Within 5°-6° north and south of the equator, high humidity and temperature are common, with little seasonal variations. Away from the equator, seasonal rainfall produces distinct wet and dry seasons. Summers are rainy. Typhoons cause excessive damage bringing heavy rainfall to the Philippines. Sumatra is noted for violent convectional storms. Although most rainfall is in summer, surface relief creates some variations. Orographic rainfall is common along the coastal areas of Indo-China. Unusual and unexpected autumn maximum thus occurs along Vietnam's central coast. Average rainfall of south East Asia exceeds 200 cms but the central zone of Burma, Thailand and Southern Indo-China are the dry areas lying in the rain-shadow region. Kuala Pilah (southern Malaya) is one of the driest part of the Peninsula. The following climatic regions are recognized.
1) Monsoon continental south east Asia: Heavy rain in South West monsoon period; October-May being the dry season. The northern tip of Sumatra, northern Malaya, Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, and northern Philippines fall in this region.
2) Equatorial South East Asia: Uniformity of temperature and humidity; most of Sumatra, Borneo, southern Malaya.
3) Monsoon peninsular South East Asia: This region lies south of the equator.
Soil and Vegetation: Lateritic soil covers the equatorial rain forest. The sedimentary limestone regions of eastern Java, Langkawi of Malaya, and Kerat in Thailand are the areas of limestone soil. Volcanic soil developed from basic lava is in Java and that of acidic lava is in Sumatra. The tropical rain forest exhibits fragile ecological condition. Irreversible damage has been caused because of the removal of original forest cover. The rich forest growth is 'supported by its own food supply system. Secondary vegetative growth in these deforested areas is that of tough, fire-resistant, fibrous grasses of Imperata.
Larger areas in the Philippines, Thailand and Indochina have imperata grasses, a serious menace to subsistence agriculture. Tropical hardwoods include teak, ebony, mahogany of saw timber and ratton palm.
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