300
• The fertile soil of river valleys allowed early civilizations to develop and flourish.
• In the 1500s and 1600s, control of the Strait of Malacca determined who traded in the Spice Islands.
• Because Japan is an island that is mostly mountainous, people live in densely populated areas along the coast.
13. Which conclusion is best supported by these statements?
(1) Major urban centers are found only along rivers.
(2) The geography of a nation or region influences its development.
(3) Without mountains and rivers, people cannot develop a culture.
(4) The spread of new ideas is discouraged by trade and conquest.
(2) The geography of a nation or region influences its development.