a tent used by nomads in Mongolia