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Colonial territory is labelled and colour-coded on this map of Southeast Asia. A list on the left edge gives the colonial status, size and population of Asian countries, and ranks the main cities by population. Gold and iron mines are marked.

A six-sheet map of Groot-Atjèh (Aceh, northern Sumatra) focusing on areas occupied during the Aceh War (1873–1904) between the Sultanate of Aceh and Dutch colonists. It shows military positions and fortifications, buildings, routes and crops.

This map highlights the colonisation of Southeast Asia, showing French Indochina (green), British Burma and Malaya (orange), the Dutch East Indies (pink), and the Spanish Philippines (green). In the region, only Siam (yellow) is independent.

From Joseph Kürschner’s ‘Universal-Konversations-Lexikon’, this map of German colonies includes the island of New Guinea. Divided between Dutch, British and German colonies, the German territory is Kaiser-Wilhelmsland and the Bismarck Archipelago.

This map of the island of Billiton (Belitung, Indonesia) features mountains, rivers, railways, roads, settlements, coconut plantations and administrative borders. An inset map shows the island’s port and capital city Tanjung Pandan.

Maritime map of the Philippines, with inset maps of bays showing bathymetry (sea depth), shoals, reefs and anchor points. There is also an inset map of Taal Volcano, and elevations (side views of terrestrial landmarks like mountains and islands).

This 1883 map shows European colonial territories in Southeast Asia. An inset map details the proposed French annexation of Tonquin, Annam and Cochin China (modern Vietnam). International telegraph lines are also marked.

This geological map of the district of Toboali (Bangka Island, east of Sumatra) uses colours to depict types of rocks, soils and minerals. Tin mining areas are also highlighted.

Designed to aid navigation around the western Java Sea, this map features bathymetry (sea depth), current and tide data, and is marked with shoals, reefs and other hazards. Written notes add details at specific locations (e.g. ‘heavy tide rips’).

This mid-19th century map of Asia has colour-coded borders that show the beginnings of the emergence of the modern nation states of Southeast Asia, such as Laos, Burmah (Burma), Siam (Thailand) and Malaya (Malaysia).

Map of Borneo—with insets of Southeast Asia, Sarawak and Labuan—featuring temperature data, volcanoes, English colonial territory, products of Borneo, geology (rock types), bathymetry (sea depth) and elevations (side views of mountains with heights).

This map of Asia is from the mid-19th century ‘Grosser Atlas der Erde [Great Atlas of the Earth]’ by the German publisher Albrecht Platt. It shows part of Southeast Asia, including the region’s borders with India and China.