MAP Class 01

Previous Class Topic

• An open session covering a general overview of the mapping approach and its
interdisciplinary relevance.

Significance of Mapping

• Offers an organized representation of geographical data across regions, enabling

connections with cultural, political, and historical contexts.

• Supports interlinking of subjects such as environment, international

relations, security, disaster management, and economic studies.

• Facilitates clearer visualization of geopolitical boundaries, natural resources, and

demographic distribution.

• Encourages the use of wall maps, atlases, and other tools for easy recognition of locations
and features.

World Division: Continents and Oceans

Continents

• Seven continents share the Earth’s land surface (about 29% of the planet).

• Listed in order of size, starting with the largest:

• Asia (largest, separated into West, Central, South, Southeast, and East regions)

• Africa (second largest, connects via the Suez Isthmus to Asia)

• North America (joined to South America by the Isthmus of Panama)

• South America (notable for the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Basin)

• Antarctica (surrounded completely by oceans, with extreme conditions)

• Europe (technically joined to Asia at the Ural Mountains, often

calledEurasiatogether)

• Oceania (smallest, includes Australia, New Zealand, and numerous Pacific Islands)

Oceans

• Five major oceans (about 71% of Earth’s surface), listed by size:

• Pacific Ocean

• Largest and deepest ocean, containing the Mariana Trench with depths near
11,000 meters.

• Surrounded by trenches on multiple sides, creating the“Ring of Fire”prone to

earthquakes and volcanoes.

• Atlantic Ocean
 • Second largest, formed when landmasses (e.g., South America and Africa)
separated.

• Features a prominent Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

• Indian Ocean

• Third largest, bordered by Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

• Named after a country (India) and integral to major global trade routes.

• Southern Ocean

• Fourth largest; recognized as a distinct ocean in 2000.

• Encircles Antarctica, demarcated around 60°S latitude, and features strong

currents.

• Arctic Ocean

• Smallest, mostly covered by ice, highly vulnerable to climate change.

• Lies north of North America, Europe, and Asia.

Key Water Bodies in and around Asia

• Caspian Sea: Largest enclosed inland body of water, bordered by countries of Central Asia
and parts of the Caucasus region.

• Black Sea: Connected to the Mediterranean Sea via the Bosphorus Strait, Sea of Marmara,
and Dardanelles.

• Mediterranean Sea: Connects Europe, Africa, and Asia; historically significant for trade and
cultural exchanges.

• Aegean Sea: Lying between Greece and Turkey, containing many islands that have
influenced regional interactions.

• Sea of Marmara: Between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, forming part of Turkey’s
territory.

• Red Sea: Separates Northeast Africa from the Arabian Peninsula; recognized for abundant
marine biodiversity.

• Gulf of Aden: Connects to the Red Sea via the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait; near the coasts of
Yemen and Somalia.

• Arabian Sea: Part of the northwest Indian Ocean, bordered by the Arabian Peninsula and the
Indian subcontinent.

• Persian Gulf: Rich in oil and gas reserves, surrounded by major hydrocarbon-exporting
nations.

• Gulf of Oman: Narrow region linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

• Bay of Bengal: Considered one of the world’s largest bays, including the Andaman Sea to its
east.
 • Andaman Sea: Lies between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Southeast Asia.

• Gulf of Thailand: Southeast Asian gulf near Thailand; connected to the Andaman Sea by a
narrow isthmus.

• South China Sea: Subject of multiple territorial disputes involving offshore islands and reefs
(e.g., Paracel, Spratly, Scarborough Shoal).

• East China Sea: Separates China from Japan; includes disputed islands likeSenkaku (Diaoyu).

• Yellow Sea: Receives fine desert sands from the Gobi Desert, giving it a yellowish hue.

• Sea of Japan (East Sea): Between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula;
recognized by different names in Japan and Korea.

• Bering Sea and Bering Strait: Connecting the Pacific and Arctic Oceans; separates Russia
(Asia) from the USA (North America).

• Notable islands include the Diomede Islands, which lie on opposite sides of the
International Date Line.

Regional Focus in Asia

South Asia

Countries: India at the center, with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and
the Maldives.

• Key Features:

• Afghanistan shares a narrowWakhan Corridorwith India, linking Central and South

Asia.

• Nepal and Bhutan are Himalayan nations with distinct cultural and historical ties to
neighboring countries.

• Bangladesh borders India extensively, with historical enclaves resolved in recent

boundary agreements.

• Sri Lanka lies off India’s southeastern coast, separated by the Palk Strait, with
maritime fishing disputes frequent in the strait’s vicinity.

• The Maldives is composed of low-lying islands, with an average elevation of about

1.5 meters above sea level.

• Capitals (North to South):

• Kabul (Afghanistan)

• Islamabad (Pakistan)

• New Delhi (India)

• Kathmandu (Nepal)

• Thimphu (Bhutan)

• Dhaka (Bangladesh)
 • Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (administrative) & Colombo (commercial) in Sri Lanka

• Malé (Maldives)

• Notable Points:

• Bhutan has no border disputes with neighboring nations.

• Nepal hosts the headquarters of a regional consortium in Kathmandu.

• Southern Sri Lanka sees frequent references to an open commercial port in

Colombo.

• The Maldives is highly vulnerable to sea-level rise.

Southeast Asia

Mainland (Indochina): Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Island Nations: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines (within ASEAN).

Additional Country: Timor-Leste (observer, not a full ASEAN member).

• Mainland Features:

• Myanmar (capital: Naypyidaw), with states like Rakhine (Rohingya context) and
Kachin (local autonomy movements).

• Thailand (capital: Bangkok), never colonized, and site of a southern insurgency

(Pattani conflict).

• Laos (capital: Vientiane), fully landlocked among neighbors with mountainous

terrain in parts.

• Cambodia (capital: Phnom Penh), once home to the Angkor Wat temple complex.

• Vietnam (capital: Hanoi), shares maritime interests in the South China Sea.

• Island Features:

• Malaysia has two portions: one on the Malay Peninsula, the other on Borneo Island.

• Singapore is a bustling city-state at the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest
ports.

• Brunei (capital: Bandar Seri Begawan), an oil-rich sultanate with no personal income
tax.

• Indonesia (capital: Jakarta, moving toNusantaraon Borneo due to subsidence).

• Philippines (capital: Manila), composed of multiple islands including Mindanao,

home to the Moro community seeking greater autonomy.

• Important Islands:

• Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and parts of New Guinea belong to Indonesia.

• Timor-Leste occupies part of Timor Island, historically linked with Portuguese and
later Indonesian governance.
East Asia

• China

• Official name: People’s Republic of China, capital: Beijing.

• Encompasses vast territory, sharing borders with multiple regional blocs.

• One-China policy references the stance on Taiwan (Republic of China).

• Mongolia

• Capital: Ulaanbaatar, known for significant uranium reserves.

• Sparsely populated, dominated by steppe and mountain landscapes.

• Korean Peninsula

• North Korea (capital: Pyongyang) and South Korea (capital: Seoul).

• Divided along the 38th parallel north.

• North Korea directly borders China and Russia.

• Japan

• Capital: Tokyo, recognized as one of the world’s most populous urban centers.

• Sits along an island arc prone to earthquakes and tsunamis due to tectonic
subduction.

Central Asia

• Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan.

• Major Characteristics:

• Kazakhstan: largest landlocked country globally; home to the Baikonur Cosmodrome

for early space launches.

• Kyrgyzstan & Tajikistan: mountainous areas (Pamir-Alayrange).

• Uzbekistan: doubly landlocked, central to historic Silk Road routes.

• Turkmenistan: known for abundant natural gas fields.

• Capitals:

• Kazakhstan: Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana).

• Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek, host of an international snow leopard conservation declaration.

• Tajikistan: Dushanbe, significant along ancient trade routes.

• Uzbekistan: Tashkent, associated with diplomatic accords historically.

• Turkmenistan: Ashgabat, near the Iranian border, referenced in transport corridor

agreements.

The Caucasus Region

 • Countries: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan (formerly within a larger union).

• Important Borders:

• Georgia edges the Black Sea; includes disputed areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

• Armenia is landlocked, inhabited predominantly by an Armenian ethnic majority.

• Azerbaijan has a Caspian Sea coast; the Nagorno-Karabakh area inside it has seen
conflicts with Armenia.

• Selected Capitals:

• Georgia: Tbilisi (noted for topographical variance).

• Armenia: Yerevan (historically linked to early Christian heritage).

• Azerbaijan: Baku, possessing substantial oil reserves and a key port on the Caspian
Sea.

Russia

• Largest nation worldwide, spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.

• Extends from the Baltic region to the Pacific, bordered by the Arctic Ocean in the north.

• Contains autonomous regions such as Chechnya and Dagestan, each hosting separatist
movements.

• Historically formed the core of a 15-member union that broke apart in 1991.

Key Highlights

• Lowest-lying country: The Maldives, with an average elevation of only 1.5 meters above sea
level.

• Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference 2024: Hosted in Bhutan, focusing on
mobilizing funds for tiger habitat conservation.

• Second Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage: Thailand, following earlier legalization
in Taiwan.

• Country relocating its capital due to submergence: Indonesia, moving from Jakarta
toNusantarain Borneo.

• Nations separated by the 38th parallel north: North Korea and South Korea.

• World’s first space launch site: The Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, historically used
for pioneering space missions.

• Declaration on snow leopards: The Bishkek Declaration, associated with Kyrgyzstan’s

capital.

• Location of the 2024 UNCCD Conference: Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.

• Recently newsworthy Erez (or Arava) crossing: Located in Israel, often cited in regional
developments.
 • Group of islands the UK agreed to transfer to Mauritius: The Chagos Archipelago,
sometimes noted for its strategic position and former disputes.

Topic to be Discussed in the Next Class

West Asia, including the major countries, regions, and ongoing geopolitical developments there.