{"id":47774,"date":"2023-08-04T15:34:51","date_gmt":"2023-08-04T13:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/?p=47774"},"modified":"2023-08-04T15:34:51","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T13:34:51","slug":"why-half-of-humanity-lives-in-this-circle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/why-half-of-humanity-lives-in-this-circle\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Half of Humanity Lives Within This Circle"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"hb hc hd he hf\">\n<div class=\"speechify-ignore ab co\">\n<div class=\"speechify-ignore bg l\">\n<div class=\"ab co il im in io ip iq ir is it iu iv iw ix iy iz ja\">\n<div class=\"ab q jb jc jd je jf jg jh ji jj jk jl jm jn jo jp\">\n<div class=\"ev su cm\">\n<div class=\"l ae\">\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ov ox oz sv sw ms ch bg\">\n<div class=\"ab\">\n<div class=\"bl bg\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"bl\" aria-hidden=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"7\" aria-labelledby=\"7\">\n<div class=\"bl\" aria-hidden=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"postFooterSocialMenu\" aria-labelledby=\"postFooterSocialMenu\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"bl\" aria-hidden=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"8\" aria-labelledby=\"8\">\n<div class=\"bl\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n<div class=\"bl\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"bl\" aria-hidden=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"319\" aria-labelledby=\"319\">\n<h2 id=\"9078\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\">More than 50% of the world\u2019s population lives within this circle.<br \/>\nDo you think it's a coincidence?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm bg paragraph-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:4902\/0*DEfEa0j7I_EoJ6fB.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1229\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"020e\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Let's zoom in on the region to analyze the situation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv mw\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*XOspJ1GGSfcXkWKc.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"730\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"daec\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">India and China together have a combined population of 2.8 billion people, or 35% of the world\u2019s population.<br \/>\nBut many other neighboring countries also have massive populations: Indonesia has 274 million, Pakistan 230 million, Japan 126 million, the Philippines 114 million\u2026 And those are just the ones with over 100 million people. All these countries combined account for a little over 50% of the world\u2019s population.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv nb\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*OzlFY4WBjWkfg1Bl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"739\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><em class=\"nh\">I only show countries with a population of more than 30 million<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1 id=\"4ac7\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Origins of the East and South Asian Population<\/h1>\n<p id=\"f5e6\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Let's take a closer look at the biggest ones. First, there's India.<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"b37d\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">1. India<\/h1>\n<p id=\"51a8\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">I conducted an in-depth analysis of India, along with Pakistan and Bangladesh, in <a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com\/p\/a-brief-history-of-india-and-the\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\">an article about the Indian subcontinent<\/a>. If you've read the article or thread, or already understand why India has such a large population, skip this section. If not, you might want to check it out now, or simply read this short version:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"\">\n<li id=\"0652\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml op oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Indo-Australian Plate collides with the Eurasian Plate<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*Hj-UujUODUVd5MTr.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"388\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"1cf0\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">2. The collision causes the land to rise.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mu mv ot\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1280\/1*lSnfFN_mlUyZQEcWguLoqA.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" \/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"269d\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">3. This creates the world's largest mountain range, consisting of the Himalayas, Tibet, the Hindu Kush, the Hengduan Mountains\u2026<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*T6Vp8vsBYdpKtTN1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"391\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"4103\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">4. The weight is so great that these mountain ranges are sinking toward the Earth. The surrounding areas sink along with them, becoming flatter and forming valleys.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv ou\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*EL1HkMGboarxL90G.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"e1cd\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">5. Winds carrying a lot of moisture come from the Indian Ocean, hit the Himalayas, rise, the air cools, the moisture condenses, and it rains.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*hmUT6_6UVzZKG0_z.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"383\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"dfe4\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">This image shows that: India is green on the left, and Tibet is dry on the right.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm\">\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ov ow ox oy oz pa ce pb cf pc ch bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm pe pf paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pd\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:2000\/0*zVXVh-89TEItKbYP.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"806\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"8ad8\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">6. Some rain falls directly on India\u2014making much of it fertile\u2014and much of the rest falls in the Himalayas and flows downhill. All this water converges in the Ganges Valley, making it very humid and suitable for irrigation.<\/p>\n<p id=\"899b\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">7. The Ganges carries sediment with it, which fertilizes the Ganges and any area it floods.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*mnb7L2EsNSeLjjZJ.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"526\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Two rivers from the Ganges basin converge. You can see the color of the one on the right, which indicates that it carries a lot of sediment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"4287\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">8. Rain, fertilizer, rivers for irrigation, and heat: Perfect conditions for agriculture, which makes India one of the world\u2019s largest food producers. Food = population.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv ph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*GNAS9UuAUjBrJC66.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"420\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"63bc\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Now there\u2019s one more thing: Why does the wind carry so much moisture into India? In this part of the world, that\u2019s not common.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm\">\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ov ow ox oy oz pa ce pb cf pc ch bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm pe pf paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pi\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:2000\/0*jhr_lXNWVQOtiUYz.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"560\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"e205\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Horse Latitudes tend to have deserts because the wind blows over the land without any water. Why?<\/p>\n<p id=\"16eb\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Because of the Earth's rotation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*GrN3pitN0zYNgleo.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"462\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"878f\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The equator is the hottest part of the world because the Sun shines directly on it. This causes water to evaporate and the air to heat up. Hot air is lighter, so it rises; when it reaches the colder air in the upper atmosphere, water condenses and falls as rain. But the air keeps flowing because of the Earth\u2019s rotation! And it descends in the Horse Latitudes, where there is no water. With so much wind blowing downward, other winds have a hard time reaching that area, and there is no rain.<\/p>\n<p id=\"198d\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">So why doesn't it work in India? Because of the monsoon.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pj\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*G7Z_pTQ7sQKHmUiv.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"791\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"8d2c\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In the summer, monsoon rains overcome this mass of dry air and bring humid winds to India. How does that happen?<\/p>\n<p id=\"438e\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Because Eurasia is so big.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*H6IW-L31rRzqhg8S.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"390\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"5f8b\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">This part of the world is the only one with a southern ocean and a northern continent. Here's what happens in the summer:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"3713\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Indian Ocean and Eurasia are heating up.<\/li>\n<li id=\"823d\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In the Indian Ocean, this heat causes water to evaporate, and the air becomes saturated with moisture.<\/li>\n<li id=\"6fa4\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">But land heats up faster than water, so Eurasia gets much hotter than the Indian Ocean; air rises above Eurasia, creating a vacuum, and the hot, humid air from the Indian Ocean flows into India and falls as rain in the Himalayas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pq\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*0CSucESDbml52hyL.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"2f96\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In summary, India is densely populated because its soil is very fertile, and it is fertile because of the heat and humidity.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"b6d5\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The heat comes from its subtropical location.<\/li>\n<li id=\"4e4f\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The humidity comes from the monsoons.<\/li>\n<li id=\"fc5f\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The monsoons, in turn, are caused by the fact that Eurasia is so large and the Indian Ocean lies just south of it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"2e82\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Within India, the Ganges River valley is particularly fertile because:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"e029\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The monsoon winds are blocked by the Himalayas, causing rain to fall and forming rivers that can irrigate the region.<\/li>\n<li id=\"0018\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">They also carry sediment with them, which fertilizes the soil.<\/li>\n<li id=\"e968\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">It is a valley where all these waters and sediments converge because the weight of the Himalayas causes it to slope downward relative to the region farther south.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"b65d\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In summary, all of this is caused by the Indo-Australian Plate colliding with the Eurasian Plate. That is what causes the monsoon and the Himalayas, which together make India fertile.<\/p>\n<p id=\"7b62\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">OK, we\u2019ve explained 1.4 billion people with a single geological event. But what about the rest?<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"0136\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">2. Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal<\/h1>\n<p id=\"c21d\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">This is the same story!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*prJI8LIahqJRrC81.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"10b1\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Pakistan consists mostly of the Indus Valley. Compare where Pakistanis live with the Indus River basin:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm bg paragraph-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:4800\/0*uYGpOHDh9ZfRSVqq.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1215\" \/><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><em class=\"nh\">The image on the right is a satellite image from Google Maps. You can see how, in the south, the green Indus Valley is flanked by mountains on the left and desert on the right. The country\u2019s population lives almost exclusively in the Indus Valley, with the exception of Karachi, which is nearby and is the country\u2019s only major port.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"b7bc\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In other words, the story of the Ganges is the same for the Indus River, which means it\u2019s the same for Pakistan: The population emerged as a result of the collision between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, which created mountain ranges (in the case of Pakistan, the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush) and the monsoon.<\/p>\n<p id=\"384d\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And the story of Bangladesh, of course, is the same as that of the Ganges, since Bangladesh is simply the mouth of the Ganges, which joins the Brahmaputra within the country.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv ps\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*ZHLKPtuiP5tY3H0l.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"685\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"2174\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Meanwhile, Nepal is just like India: Its entire population is concentrated in the Ganges Valley, and hardly anyone lives in the Himalayas:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pt\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/1*xjj7X-eeEsfybOLahaYsGw.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"389\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"1d6e\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Thus, the presence of 1.8 billion people living on the Indian subcontinent can be explained by the impact of the Eurasian and Indo-Australian tectonic plates.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ea61\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">What about China?<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"2800\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">3. China<\/h1>\n<p id=\"3366\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In <a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com\/p\/what-china-wants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\"><em class=\"pu\">What China Wants<\/em><\/a>, I took an in-depth look at how China\u2019s geography shaped its history. Skip this section if you\u2019re already familiar with the story. If not, here\u2019s the short version:<\/p>\n<p id=\"c19b\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">94% of Chinese people living east of the Hu Line:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*QZaapLr04mFdD9fS.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"656\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"b894\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And notice where: In the large red area along the coast, a circle in the middle (the Sichuan Basin), and along the coast. You can see these plains clearly here:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm\">\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ov ow ox oy oz pa ce pb cf pc ch bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm pe pf paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pv\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:2000\/0*f0AXJaR0LOCWXNLX.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"775\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The most populous regions are the North China Plain and the Sichuan Basin. But every plain can support a population. For example, the colder Manchurian Plain in the northeast, or the Pearl River Delta in the southeast (home to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"0f25\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Unsurprisingly, these plains are the most fertile.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*-Wsxne_4KCdI4zAW.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"620\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"c0e6\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Why? Because they have what it takes:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"\">\n<li id=\"095d\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml op oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Temperate climate<\/li>\n<li id=\"0bb0\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml op oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Flat<\/li>\n<li id=\"6f0d\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml op oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Fertilized and irrigated by rivers<\/li>\n<li id=\"a80a\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml op oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Humid<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p id=\"43ef\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">They are nourished and irrigated by the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers (and, to a lesser extent, the Pearl River and smaller rivers).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm\">\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ov ow ox oy oz pa ce pb cf pc ch bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm pe pf paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:2000\/0*GJWZG7WUJbzS8ct7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"732\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"7ce7\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Obviously, these rivers all originate in Tibet and the surrounding mountains, most of which were formed by the collision between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ca52\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">They\u2019re humid because of the rivers and\u2026 because of the monsoon! Which also affects China, for the same reasons as India: Eurasia is a large landmass, air rises in the summer, and moist winds from the sea sweep across the country and bring rain.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pw\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*x9Qtsk8XK9pUpGjE.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"612\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/figure\/Map-showing-the-major-monsoon-area-in-China-MMAC-represented-by-the-rectangle-area-with_fig3_265851925\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\"><em class=\"nh\">Source<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"be0b\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And they're flat because\u2026 well, because the Pacific Plate is colliding with the Eurasian Plate!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*tyZ4KYUKOeyngO-t.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"374\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><em class=\"nh\">If you'd like more details, check out the article: <\/em><a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com\/p\/what-china-wants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\"><em class=\"nh\">What China Wants<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"40ee\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In other words, you can trace all the reasons why China is fertile (and therefore populous) back to the way the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates subduct beneath the Eurasian Plate!<\/p>\n<p id=\"ba79\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And the same logic applies to the two Koreas: Their flat valleys are densely populated because they are very fertile, thanks to the monsoons and the sediment carried down by the rivers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/1*HFd89U6y_w5yL3fvvkBNxA.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"494\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h1 id=\"e1d0\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">4. Indochinese Peninsula<\/h1>\n<p id=\"3e92\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">By now, you\u2019ve probably noticed a pattern\u2026 That\u2019s right! The same is true for the rest of mainland Southeast Asia. All of its major rivers originate in the Himalayas, Tibet, or the other mountain ranges formed by the collision between Eurasia and Indo-Australia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mm bg\">\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm bg paragraph-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:2912\/0*yxLirAUNufCFXQtn.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1456\" height=\"886\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ab ca\">\n<div class=\"ch bg fb fc fd fe\">\n<p id=\"f8be\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Each of the largest countries in this part of the world is centered around the major rivers fed by the Himalayas:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"de93\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Pakistan in the Indus Valley<\/li>\n<li id=\"7266\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Northern India, mainly around the Ganges<\/li>\n<li id=\"c4fb\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Bangladesh along the Ganges and the Brahmaputra<\/li>\n<li id=\"3c22\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Burma Along the Irrawaddy River<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*KiEWEUpa95IU3z5_.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"670\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"9d1a\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Thailand Around the Chao Phraya River<\/li>\n<li id=\"57dc\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia in the Mekong region<\/li>\n<li id=\"866c\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Northern Vietnam around the Red River<\/li>\n<li id=\"3936\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">China around the Yellow, Yangtze, and Pearl Rivers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv py\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*lH-1pueaoxEIqwu4\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"950\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"207c\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">These are the major river basins in East Asia.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*sS2bV8l6SxY8d9hN.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"493\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/Fejetlenfej\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\">Source<\/a>. You can buy this picture <a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grasshoppergeography.com\/River-Maps\/i-ZHWk8KJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\">here<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"fe7e\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">It\u2019s no coincidence that these rivers flow through these countries. These rivers <em class=\"pu\">created<\/em> these countries. Over millions of years, they carved out valleys, and these valleys\u2014protected by mountain ranges\u2014have each provided fertile ground for a different civilization to emerge.<\/p>\n<p id=\"1a5d\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">You can see this clearly by comparing the topography and river maps (left) with the population density map (right).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv pz\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/1*FenZ4rvTkq98UUzYvqpSfw.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"405\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"d7b5\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">This map shows both the river valleys of Southeast Asia and their population densities. We can see that the Irrawaddy shaped Burma; the Chao Phraya, Thailand; the Mekong, Cambodia and South Vietnam; and the Red River (as well as the C\u1ea3 River, not shown here), Northern Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p id=\"7f0f\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And so you can also trace the population of Southeast Asia back to the same root cause:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"88c4\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The collision of the Eurasian and Indo-Australian plates created all these rivers.<\/li>\n<li id=\"bce9\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The rivers, in turn, carve out valleys, level them, fertilize them, and irrigate them.<\/li>\n<li id=\"a236\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">These regions are also warm because of their latitude, and humid because of the same monsoon that affects India and China\u2014a monsoon caused by the same winds resulting from the same plate tectonics.<\/li>\n<li id=\"06c5\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">These conditions created the fertile environment necessary for such a large population to thrive along the rivers of Southeast Asia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1 id=\"b8bc\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">5. Asian Islands<\/h1>\n<p id=\"1e30\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">So far, we\u2019ve explained the population of southern and eastern continental Asia using the same principles of plate tectonics: Eurasia\u2019s massive size and its collision with the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates. But of course, that can\u2019t apply to the islands, right? Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines are home to more than 500 million people, but they can\u2019t be supplied by rivers that originate in Tibet.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fe32\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">No, but they\u2019re still caused by the same plate tectonics!<\/p>\n<p id=\"c2f8\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In <a class=\"af ol\" href=\"https:\/\/unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com\/p\/why-is-java-so-weird\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener ugc nofollow\"><em class=\"pu\">Why Is Java So Weird?<\/em><\/a>, I explained the origin of Java's population.<\/p>\n<p id=\"19d4\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The short version is that Java accounts for 55% of Indonesia\u2019s population because of its volcanoes, which make the island extremely fertile.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv qa\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*5-HSyi5fi90-Hj1t.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"16ca\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">But this isn't just true for Java. It's true for most of Indonesia: Generally, the most fertile areas are those with the most active volcanoes.<\/p>\n<p id=\"79e2\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And guess what causes volcanoes?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*IlFHpOELyuJCjI5u.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"410\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"196c\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">That's right! Our beloved Eurasian Plate is colliding with the Indo-Australian Plate! This is how volcanoes are formed:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv ne\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/1*Ci-rAHZG1IQZwTdSdIaqsw.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"14be\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">A reminder on the plates:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*8T0PoFBhXbwAyPbK.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"388\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"fba4\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">So yes, a large portion of Indonesia\u2019s population is <em class=\"pu\">also<\/em> created by the collision of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates!<\/p>\n<p id=\"2c15\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Oh, but what do you see just northeast of Indonesia? The Philippines! And what\u2019s in the Philippines? Volcanoes!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*gQ7-FAYqfod2Tomt.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"393\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"6f61\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">And why are there volcanoes there? Because of the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate! And what lies north of the Philippines, along the same tectonic plate boundary?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv qb\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*D_sr35CNGGZiHJMu.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"501\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"nc nd ne mu mv nf ng be b bf z dv\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><em class=\"nh\">This is a more detailed version of plate tectonics in Southeast Asia. It shows sub-plates, but the basic idea is the same. The Sunda Plate, for example, is a subplate of the Eurasian Plate and is being compressed by it, even though there is also a smaller fault that runs through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"8bfb\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">That\u2019s right. Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan share the same characteristics: They are islands formed by the collision of the Eurasian Plate with other plates (the Indo-Australian Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, and the Pacific Plate), and their numerous volcanoes make them extremely fertile.<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"6bc3\" class=\"ni nj ge be nk nl nm nn no np nq nr ns nt nu nv nw nx ny nz oa ob oc od oe of bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Conclusion: Why Is 50% of the Population in That Circle?<\/h1>\n<p id=\"f594\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr og lt lu lv oh lx ly lz oi mb mc md oj mf mg mh ok mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">In summary, the reason so many people live in that area is that a massive continental plate\u2014the Eurasian Plate\u2014is colliding forcefully with other tectonic plates.<\/p>\n<p id=\"0204\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The collision of the Indo-Australian Plate with the continental crust created a massive mountain range, which then blocked the winds, collected their moisture, and distributed it among many different rivers, each of which gave rise to a civilization.<\/p>\n<p id=\"a78e\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Where the Eurasian Plate collides with oceanic crust, the oceans subduct beneath the Eurasian Plate, creating volcanic arcs with hyperfertile soil that give rise to more civilizations. This occurs in:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"\">\n<li id=\"bbef\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly om ma mb mc on me mf mg oo mi mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Indo-Australian Plate at the level of Indonesia<\/li>\n<li id=\"48df\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Philippine Sea Plate and the Philippines<\/li>\n<li id=\"9b26\" class=\"lo lp ge lq b lr pl lt lu lv pm lx ly om pn mb mc on po mf mg oo pp mj mk ml pk oq or bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">The Pacific Plate and Japan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"2429\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Because all these collisions occur near the equator, close to the oceans, all these regions are hot and humid. And since the Eurasian Plate is so large, it generates monsoons that draw even more moisture inland.<\/p>\n<p id=\"c4e2\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">There\u2019s only one question left: Why is the Eurasian Plate colliding so violently with three other plates?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mx my ec mz bg na\" role=\"button\">\n<div class=\"mu mv os\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:1400\/0*Kj8tsmvkWY5rjugK.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"558\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"8449\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">While the Eurasian Plate is rotating clockwise and moving southeast along its eastern edge, the Indo-Australian Plate is moving northward, while the Pacific Plate, together with the Philippine Sea Plate, is moving rapidly westward.<\/p>\n<p id=\"5b80\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">This is like a three-way head-on train crash.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mn mo mp mq mr mm mu mv paragraph-image\">\n<div class=\"mu mv qc\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"bg ms mt c\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"https:\/\/miro.medium.com\/v2\/resize:fit:654\/0*jhFsvEVBM7NhRB7Q.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"327\" height=\"251\" \/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"bae8\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">Except that this one created half of all human life on Earth.<\/p>\n<p id=\"b6e0\" class=\"pw-post-body-paragraph lo lp ge lq b lr ls lt lu lv lw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me mf mg mh mi mj mk ml fx bj\" data-selectable-paragraph=\"\">If you're interested in how the world works\u2014and especially in how the shape of the Earth continues to influence us today\u2014subscribe to receive my emails! <strong class=\"lq gf\">Scroll down until you see my name, then click on the little envelope to the right.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-selectable-paragraph=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tomaspueyo.medium.com\/why-half-of-humanity-live-in-this-circle-2c25be0994ce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-47776 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1476\" height=\"638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35.png 1476w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-600x259.png 600w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-300x130.png 300w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-1024x443.png 1024w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-768x332.png 768w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-150x65.png 150w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-450x195.png 450w, https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Capture-decran-2023-08-04-a-09.31.35-1200x519.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1476px) 100vw, 1476px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More than 50% of the world\u2019s population lives in this circle. Do you think it\u2019s a coincidence? Let\u2019s zoom into the region to break down the situation. India and China together account for 2.8 B people, or 35% of the world\u2019s population. But many other neighboring countries also have a massive population: Indonesia has 274M,<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_robots":null,"rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-actualite"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}