Human habitation of the Pacific Rim began when mankind began migrations out of its place of origin in the Rift Valley of Central Africa c. 4million years ago. This migration was erratic and largely controlled by advances and retreat of the various Ice Ages which, while limiting advances in areas of intense cold, at the same time aided migration thro- ugh the creation of land bridges as ocean levels declined during periods of glacial advance (Fig.l)._x000D_
Mankind began its trek to the Pacific from Africa across India then north into southern China and south into Indonesia (Fig.2). In part, these migrations stimulated early technological develop- ments to fulfill needs and adapt to environmental conditions; thus, these nomads developed stone and bone tools, animal skin clothing and the use of caves and other simple shelters. The earliest evid- ence of mankind's use of fire can be found at Zhou- koudaian near Beijing, c.400,000 BP._x000D_
From China, the completion of the Pacific Rim's population can be attributed to the last Ice Age that dropped the ocean level by more than 300 feet and created land bridges about 40,000 BP allowing migration across the Bering Strait into Alaska and to Australia from Indonesia. The American migration reached Mexico about 30,000 BP, and by 6000 BP the occupancy of the Pacific Rim was complete when the first human settlers reached the southern tip of Chile.