Presentation Group 3

Topic: Regional Geography

I. An opening to Regional Geography:
1. What is Regional Geography then? Why do we study it?
*- Regional Geography is the study of world regions that pays its attention to unique
characteristics such as culture, economy, topography, climate, politics and
environment, using the idiographic study of spatial individuals and the typological
study of spatial types.
Or simply:
the study of an area on the earth's surface marked by certain properties Or regional
criterias.
- Regional geography is only a branch of geography, that is the spatial study of the
earths surface.
*- So why do we study Regional Geo at all? Because it is logical, scientists nowadays
often research a wide variety of topics, it is helpful to break the world down into
regions to make information easier to process and display. Whether it is weather,
culture, genetics,
- Lets move to a few specific examples:
+ Weather forecast before a date.
+ Explanations for the rise of civilizations owing to their regional terrains. (the
Kingdoms of Mesopotamia The Hanging Garden of Babylon).
+ The division and distinction between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa in
history and ecology due to the effective barrier created by the Sahara Desert. As the
seafaring civilizations of the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Muslims, migration
across the Mediterranean Sea, the cultures of North Africa became much more closely
tied to Southwestern Asia and Europe than Sub-Saharan Africa. The Islamic influence
in the area is also significant.
*- In Regional Geo, the Earth is divided into geographic Realms. A simple definition
of a realm would be the Largest Logical Regions into which we can divide the whole
world, such as the Chinese Realm, the Pacific Rim Realm or the North Asia and
Southwest Asia Real that includes five countries that used to be part of the former
Soviet Union. Other textbook authors include these five countries in a realm called
"the former Soviet Union". So in which realm SHOULD they be? It doesn't really
matter. It depends on the criteria that the author wishes to emphasize, whether it may
be cultural and physical criteria or historical and economic criteria.
So in our presentation, we would like to divide the content into three realms of our
own based on their physical characteristics and their effects on the countries
economy as well as uniquenesses: the United States, the United Kingdom and
Vietnam.

II. Background
1. The USA
The term "United States", when used in the geographical sense, is the contiguous
United States, the state of Alaska, the island state of Hawaii, the five insular territories
 of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American
Samoa, and minor outlying possessions.
The U.S. borders both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans and is bordered
by Canada and Mexico.
It is the third largest country in the world by area and has a varied topography.
The eastern regions consist of hills and low mountains while the central interior is a
vast plain (called the Great Plains region) and the west has high rugged mountain
ranges (some of which are volcanic in the Pacific Northwest). Alaska also features
rugged mountains as well as river valleys. Hawaii's landscape varies but is dominated
by volcanic topography.
Total areas: 9,826,675 km2 (3,794,100 sq mi)
-CIA World Fact book-
Coastline:19,920 km (12,380 mi)
Highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m (20,322 ft)
Lowest point: Badwater Basin 86 m (282 ft)
Longest river: Missouri River 3,767 km (2,341 mi)
Largest lake: Lake Superior 31,153 km2 (12,028 sq mi)
Natural Resources: coal, copper, gold, iron, mercury, petroleum, natural gas, etc.
2. The UK
The United Kingdom is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of
continental Europe. With a total area of approximately 241,930 square kilometres
(93,410 sq mi), the UK occupies the major part of the British Isles archipelago and
includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland
and many smaller surrounding islands.
The UK lies between the North Atlantic and the North Sea, and comes within 35 km
(22 mi) of the north-west coast of France, from which it is separated by the English
Channel. It shares a 499 km international land boundary with the Republic of
Ireland.[2][3] The Channel Tunnel bored beneath the English Channel, now links the
UK with France.
The physical geography of the UK varies greatly. England consists of mostly lowland
terrain, with upland or mountainous terrain only found north-west of the Tees-Exe
line. The upland areas include the Lake District, thePennines, Exmoor and Dartmoor.
The lowland areas are typically traversed by ranges of low hills, frequently composed
of chalk. The physical geography of Scotland is distinguished by the Highland
Boundary Fault which traverses the Scottish mainland from Helensburgh to
Stonehaven. The faultline separates the two distinctively different regions of the
Highlands to the north and west, and the Lowlands to the south and east. The
Highlands are predominantly mountainous while the Lowlands contain flatter land,
especially across the Central Lowlands, with upland and mountainous terrain located
at the Southern Uplands. Wales is mostly mountainous, though south Wales is less
mountainous than north and mid Wales. The geography of Ireland includes the
Mourne Mountains as well as Lough Neagh, at 388 square kilometres (150 sq mi),
the largest body of water in the UK.
 The tallest mountain in the UK (and British Isles) is Ben Nevis, in the Grampian
Mountains, Scotland. The longest river is the River Severn which flows from Wales
into England. The largest lake by surface area is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland,
though Scotland's Loch Ness has the largest volume.
The UK has a coastline which measures about 12,429 km.[15] The heavy indentation
of the coastline helps to ensure that no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters.
3. Vietnam
Vietnam is located on the eastern margin of the Indochinese peninsula and occupies
about 331,211.6 square kilometers, of which about 25% was under cultivation in 1987.
It borders the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and Pacific Sea, alongside China,
Laos, and Cambodia. The S-shaped country has a north-to-south distance of 1,650
kilometers and is about 50 kilometers wide at the narrowest point. With a coastline
of 3,260 kilometers, excluding islands, Vietnam claims 12 nautical miles (22.2 km;
13.8 mi) as the limit of its territorial waters, an additional 12 nautical miles (22.2 km;
13.8 mi) as a contiguous customs and security zone, and 200 nautical miles (370.4
km; 230.2 mi) as an exclusive economic zone.
Vietnam is a country of tropical lowlands, hills, and densely forested highlands, with
level land covering no more than 20% of the area.
Area:
total: 331,210 km
land: 310,070 km
water: 21,140 km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than the state of New Mexico in the United States.
about 1 times the United Kingdom's size.
Land Boundaries:
total: 4 639 km
border countries: Cambodia (1 228 km), China (1 281 km), Laos (2 130 km)
Coastline: 3 444 km (excludes islands)
Maritime Claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)
continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) or to the edge of the continental
margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fansipan 3 144 m
 III. Geography factors affecting to country development
A. Climate
1. USA
Weather varies widely across the continental USA, as well as in Alaska and Hawaii,
due to differences in latitude.
In general terms, summers are hot and humid in the plains and southern states, while
the southwest is very hot and quite dry. Endless summers are southern California and
Florida trademarks, while in the Pacific Northwest and New England states, summers
are warm with cool mornings and pleasant evening conditions.
Winters in the southern states are mild, while in the north, northeast, plains states,
and in the western mountains, conditions are often quite cold with heavy snow and
sub-freezing temperatures.
Severe weather in the form of thunderstorms is a normal spring and summer
occurrence; devastating tornadoes are also common in the spring and summer months,
especially in the central part of the U.S.
Hurricanes occasionally strike the eastern coastline and Gulf of Mexico states from
June through October.
Agriculture is an important sector of the U.S. economy. In addition to providing US
with much of food, the crops, livestock, and seafood that are grown, raised, and
caught in the United States contribute at least $200 billion to the economy each year.
Crops grown in the United States are critical for the food supply here and around the
world. U.S. exports supply more than 30% of all wheat, corn, and rice on the global
market.
Americans consume more than 37 million tons of meat annually.
American fisheries catch or harvest five million metric tons of fish and shellfish each
year.
2. UK
The climate in the United Kingdom is defined as a temperate oceanic climate.
Regional climates are influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and latitude. Northern Ireland,
Wales and western parts of England and Scotland, being closest to the Atlantic Ocean,
are generally the mildest, wettest and windiest regions of the UK, and temperature
ranges here are seldom extreme. Eastern areas are drier, cooler, less windy and also
experience the greatest daily and seasonal temperature variations. Northern areas are
generally cooler, wetter and have slightly larger temperature ranges than southern
areas.
Variations in weather
Although UK weather is unpredictable, it is rarely extreme. In summer, the average
temperature ranges from 918 degrees Celsius (4864 degrees Fahrenheit). On
occasion, it can reach around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in a
heatwave, but this is rare.
In winter the average is between 2 and 7 degrees Celsius (3645 degrees Fahrenheit),
but temperatures often drop to just below 0 degrees Celsius (36 degrees Fahrenheit).
Thankfully, most houses, buildings, trains and buses have good heating systems.
 In general there is little difference between the regions of the UK, but you will
experience more snow, rain and wind in mountain areas.
For weather reports and statistics, visit the Met Office website or the BBC weather
website, or listen to local radio stations.
The seasons
Spring (March, April and May) is a time for sudden rain showers, blossoming trees
and flowering plants. See Six reasons to love spring in the UK
Summer (June, July and August) is the UK's warmest season, with long sunny days,
occasional thunderstorms and, in some years, heatwaves.
Autumn (September, October and November) can be mild and dry or wet and windy.
It's the season when the leaves fall from the trees and the temperature dips.
Winter (December, January and February) is the UK's coldest season, with freezing
temperatures, icy conditions and sometimes snow. See The top 10 places to spend a
snowy day in the UK!
Daylight
There is a big difference in daylight hours throughout the year in the UK.
The longest daylight hours are on 21 June each year. On this day, the sun rises just
before 05.00 (5am), and sets just after 21.00 (9pm).
The shortest daylight hours are on 21 December. On this day, the sun rises around
08.00 (8am) and sets around 16.00 (4pm).
3. Vietnam
Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by
strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of
rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous
regions are endowed with a temperate climate.
The annual average temperature ranges from 22oC to 27oC. In Hanoi, the average
temperature is 23oC, in Ho Chi Minh City it is 26oC, and in Hue it is 25oC.
There are two distinguishable seasons. The cold season occurs from November to
April and the hot season from May to October. The difference in temperature between
the two seasons in southern Vietnam is almost unnoticeable, averaging 3oC. The most
noticeable variations are found in the northern provinces where differences of 12oC
have been observed. There are essentially four distinct seasons, which are most
evident in the northern provinces.
Northern weather
Northern Vietnam (from Hue up North) has four seasons with a cold winter and hot
summer. The temperature ranges from 5-6C in winter to up to 35C in summer. The
further North it is, the colder it gets. In mountainous regions in the far North (such as
Sapa) the temperature some times drops below zero. Rainy months are August,
October, November. February and March have persistent, light, drizzling rain.
Central Vietnam
Temperatures are high all year round. The temperature tends to be warmer and more
humid than the South in the middle of the year and cooler during the dry season from
November to April. Flooding may occur from October to December.
Southern Vietnam
 Has a distinct dry season (from November to April) and wet season (from May to
October). Average temperature ranges from 25-30C. During wet months, heavy and
short downpours may occur in mid-afternoons.
Advantage
Due to having a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity,
Vietnam is a perfect place to grow crops
Coffee
B. Nature
1. Vietnam
* Delta Area : Delta occupies 1/4 the area but the role is extremely important for VN's
economy. Two largest deltas : the Mekong Delta , Red River Delta => facilitating
for the development of tropical agriculture , diversifying our agricultural products;
This is also a fact which makes the rice export volume of VN ranked second in world .
According to VFA ( Vietnam food associations ) , the global rice trade reached 42.6
million tons, of which Vietnam exported 6.5 million tons , accounting for 15.2 % .
* Forest area: large forest areas ( almost 14 million hectares ) , various types of forests ,
Vietnams forest is a source of continuous supply of long-term high -quality raw
materials for the industry . Also its a source of biodiversity . Specifically, the type
of wood has its own 200 kinds of commercial value , including those of major
international values ( such as iron wood, Apitong, Santal wood, Mock Bodhi ... )
* Rivers : interlaced network of rivers ,with an abundant amount of water and strong
water flow --- > serve effectively for agriculture ;
Fishery provides seafood with a high quantity and also good quality, boost seafood
exports of Vietnam . According to data in 8/2015 , VNs seafood exports reached 593
million USD, including exporting to many markets such as US , EU , Japan ,
Tourism potential : seasides have a lot of conditions to develop various types of
sightseeing tours , resort ... ( Cua Lo , Nha Trang ) Increase profit contribution to the
economy of Vietnam ( 388 000 billion under the data 2015 )
2. US
American terrain is relatively simple . Highlights are the two mountain circuit, they
are Cordillera in the west , and Appalachian in the east , separated by the vast central
plains , the place between the United States .
The rough terrain, which is caused by the impact of ancient glaciers, creates a lot of
difficuties for the agriculture. However, with the help of government as well as the
efforts of the people, the rich agricultural region of the US started to appear , growing
some common crops : wheat , corn , cotton, tobacco , sugar cane ... and breeding large
herds of cattle .
Towards the south, Appalachian mountain circuit facilitates the formation of the
Atlantic coastal plain with good soil , marine climate , with extremely tortuous
coastline, deep into the hinterland , is a convenient natural basis for the development
of multiple ports . These plains , to the Gulf of Mexico , tied in with the central plains
are vast and important agricultural areas .
There is a particularly great significance for the US economy , the Great Lakes system
in the northern border . It's the Superior Lake, Michigan Lake , Huron Lake ,Erie
 Lake and Ontario Lake . Michigan Lake located entirely all US territory, it occupies
an area of 245.050 km2. these lakes form a small beach in the continent , regulate
the climate of surrounding areas , create favorable conditions for the cultivation and
livestock development crowded development .
3. UK
-UK is an island nation located in the north-west Europe , including 2 largest islands
are Great Britain and Northern Ireland , the two islands are separated from each other
by the Irish Sea , in addition to 5,000 small island located on the North Atlantic ocean
-with Geographical location as above , UK has good conditions to exchanges with
developed countries in Europe. Besides, there are a lot of fish in Uk , not freezing ,
favorable for developing fishery. Fishery plays a big role in the UK economy , the
annual output of British fishing is 2 million tons .
-UK is separated from the mainland by the seas and oceans , which helped England
avoid the effects of the world wars , created the stability for the economy
Hilly terrain and lush meadows with a mild climate is very favorable for livestock
development . the livestock sector accounts for 70 % of the value of agricultural
products. The Livestock ensure the demand for domestic food and raw materials for
industry. UK is the main exporter of meat to many EU countries.
In UK, there are many hills and lush pastures which is suitable for the development
of breeding sheep. UK has the biggest sheep farm in Western European countries ,
providing wool for the textile industry .
The UK has large coal , natural gas , and oil reserves ; the energy industry accounted
for 10% of GDP . Due to geographical location as an island , UK has great potential
to generate electricity from wave energy and tidal .
C. Place of visit
Places of interest As a great contribution to the GDP of a country, tourism has been
significantly developing, especially in well-known travel attractions. In this part of
the presentation, we are going to have a look at some famous places of the US, the
UK, and Vietnam; and also the prominent features which make them money makers.
The first destination of our tour is the great America and talking bout this country,
the first thing to come to peoples mind is NYC the city that never sleeps, which is
identified by buzzing streets, unbelievably tall skyscrapers and non-stop activities
even in the mid-night. Located in the NYC is the worlds greatest natural harbor
which also bears the name of the city. In the upper NY bay stands the Statue of Liberty.
With this national icon, the United States of America is also known as the Land of
Liberty or the Land of Freedom. The USA is the third largest country of the world
and certainly, It possesses thousands of wonderful natural landscapes, namely
Niagara Falls, Yellow Stone national park and so on. Also located in the state of NY,
Niagara Falls is actually the collective name for 3 different waterfalls and 1 of them
is in the water of Canada. Every year, the US government makes a bundle out of
exploiting touring potential and hydroelectricity from the Falls. Regarding the very
next mentioned place, Yellow Stone is known as the world first national park ever
been set aside. Being famous for geysers, hot springs, and vast diversity of animals
and plants, the park is considered one of the best place to visit in the USA with the
 hotspot of Old Faithful Geyser which erupts every 91 minutes. Sailing over the
Atlantic Ocean, just a bit further to the North is the beautiful United Kingdom. As
you might know, from the 16th century, as a result of industrial revolution, the British
Empire started expanding its influence worldwide. In this period of time, it used to
be called the empire on which the sun never sets. Today, the UK is not as vast as it
was; however, the beauty of its remains unchanged. In the far Southern part of
England is the city of London which is known as the capital of the country. Being
famous for 2-floor red buses, red phone boxes and magnificent Renaissance and
Gothic style architecture of castles, churches and houses; London today is more
beautiful than ever. Its obviously easy to create a vast list of tourism attractions in
London, such as the palace of Buckingham, Big Ben clock tower, St. Pauls cathedral
and so on. These mentioned places were built hundreds years ago. They became the
iconic work of art. They suffered various tragic wars and still they stand as witnesses
of history and remain of the greatest inheritances of human beings. The UK is also
famous for castles from the period of feudalism, namely the castle of Edinburg in
Scotland, the castle of Leeds in Kent, and many others. Most of them share several
common features of having high stonewalls and being surrounded by moats or built
on the peak of mountains. The purposes were to make the castles unbreakable
fortresses to stand against the attack of enemies and take the prior advantages of
defense. Nowadays, castles and fortresses are used for vocational purposes or as
places of living according to owners demand. Vietnam is an astonishing mixture of
natural highlights and cultural diversity. Unlike the US and the UK, tuorists come to
Vietnam are overwhelming with a diversity of south-asia style of architecture and
stunning cuisines. Located in the north, Hanoi has been not only capital but also
traditional, hictorical and cultural centre of the country since the 10th century. The
city is authentically a mixture of modernities and antiqueness. Hoan Kiem lake is
consider as central point of going almost everywhere. The city attracts tons of tourist
every year with a large number of museums, pagodas and monuments; many small,
meandering streets, each bears the name of the goods that was specifically traded
there in the time before such as Hang Ma (Paper Product), Thuoc Bac (Herbal
Product) and Hang Vai (Silk Product). Recently, by opening 6 walking streets in the
Old Quarter, the city has been earning both economical and travelling related benefits.
Located in the northeast Vietnam, Ha Long Bay was repeatedly recognized by
UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage for its magnificent sightseeing and marvelous
nature, series of limestone caves and hundred of big to small islands. Travelling all
the way to the South, Mekong delta area is totally different from the North. Not only
being one of the largest paddle field of the world, it also serves as the biggest tropical
fruits market of the Vietnamese. The great diversity of almost 1000 rivers, canals
make the whole area a stunning landscape with the out standing must-see float market.
HCMC is also a part of the delta. The most populated city is so called "the pearl of
the far east" since its gorgeousness and moderness unlike any other places in Vietnam.

D. Unique features
1. USA with 50 states.
USA wasnt formed as a country, it was a coalition of 13 colonies, each region is
independent from Great Britain. So its economic has some unique features.
- The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states,
each state has different geographical factors
o Eg: Hawaii is in the mid-paciffic, states are bordered Canada have cold
climate when states are bordered Mexico has tropical climate
Suitable for many different economic activities ( such as fishing,
farming, gold mining,.)
- Each state has its ownconstitution, grounded in republican principles, and
government, consisting of three branches:executive, legislative, and judicial.
o Eg: The law of most of the states is based on the common law of
England; the notable exception is Louisiana, whose civil law is largely
based upon French and Spanish law.
Flexible for US economy, people can produce and work freely in
the state they feel comfortable for their passion and job.
Encourage American work more.
- Create a competitive environment between each state. => Make the society
more wealthy
1. UK with colonies
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates
and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its
predecessor states. By 1913 the British Empire held sway over 412 million people,
23% of the world population at the time,and by 1920 it covered 35,500,000 km2
(13,700,000 sq mi),[3] 24% of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its political,
legal,linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, the
phrase "the empire on which the sun never sets" was often used to describe the
British Empire, because its expanse around the globe meant that the sun was always
shining on at least one of its territories.
These colonies provide UK so many markets, lobor and natural resources, which
make UK become much more wealthy. Although the number of colonies has been
declining, the benefits from them still help UK become one of the most powerful
country in the world
1. Vietnam with 54 different ethnic groups
Vietnam is a multiethnic country with over fifty distinct groups (54 are recognized
by the Vietnamese government), each with its own language, lifestyle, and cultural
heritage. Many of the local ethnic groups residing in mountain areas are known
collectively in the West as Montagnard or Degar. The largest ethnic groups are:
Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay1.9%, Tai Ethnic 1.7%, Mng 1.5%, Khmer Krom (Kh
Me Crm) 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nng 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1%
Due to the diversity of ethical groups, VietNam has many traditional villages. These
villages produce many unique goods which have high value in both material and
spiritual.