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Quizzes > Geography

East Asia physical map quiz: locate rivers, mountains, and seas

Quick, free East Asia map quiz to check your geography skills. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Luky KoutUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for East Asia physical map quiz on sky blue background

This East Asia physical map quiz helps you spot major rivers, mountains, deserts, and seas across the region. Build confidence by naming the Yangtze, Gobi, and more, then sharpen skills with East Asia bodies of water, explore borders and capitals with east asian countries quiz, or step up to a broader east asia map quiz.

Which mountain range forms the southwestern border of the Tibetan Plateau?
Tianshan Mountains
Altai Mountains
Himalayas
Kunlun Mountains
The Himalayas run along the southwestern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, serving as a natural barrier between the plateau and the Indian subcontinent. They contain some of the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest. Their tectonic uplift is a result of the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates.
Which river is the longest entirely within China?
Yellow River
Mekong River
Yangtze River
Pearl River
The Yangtze River stretches about 6,300 km, making it the longest river fully within China and the third-longest in the world. It flows from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea. Its basin is home to a large portion of China's population and economic activity.
The Gobi Desert is primarily located in which two countries?
Mongolia and Russia
Kazakhstan and Russia
China and Kazakhstan
China and Mongolia
The Gobi Desert spans southern Mongolia and northern China, covering parts of Inner Mongolia and Gansu provinces. It is known for its harsh climate, with extreme temperature variations. Unlike many deserts, it is mostly rocky rather than sandy.
Which sea lies between the Korean Peninsula and Japan?
Sea of Japan
East China Sea
South China Sea
Yellow Sea
The Sea of Japan is bordered by Japan to the east and the Korean Peninsula to the west. It connects to the East China Sea via the Korea Strait. It is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean.
What is the local Chinese name for the Yellow River?
Xi Jiang
Huang He
Jinsha
Chang Jiang
The Yellow River is called Huang He in Chinese, meaning "Yellow River," due to the loess sediment that gives it a yellowish color. Chang Jiang refers to the Yangtze River, and Xi Jiang is the west river (Pearl River tributary). Jinsha is an upper stretch of the Yangtze.
Which plateau is often referred to as the "Roof of the World"?
Tibetan Plateau
Loess Plateau
Yunnan - Guizhou Plateau
Mongolian Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau is nicknamed the "Roof of the World" because it has the highest average elevation of any plateau on Earth, averaging over 4,500 meters. It plays a crucial role in Asia's climate and hydrology. Many of Asia's major rivers originate there.
The Korean Peninsula extends southward from which larger landmass?
Southeast Asian mainland
Eurasian continent
Indian subcontinent
Pacific Island arc
The Korean Peninsula is a projection of the Eurasian continent extending southward between the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. It has been a strategic land bridge throughout history. It is separated from mainland China by North Korea.
The Taiwan Strait separates Taiwan from which mainland Chinese province?
Hainan Province
Fujian Province
Zhejiang Province
Guangdong Province
The Taiwan Strait lies between the island of Taiwan and Fujian Province on mainland China. It is about 180 kilometers wide at its narrowest point. This strait is a major shipping lane in East Asia.
The Tarim Basin, home to the Taklamakan Desert, is located in which Chinese region?
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
Inner Mongolia
Gansu Province
The Tarim Basin sits in northwestern China's Xinjiang region and hosts the vast Taklamakan Desert. It is bounded by the Tianshan Mountains to the north and the Kunlun to the south. The basin is an important corridor on the historical Silk Road.
Which major river flows southward through Wuhan before reaching the East China Sea?
Yangtze River
Yellow River
Pearl River
Amur River
The Yangtze River flows through Wuhan in central China and continues east to the East China Sea near Shanghai. Wuhan is a major port city on its middle reaches. The river is vital for commerce, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.
The Qinling Mountains in China separate the drainage basins of which two great rivers?
Yangtze River and Mekong River
Amur River and Yellow River
Yellow River and Yangtze River
Pearl River and Yellow River
The Qinling range forms a watershed divide between the northward-flowing Yellow River and the southward-flowing Yangtze River. This divide also roughly delineates northern from southern China climatically and culturally. The mountains are rich in biodiversity.
Which island group lies east of China's mainland and north of Taiwan?
Mariana Islands
Philippines
Aleutian Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The Ryukyu Islands arc from Kyushu in Japan down toward Taiwan, lying east of China's mainland. They form a chain separating the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. Okinawa is the largest among them.
The Amur River forms part of the border between China and which country?
Mongolia
Russia
Kazakhstan
North Korea
The Amur River (Heilong Jiang) flows east and forms a long stretch of the China - Russia border in the northeast. It drains into the Sea of Okhotsk via the Strait of Tartary. The river is central to regional trade and ecology.
Which plateau, known for its fertile loess soil, lies to the east of the Tibetan Plateau?
Loess Plateau
Yunnan - Guizhou Plateau
Deccan Plateau
Mongolian Plateau
The Loess Plateau lies east of the Tibetan Plateau, covering parts of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Gansu provinces. It is composed of wind-deposited loess and is prone to erosion but supports rich agriculture. Its yellow soils give the Yellow River its name.
Which primary basin surrounds the city of Chongqing in southwestern China?
Junggar Basin
Tarim Basin
Sichuan Basin
Ordos Basin
Chongqing lies on the eastern edge of the Sichuan Basin, a lowland region surrounded by mountains. The basin has a humid subtropical climate and is one of China's major agricultural zones. It is also culturally distinct from surrounding plateaus.
Which tectonic plates converge near the Ryukyu Trench adjacent to the Ryukyu Islands?
Pacific Plate and Philippine Sea Plate
Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate
Pacific Plate and North American Plate
Philippine Sea Plate and Eurasian Plate
The Ryukyu Trench marks the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, causing frequent seismic activity. This convergent boundary shapes the Ryukyu Island arc. It is distinct from Pacific - North American interactions further east.
Which strait separates Japan's Honshu and Hokkaido islands?
Kanmon Strait
Osaka Bay
Tsugaru Strait
Korea Strait
The Tsugaru Strait lies between Honshu to the south and Hokkaido to the north, connecting the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. It is a key shipping route and site of strong currents. The Kanmon Strait separates Honshu and Kyushu instead.
Which basin lies north of the Qilian Mountains on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau?
Tarim Basin
Sichuan Basin
Ordos Basin
Qaidam Basin
The Qaidam Basin is an endorheic basin north of the Qilian Mountains in Qinghai province on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. It is known for mineral resources and arid climate. The Tarim lies further northwest.
Which volcano is considered the highest peak in Japan?
Mount Ontake
Mount Yotei
Mount Aso
Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is Japan's tallest mountain at 3,776 meters and is an active stratovolcano. It is a cultural symbol and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other peaks are lower in elevation.
The Greater Hinggan (Greater Khingan) Mountains run primarily through which Chinese region?
Inner Mongolia
Heilongjiang
Jilin
Liaoning
The Greater Hinggan range extends north-south through the western part of Inner Mongolia, forming a key ecological boundary. It separates the Northeast Plain from the Mongolian Plateau. Heilongjiang touches its eastern slopes.
Which basin is centered around Chongqing and is surrounded by mountains on three sides?
Sichuan Basin
Songliao Basin
Ordos Basin
Junggar Basin
The Sichuan Basin is ringed by mountains on three sides and opens eastward toward the Yangtze River valley. Chongqing lies at its eastern edge. It has a humid climate and dense population.
Which strait connects the Yellow Sea with the East China Sea, lying between South Korea and Japan?
Tsugaru Strait
Osaka Bay
Korea Strait
Tsushima Strait
The Korea Strait, also called the Tsushima Strait, connects the Yellow Sea with the East China Sea between South Korea and Japan's Kyushu. It is a key maritime passage for East Asian shipping. Tsugaru is between Honshu and Hokkaido.
The Shilin Stone Forest karst formations are located in which Chinese province?
Guizhou Province
Sichuan Province
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Yunnan Province
The Shilin Stone Forest is a famous karst landscape near Kunming in Yunnan Province. Its limestone formations were created through weathering processes over millions of years. It is recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
The Jehol Biota Early Cretaceous fossil sites are primarily associated with which basin in northeastern China?
Tarim Basin
Yixian Basin (Jehol Basin)
Songliao Basin
Ordos Basin
The Jehol Biota fossils, including feathered dinosaurs, are found in the Yixian (Jehol) Basin of western Liaoning and eastern Hebei provinces. Deposited in lacustrine sediments during the Early Cretaceous, these sites have exceptional preservation.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Major Landforms -

    Locate and label the main mountain ranges, plateaus, and highlands on an east asia physical map to grasp regional geography.

  2. Locate Principal Waterways -

    Pinpoint major rivers and lakes using the map of east asia physical features and understand their roles in the region's ecology and settlements.

  3. Interpret Coastal and Relief Patterns -

    Analyze coastline shapes and elevation changes on a physical map of east asia to appreciate how landforms influence coastal environments.

  4. Analyze Spatial Relationships -

    Examine the positioning of mountains, rivers, and plains on an east asia physical features map to see how topography affects human activity and climate.

  5. Compare Highland and Lowland Zones -

    Differentiate between upland and lowland areas on a physical east asia map to understand their distinct climates and ecosystems.

  6. Enhance Map-Reading Precision -

    Practice identifying specific physical features on an east asia physical map to improve your overall cartographic skills.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Major Mountain Ranges -

    The Himalayas, Kunlun, and Tianshan ranges dominate the physical map of East Asia, forming continental divides and influencing climate patterns. Use the mnemonic "HiKT" (Himalayas, Kunlun, Tianshan) to recall these key ranges. Their altitudes exceed 4,000 m, marking them as some of the highest in the world.

  2. Great River Systems -

    The Yangtze (6,300 km), Yellow (5,464 km), and Mekong (4,350 km) rivers are the three longest waterways on an East Asia physical features map. Note their flow directions: all head southeast toward the Pacific, shaping ancient civilizations and fertile plains. Knowing these lengths and paths helps you pinpoint each river on the quiz with confidence.

  3. Plate Tectonic Boundaries -

    The edge of the Pacific and Eurasian plates creates the Ring of Fire along Japan, Taiwan, and the Kuril Islands on a physical East Asia map. Remember that subduction zones like the Japan Trench cause frequent earthquakes and volcanic arcs, which you can spot by clustered island chains. Recognizing these seismic hotspots boosts your map-readiness.

  4. Tibetan Plateau -

    Often called the "Roof of the World," the Tibetan Plateau sits north of the Himalayas at an average elevation above 4,500 m, making it a standout feature on a map of East Asia physical features. Its high altitude creates a rain shadow effect, leading to arid conditions in Central Asia. Identifying this plateau helps in understanding regional climate variations.

  5. Coastal Outlines & Archipelagos -

    Japan's four main islands, the Korean Peninsula's east and west coasts, and Taiwan's rugged shoreline appear prominently on an East Asia physical map. Learn the sequence north to south - Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu - to quickly place each island group. Visualizing these coastlines and straits sharpens your regional mapping skills.

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