Asia Photo Tour, page2

			Page 2 of 4

Over half of the twenty largest urban areas in the world are located in Asia. This is the largest city in China - Shanghai. Home to over 13 million people, this city is a mix of Chinese and Western influences. People from Europe and America lived in Shanghai for many years until the Communist Party took over China in 1949. Located near several major waterways, Shanghai is China's leading port and industrial center.

Agriculture is one of Asia's most productive economic activities. Asia produces more than 90 percent of the world's rice supply. Rice grows well in the warm and wet climate of certain parts of Asia. China and India produce about 50% of the world's rice supply. Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam are the other chief rice producing countries in Asia.

The Gobi is located in southern Mongolia and northern China. The Gobi is one of many deserts found throughout Asia. It is a large desert that covers more than 500,000 square miles, about the size of Alaska. Sand dunes are not very common here - they are only found in only 5 percent of the desert. Most of the Gobi is very rocky. Despite the dry climate and limited vegetation, people do use the land for herding and farming.