Southeast Asia- A special part of the world
Where is Southeast Asia, you ask? Formally defined according to Wikipedia, it is the region geographically south of China, east of India, and north of Australia. It includes countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. Around 680 million people live it up in this part of the world.
What are some distinct features of this part of the world? Here are some cool facts you might not have known:
The seasons are hot, hotter, and wet. We normally have a dry period from June to December, and a monsoon period for the rest of the year. To cope with the heat, we have one of the most diverse range of thirst quenchers in the world, many made using local fruits and spices.
We have some of the coolest animals in the world, uniquely adapted to humid and warm conditions. Our favourite is the tapir, which looks somewhat like a cross between a panda, a boar and a hippo. These gentle, curious mammals spend their time foraging for leaves and shoots, and for cheeky naps in the middle of the night. They are unfortunately one of the most endangered species on Earth- we will write up a special feature on this beautiful animal in a separate blog.
We have some of the coolest plants in the world: check some of these names out- Elephant Ears, Stinking Corpse Lily, Needle Flower.
We have the oldest surviving rainforest in the world- the Belum rainforest. Older than the Amazon, this is where you can find the largest (and stinkiest) flower in the world- Rafflesia. It is also home to 14 of the world’s most endangered animals, from Malayan tigers to sunbears to our cute little mascot the tapir.