Warm Eastern Margins or China Type. The chief climatic characteristics of this region are hot rainy summers and dry cold winters. Central and Northern China are typical areas, but others belonging to it are Japan and the South-East United States in the Northern Hemisphere; Natal and the east of the Cape Province in South Africa; New South Wales; Southern Queensland, and South-East Brazil in the Southern Hemisphere. These regions are situated on the east side of the continents between latitudes 25° and 38°. The largest region of this type is found in Asia.
The humid subtropics characteristically have hot and moist summers. Winters here are mild in nature. Summer temperatures are generally between 75° to 80° but sometimes exceed even 100°. Humidities are high and make the weather unbearable. Nights are sultry and uncomfortable. Winters here are mild with average temperatures between 40° to 55°F. The effect of cold continental air is felt particularly in those Asiatic and North American regions, which are totally exposed to them on account of lack of any mountainous barriers. Southern hemisphere regions have no cold continental effect and therefore have higher winter averages.
Rainfall is abundant and it rains throughout the year. Summer experiences more rainfall than the winters. Conventional storms cause rainfall during the summer. Heavy rainfall during the summer is caused by the tropical cyclones. These are known as hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacific. Winter precipitation is mainly the result of cyclones. Snowfall, during winter, is not uncommon in the American south and the orient but is rare in the southern hemisphere.
Natural vegetation consists of a mixture of both deciduous and evergreen trees m the lowlands and Coniferous trees in the highlands. The forests are not dense, as there is no undergrowth. Valuable trees like oak, pine and eucalyptus are common.
The native animals abound generally where human population is sparse, but in the humid subtropics man is everywhere and therefore native animals are found in the mountainous lands, forests and swamps. Birds are only the animals to be available in the lands of orient, the species of animals are scarce on account of thick population. In United States South, which has still some forests and swamps, the native animals such as game birds, deer, fox, raccoons squirrels opossum are found in the forests. Mink, otter and muskrat can be found in the marshy areas along the gulf coast. Birds are in large number on the- Pampas. Marsupials are linked with Australian region of humid subtropics.
This region is among the most intensively cultivated parts of the world. Mild winter conditions favor cultivation almost throughout the year especially in river valleys where irrigation has developed. The major contrast is between Oriental agriculture in China and Occidental agricultural in the United States. Oriental agriculture is mainly of subsistence type based on intensive use of human labour, farmyard manure and traditional methods of irrigation arid drainage. Rice is the most important crop and double cropping is common in irrigated tracts. Tea and mulberry are cultivated on the hill slopes.
In the orient the farming is the integral part of the life of the people. Rice is the main crop produced here and most desired too because of high yields. Other summer crops are: corn, sweet potatoes, soybeans, sugar canes, sesame and vegetables. Land's extensive use has been done. Even the land for pastures has not been spared. Only two commercial crops have been given some importance and they are silk and tea crops getting maximum attention of the farmers. In United States South, cotton crop dominated the agricultural scene some years ago. South American region is an important agricultural region. Pampas is the land of crop production. Wheat, corn, sunflowers and flex are the leading crops of the Pampas. Livestock grazing curbs the crops production in some of the South American countries. Cattle in South America are dominant. Sheep is also significant for wool production particularly in Uruguay. In Africa and Australia sugar canes, pineapples and oranges are produced.
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