- What is A? Why is it there? Why should we care?
The third-largest island in the world is shared by three countries. In Indonesia the island is known as Kalimantan, and that country claims the southern portion. Malaysia also has territory on Borneo, two provinces known as Sarawak and Sabah on the northwestern coast.
Borneo contains a wealth of natural resources, including forest resources, minerals, petroleum, and a vast potential for hydro power on its rivers. Borneo is one of the wildest and most bio diverse places left on the planet. There are about 3,000 species of trees, about 221 species of mammals and 420 species of birds. Its rainforest is one of the few remaining natural habitats for the endangered Bornean orangutan, but it is also facing the highest rates of deforestation.
- What is B? Why is it there? Why should we care?
This is the Philippines.
The Philippines is a sovereign island country. That is stated in Southeast Asia and incudes about seven thousands of the islands.
Philippines is a volcanic island created by subduction zones. Volcanoes in Southeast Asia are highly active and since they located near the equator have the ability to affect global climate. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991 sent millions of tons of ash into the atmosphere. This material acts as a “shade” blocking solar radiation. Because Pinatubo sits near the equator, the global effect of the eruption was massive. Global temperatures dropped an average of 2-4 degrees for several years following the event.
The Philippines has abundant natural resources. 2,400 fish species, over 100 mammal species and 170 bird species can be also found in the Philippines’ territory. You may have heard about the famous Philippine bird - the haribon, that is usually called the monkey-eating eagle.
Deforestation is an acute problem in the Philippines. Many species are endangered and some explorers say that Southeast Asia, which the Philippines is part of, faces a tragic extinction rate by the end of this century.
- What is C? Why is it there? Why should we care?
This is the Tonle Sap.
The Tonle Sap is a tributary to the Mekong. During the dry season the rivers flow parallel to each other before entering the sea. However, during the rainy season the increased flow of the Mekong backs up into the Tonle Sap created a huge inland sea.
Angkor Wat was the capital of the once-powerful Khmer Empire of Southeast Asia. The temple was built between 1113 and 1150 AD. In addition to the temple, massive irrigation works have been uncovered that show the Khmer people used the Tonle Sap’s seasonal flow to irrigate a vast area in Cambodia and grow rice to support the kingdom. Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire covered nearly 400 square miles on the north end of Tonle Sap. Harnessing the seasonal flooding of the river to produce large amounts of food, the population is estimated to have been as high as 1 million people.
- What is D? Why is it there? Why should we care?
This is the Mekong River.
Its estimated length is 4,350 km (2,703 mi). Climate change threatens this source of the Mekong, and also threatens the predictability of the monsoon cycle that provides the majority of the river’s flow the rest of the year. The Mekong River Basin is also one of the most biodiverse aquatic ecosystems on the planet, second only to the Amazon. Several species of giant fish ply the waters of the Mekong, as well as the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin. The Mekong fishery is an important source of food for the region and is threatened by dam construction, pollution, and climate change. The Mekong River valley is the most productive agricultural region in Southeast Asia. Large portions of the valley are used for rice paddy farming. Seasonal flooding on the Mekong is vital for this form of agriculture, which requires fields to be flooded for parts of the year.
The Mekong Delta is one of the most densely populated parts of Southeast Asia. A highly productive agricultural region it is also prone to flooding, and at risk from sea level rise. The Vietnamese government set aside the equivalent of $100 million to prepare for sea level rise in the Mekong and Red River deltas.
- What is E? Why is it there? Why should we care?
This is Vietnam.
Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. In the late 19th century, the modern states of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were French colonies, known as French Indochina (Myanmar was part of the British Empire and Thailand was an independent kingdom called Siam). During WWII the Japanese took over. Rebels in the north had been fighting the French and Japanese occupations since 1940. North and South Vietnam were different states, the North a communist regime backed by China, the South a democratic state backed by the US. Concerned about the spread of communism in SE Asia, the US became embroiled in the Vietnam War from 1954-1973.
The civil war continued in Vietnam, ending in 1975, when the North defeated the South and established a new national government. More than 4.5 million people died during the Vietnam War. Another 4.5 million on both sides were wounded, and bombs, napalm, and defoliants ruined much of the Vietnamese environment.
Southeast Asians make up one of the largest refugee groups in the US, largely as a result of the Vietnam War. South Vietnamese who helped the US during the war, Laotian ethnic minorities and Cambodians escaping the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge make up the majority of refugees from SE Asia.
