Informative Essay Sample on Whatcom County

Informative Essay Sample on Whatcom County Introduction USA has about 50 States and Washington State is one of the fifty states in USA having 12th largest population, and Whatcom County is country located in Washington State. It has been abundantly bestowed with natural resources and excellent topography, which supports agriculture and other industries. Due to recent trend of migration, many racial ethnic minorities have moved in this state and they have developed a unique set of culture. It holds great importance due to presence of Pacific Ocean and many Rivers. WHO Whatcom County has a total area of 6,485 km2 of which 5,500 km2 is land and 995 km2 is water which makes up of 15.34% of total area.There are five main ethnic groups that reside in Whatcom County including, whites, Latino/Hispanic, Asians, Pacific Islanders, African Americans and Native Americans(pascenter.org). The population density of Whatcom County comprises of 79 people per square mile. The racial ethnic population comprises of 88.4% of White people, African American people comprises of 0.69% of total population of Whatcom County , Native American or Latin American comprises of 2.82% of total population, 2.78% are Asian where 0.14% are Islander, further, according to survey of 2000 Hispanic or Latino’s ethnic population comprises of 15.5%,German 9%, Englishmen 8.2% and other races makes up 2.66% of the total population. A household median income in the county is $40,005, and the median income for a family was $49,325. The per capita income of Whatcom County is $20,025. Al most 7.8% of the families which makes 14.20% of the total population lives below the poverty line (bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2012/11/washington-state-13th-highest-median.html) WHAT Whatcom County has valuable shorelines, lakes and rivers through which it is also famous for its fishing; hence it has valuable marine resources. In addition to that, industry has forest which produces finest lumber. High-quality wood and it’s by products are produced and paper companies are also found here; hence, forestry an important part that has been contributing towards states economy. It is also producing farm products that include vegetables and fruits. Wine industry has also been a fast growing industry.It also produces hydroelectric power.(ehow.com/list_7211053_list-natural-resources-washington-state.html#ixzz2arrAWXWw). It has topography that has glaciers, mountains and low-lands. Mountains of the Coast Ranges arecovering north and south along the Pacific coast. It has dams and lakes. In the western part of the Whatcom county has Pacific Ocean,and due to its presence the climate is humid and moderate, winds from the ocean cools the land in summer and warms it in winter; and in this region rainfall is heavy. In the eastern region winters are cool and summers are hotter. In the western part it has dense forest whereas in eastern part they have sparser forests. In low lands shrubs and grasses are found. (http://geography.howstuffworks.com/united-states/geography-of-washington1.htm). People in Whatcom County have mainly been associated with farming.Due to presence of ocean, rivers and lakes, they are rich in Marine resources so they are associated with fish farming. Apart from that, due to presence of natural resources people have been employed in the field related to science and technology.Main exports of Whatcom County includePulp, Paper Paperboard Mill Products, Fruit Vegetable Preserves, Basic Chemicals and Other General Purpose Machinery. It is also one of the greatest exporter of fruit Vegetable Preserves includes Dairy Products, Meat Meat-Packing Products, fish, Grains, Seafood Products, Canned, Prepared, Animal Foods, Bakery Tortilla Products and Sugar Confectionery Products and these are exported by Japan, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Taiwan and Indonesia, WHERE It lies in U.S state of Washington, in its north it has an international boundary of Canada and Oregon lies in its south. On the western side there is vast Pacific Ocean. As it is surrounded by Pacific Ocean from one side it has a very well developed fishing industry. And due to its favorable topography it has been able to develop its marine life, agriculture industry and exports food and raw ingredients. (netstate.com/states/geography/wa_geography.htm) WHEN With the presence of water it has well developed marine resources; Rocky shores are habitat of many marine lives. With the development in technology dams were built in and hence now it is largest producer of hydroelectric power and with the presence of ocean and rivers it has developed a fishing industry. For agricultural product greenhouse effect has been used which is causing pollution, causing Global warming. (http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/greenhouse-effect/?ar_a=1) WHY Immigration has brought together many racial ethnic groups to this stated creating a new and innovative, melting pot culture. This has increased innovation in farming and other fields. But due to industrialization pollution and global warming has been damaging the physical features of this State. Conclusion Due to its physical geography Whatcom County’s coast has numerous benefits it has valuable marine life including flora and fauna and it has been able to produce a great amount of electricity through hydroelectric power plans and dams. Further due to various natural resources and well developed agricultural sector it has been able to export many agricultural.Since, diversity in its population has increased innovation and productivity.

The South China Sea A Historical Overview

The South China Sea A Historical Overview The sea is dotted with hundreds of small islands, atolls, and reefs, only a few of which are actually inhabitable and all of which lie outside the internationally-recognized 12 nautical miles territorial limit of the squabbling nations. Geopolitical disputes over the ownership of the South China Sea were a frequent topic of international news in 2012, and indications are that they will continue to be so for some time to come. Here is a brief primer on why this part of the world has become such a diplomatic hotspot. Where is the South China Sea? The South China Sea is a broad body of water lying between the coast of the Southeast Asian mainland and the island nations of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It is bordered on the north by Taiwan and the southern coast of China, on the west by Viet Nam, on the south by the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, and on the east by the Philippines. DOKDO ISLANDS ARE KOREAN PROPERTY As shown by this map, China claims virtually all of the South China Sea, which is the source of the sharp disputes it has had with other countries, primarily Viet Nam and the Philippines. The sea is dotted with hundreds of small islands, atolls, and reefs, only a few of which are actually inhabitable and all of which lie outside the internationally-recognized 12 nautical miles territorial limit of the squabbling nations. The claims of the Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam to parts of the South China Sea are based on geographical proximity, historical claims, and the 200 nautical mile limit to â€Å"Exclusive Economic Zones† provided for in the 1982 UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is not recognized by China. Do Any of the Countries Have a Legitimate Claim? Because there is very little physical land that can be occupied in the South China Sea, none of the countries involved has established a clear, indisputable sovereign claim. In 1947, shortly after the Communists came to power in China, the Chinese government published maps purportedly dating back to the 16th century showing the sea as part of Chinese territory and claimed the area had been used by Chinese fishermen and traders for more than 2,000 years. Viet Nam in particular disputed this, producing documents of their own showing the Paracel and Spratly Island groups as part of their territory as early as the 17th century. The claims of the Philippines to the Spratlys and the Scarborough Shoal, which lies about 150 kilometers west of the Philippines, are based on those areas lying closer to the Philippines than any of the other countries. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei base their claims on the provisions of the UNCLOS accord. Why is the South China Sea Such â€Å"Hot Property†? The most important reason is natural gas and lots of it. Although the continuing disputes have prevented much exploration in the South China Sea, indications from the few surveys that have been done indicate it may contain reserves of up to 25 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, which if true would make the area the third- or fourth-largest concentration of gas in the world. In addition, the South China Sea is believed to hold oil reserves of up to 28 billion barrels, according to estimates by the US Energy Information Administration. The South China Sea is also a strategically important shipping region linking Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Indian Ocean with China, Japan, and the rest of the Pacific Ocean; about a third of the world’s sea traffic is said to cross the South China Sea. The sea is also a rich fishing ground and supports most of the commercial fishing done by the Philippines, Viet Nam, China, and Malaysia. Key Events in the South China Sea The most serious clashes have occurred between China and Viet Nam, who have had naval battles over the Paracels and the Spratlys. In 1974, China launched an amphibious assault on the Paracel Islands then occupied by Viet Nam, seizing the island group after a short, violent fight that killed about 70 Vietnamese soldiers. In 1988, a naval engagement between Viet Nam and China in the Spratlys ended with several Vietnamese gunboats being destroyed, with a loss of about 60 sailors. More recently, an attempt by Philippine Coast Guard forces to arrest Chinese poachers in the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 led to a tense naval standoff that saw both nations send dozens of vessels to the area, and created a diplomatic crisis that has since settled down but has not been resolved. China also angered both Viet Nam and the Philippines in 2012 by redesigning its passports with an illustration of a map showing the South China Sea as part of its territory; as a result, both countries briefly refused to issue visa stamps to Chinese travelers carrying the new, offensive passports. Other small provocations are frequent occurrences. An unconfirmed report of Chinese interference with Vietnamese oil exploration vessels in 2011 led to massive anti-China demonstrations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; the Vietnamese for their part routinely conduct live-fire naval exercises in the South China Sea, drawing protests from the Chinese government. And in 2012, the Philippine government issued a directive renaming the South China Sea to the â€Å"West Philippine Sea,† further irritating China. Will the Disputes Be Ever Resolved? The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes all the claimants to the South China Sea except China and Taiwan, has on several occasions attempted to develop a binding â€Å"code of conduct† for nations in the South China Sea, with little success. China for its part has consistently resisted moves to â€Å"internationalize† the dispute, preferring to negotiate on a bilateral basis with individual countries. Although some discussions have taken place, most recently between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal incident, none of the countries have been willing to relax their claims, suggesting the issue will be a source of tension for some time to come.