The World in Spatial Terms

1. How has the isolation of Laos affected community services within the country ?
2. What needs does the Mekong River fulfill for the Vietnamese rice farmers who populate the Mekong Delta?

Uses of Geography

1. Many people fled South Vietnam when the Nationalist government fell in 1975. Refugees settled in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the United States. As the Vietnamese economy becomes increasingly active in the world, this Diaspora may play a vital role in the country's development. Refer to other video programs in this course to compare this scenario in Vietnam to the role played by Chinese expatriates from Vancouver, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Guangdong in the economies of their homelands.
   
2. The Mekong River, the longest in Southeast Asia, originates in the mountains of southwestern China. Compare the lifestyles of the people who live along the river as it flows from its source through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.