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China-Philippines
Stand Off in the South China Sea
On Tuesday, China’s coastguard used a water cannon and blocked a Philippine resupply mission for troops stationed at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. China accused the Philippines of intruding on its territory, claiming sovereignty over the reef, located 808 miles (1,300 km) off its mainland. China maintains a claim over the South China Sea, an important maritime route, that has been rejected by international courts. Tuesday’s incident was the latest in a series of run-ins between the Philippines and China over disputed areas, coinciding with a surge in joint activities between the Philippine and American militaries. The Philippines has yet to invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the US over the recent encounters, but their embassy in China has issued a “demarche” or formal reprimand to Beijing.
This map depicts the disputed claims in the South China Sea. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Barron’s
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Panama
Cargo Ship Routes Impacted
Global shipping routes continue to be disrupted due to Houthi interventions in the Red Sea and falling water levels in the Panama Canal. In a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the global system of trade faces simultaneous disruptions to two major waterways, with accompanying impacts on inflation, food security, and energy supply. The Panama Canal, which sees 5 percent of global maritime trade, is being impacted by a drought. Declining water levels have forced authorities to allow 24 ships to cross per day, a decrease from 38 ships per day. In response to Houthi interventions in the Red Sea, which sees 15% of global maritime trade pass through, shipping companies have transitioned to the more expensive method of transporting cargo by air or navigating around the Cape of Good Hope. Supply chain advisory firms state the situation in the Red Sea has had larger impacts on global trade than in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This map depicts a world map of the original routes of cargo ships, parallel to new routes circumnavigating the Cape of Good Hope and South America’s northeast coast in response to the drought at the Panama Canal and Houthi interventions in the Red Sea. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Bluemarble
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Morocco
Ancient Sea Lizard Unearthed
Paleontologists have discovered a previously-unknown species of giant sea lizard from the late part of the age of the dinosaurs. As described in a study in the journal Cretaceous Research, the new mosasaurid, called Khinjaria acuta, would have been a contemporary of Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor and likely disappeared with them in the mass extinction caused by a meteor strike 66 million years ago. The lizard grew to about 26 feet (8 m) long, and had sharp teeth and a powerful bite. Discoveries in the same area of Morocco show that Khinjaria had several close contemporary relatives swimming the Atlantic Ocean along with other carnivorous sea creatures, leading researchers to observe that the variety of apex marine predators at the time was more diverse than what is observed today.
This map depicts the location of the Sidi Chennane phosphate mine in Morocco, where the fossils of a new species of marine reptile were recently discovered by paleontologists. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What part of the world is known as the “Land of High Mountains and Sparkling Streams”?
A: Korean Peninsula
The poetic interpretation of the word Korea—“Land of High Mountains and Sparkling Streams”—derives from the word Koryo (or Goryeo), the name of an ancient kingdom on the peninsula. The peninsula is located in Northeast Asia, between China and Japan. To the northwest, the Amnok River (Yalu River) separates Korea from China and to the northeast, the Duman River (Tumen River) separates Korea from China and Russia. Mountains cover 70 percent of Korea and arable plains are generally small and fall between the successive mountain ranges. Only one-fifth of the land can be cultivated. The few remaining dense forests are located in the far north. These rugged regions are sparsely inhabited and mountain dwellers often live isolated lives. Although the highest mountain chains are found in the far north, they also extend southward, running parallel and close to the peninsula’s eastern seaboard.
Source
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Q: What state has the most imperiled biodiversity in the contiguous US?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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