Why do the mainland and insular regions of Southeast Asia have such distinctive climates and landforms, and how have these differences affected the human communities of these two regions?

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The differences in latitude partially accounts for climatic differences between the two sub regions, as well as the general topography of the two areas. Mainland Southeast Asia forms part of the much larger continent of Eurasia, whereas insular Southeast Asia is composed of thousands of islands. Both are impacted by the monsoon, and yet the landforms of insular Southeast Asia impart more localized climatic variations. The landforms of insular Southeast Asia, likewise, have been formed largely through volcanic activity. The fluvial systems are very different also, with mainland Southeast Asia characterized by longer rivers and often wide river plains, whereas the rivers of insular Southeast Asia are considerably shorter and narrow. Combined, the distinctive physical geography of the two sub-regions has imparted different settlement patterns and agricultural practices.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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