A communist country

After the Korean War in 1953, the agriculture was collectivized – meaning that all the land was taken by the state and redistributed to farmers to use, though owned by the state (which in theory represents the people, hence the farmers too). Farmers could use the land by entering either cooperatives or state farms. Private production was prohibited. Then the government started the good old soviet production planification and grain distribution programs

Modernizing the agriculture After a couple of years of shaky food production, the plans started to produce enough food for the population, thanks to the modernisation of the agriculture: chemical fertilizers, pesticides, modern irrigation systems and other machines. In fact, in the 1960s North Korea overdid it a bit and had the agriculture that needed the most input in the world (all the things you need to produce your grains). The problem is that while yields increased, they also became dependent on input material. So that the only way they could keep on producing so much food was to keep on using so much input (pesticides, water, machines, oil and whatnot). And for a poor country, this means they were not being very efficient and probably that they were spending more money than other countries to produce the same amount of food.

*** Poverty & Famine in North Korea Causes and Consequences, December 2012

www.poverties.org accessed January 2016

--According to the information in the excerpt, in what way has the collective farming policy of North Korea been unsuccessful?

In Malaysia, hundreds of thousands gathered in Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital, to protest the outcome of the election that gave the administration coalition a slim majority. “Black 505” refers to the May 5 General Election that was tainted by allegations that the ruling coalition committed massive electoral fraud to remain in power. The

ruling party, which has been in power since the 1950s, lost the popular vote but still retained a majority of parliament seats. The series of protests, which spread to other provinces, was also referred to as the “Malaysian Tsunami.”

In Cambodia, tens of thousands participated in numerous assemblies, marches and camp-ins organized by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party since September to protest the alleged manipulation of electoral results by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. The ruling party won a slim majority after it took 68 seats compared to the opposition’s 55 seats. It was the ruling party’s worst

electoral performance since 1998. . . . Meanwhile, the current political crisis in Thailand can also be linked

to the low credibility of the electoral process. After weeks of being besieged by provocative street rallies, Prime Minister Yingluck

Shinawatra announced that the parliament would be dissolved to

make way for an election in February. Curiously, the opposition have

said they will boycott the polls and instead have called for the

creation of an unelected People’s Council.

—“Southeast Asia in 2013,” The Diplomat, December 2013

--Though using different approaches, a common goal of the protest groups described in the article is —

Indonesia served as a Dutch colony until Japanese forces took control during the Second World War. After the war,Indonesia gained independence and unsuccessfully experimented with several styles of government. In 1965, Major General Suharto gained power and prestige after crushing a rebellion in the capital city. Suharto used his

authority as head of the army to force Indonesian leaders to make him president in 1967, a position he held until 1998. Under Suharto’s leadership, the people of Indonesia endured a series of government abuses. Soldiers were stationed in every village across the nation to encourage fear of his authority. Loyal military officers replaced the civilian government and were rewarded for their support. More than 300,000 people were jailed without trial or disappeared for disagreeing with Suharto’s policies. By silencing his enemies, Suharto maintained power for over 20 years. The government was ranked as one of the most corrupt in the world, with Suharto using Indonesia’s vast natural resources to make himself a multi-billionaire. In 1998, an economic crisis forced Suharto to step down from power. The Indonesian government has since adopted reforms, including actions to strengthen the Indonesian constitution and give the people a voice in government. In 2004, the nation held its first presidential elections. Suharto died in 2008.

--How has the government of Indonesia changed from the leadership of Suharto to today?

Indonesia served as a Dutch colony until Japanese forces took control during the Second World War. After the war,Indonesia gained independence and unsuccessfully experimented with several styles of government. In 1965, Major General Suharto gained power and prestige after crushing a rebellion in the capital city. Suharto used his

authority as head of the army to force Indonesian leaders to make him president in 1967, a position he held until 1998. Under Suharto’s leadership, the people of Indonesia endured a series of government abuses. Soldiers were stationed in every village across the nation to encourage fear of his authority. Loyal military officers replaced the civilian government and were rewarded for their support. More than 300,000 people were jailed without trial or disappeared for disagreeing with Suharto’s policies. By silencing his enemies, Suharto maintained power for over 20 years. The government was ranked as one of the most corrupt in the world, with Suharto using Indonesia’s vast natural resources to make himself a multi-billionaire. In 1998, an economic crisis forced Suharto to step down from power. The Indonesian government has since adopted reforms, including actions to strengthen the Indonesian constitution and give the people a voice in government. In 2004, the nation held its first presidential elections. Suharto died in 2008.

--Which reason best explains why Suharto limited the rights of his opponents?

The French brought many ingredients and flavours to Vietnam, most popular and noticeable upon entering the country is probably the baguette, which the Vietnamese adapted and today create their own style of baguette using rice flour. Many of the vegetables introduced to the country are common in Western cooking, and their names in

Vietnamese reflect their origins. Potatoes, carrots, artichokes onions and asparagus are just some of the most obvious vegetables that are included here, with the Vietnamese word for potato (khoai tây) literally meaning “Western yam”. Influences are not limited to simple ingredients, but stretch to methods of cooking too, with the use of butter and wine in the preparation of meals as a nod towards the French. The increase of beef into the cuisine is also apparent, as seen in dining experiences such as bò 7 món, which is a multi-course

meal of beef created by the French to celebrate the rise in the availability of the meat.

***“Bánh to Baguettes,” The Culture Trip

http://theculturetrip.com (accessed October 14, 2014)

--The likely reason for the blending of cuisines as described in the excerpt is —

Which East Asian cultural belief is reflected in art such as in the painting?

Why is Angkor Wat prominently displayed on the flag of Cambodia?

The modification of the environment shown in the picture above was intended to —

*Earthquake-proof buildings

*Dams for flood control

*Tsunami warning systems

---The technologies listed above have helped people living in East and Southeast Asia to –

---Based on the information in the box, in what way is technology used to address the unique geography of Hong Kong?

Many human rights supporters view China's policy that limits each family to one child as a likely violation of which article?

Which of the following generalizations is supported by the information on the map above?

Which number is the location of the city of Tokyo?

How did the geography of the region contribute to the decision of British traders to establish the Port of Singapore in 1819?

Which number in the map indicates the nation of Indonesia?

Traders using the Silk Route had to overcome the physical barriers posed by the mountains and the —

Which of the following accounts for most of the cultural diffusion to East Asia throughout history?

Which country in East Asia has historically experienced more diffusion of culture from Western nations as compared to other East Asian countries?

Which geographic factor best explains the concentration of China’s cities in the southeast of the country?

How did the physical geography of Southeast Asia contribute to the diversity of culture in the region?

The island of Taiwan is located directly to the east of —

Which East Asian country has an economy that operates most like that of Japan?

Which of the following is an example of an unlimited government?

Which government policy, intended to regulate society, is used in both North Korea and China?

Which East Asian government can be described as rule by one?

In the People’s Republic of China, the government is led by —

Opportunities for citizen participation in the political process are suppressed in countries like North Korea because —

The successful trade in Japanese electronics has resulted in the diffusion of what popular recreational activity?

The center of the religion of Islam is the nation of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has over 24 million followers of Islam, while Indonesia is the largest Islamic nation, with over 200 million followers.

---How was Islam brought from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia?

Many cultures in East Asia are distinguished by a strong respect for elders and ancestors. These cultural characteristics are reflected in the traditions of —

North Korea’s adoption of authoritarian political and economic policies has resulted in society distinguished by its —

Based on the data in the table, which of the following best describes the level of economic development in East Asia?

Based on the information in the table, which country relies more on agricultural economic activities than the other countries?

How has the history of Southeast Asia contributed to the trend in the data shown in the table?

Top exports from Cambodia are mostly related to —

Which description best summarizes voting differences between the two nations?