Search

On this map of India and Southeast Asia, borders are outlined and cities underlined in different colours to show the colonial territories of the European powers. On Borneo, the names of indigenous peoples are listed (‘Dayak’s, Papua’s, Bugi’s’).

Map of Asia spread over nine sheets, for use in schools. Place names are not printed on the map itself, but are represented by initials and numbers (presumably, there is a legend that lists the names, but it is not present).

Map of Asia spread over nine sheets, for use in schools. Place names are not printed on the map itself, but are represented by initials and numbers (presumably, there is a legend that lists the names, but it is not present).

From ‘Thomson’s New General Atlas’, this mid-19th century map was based on an earlier map by the English cartographer John Cary. It highlights the mountain ranges and rivers of Southeast Asia, and also features many place names.

This map of the Burman Empire (Myanmar) features mountains, forests and rivers, as well as borders with Siam (Thailand) and Laos. Text notes how far up rivers boats can reach (‘Boats reach hither from the Sea’), ruby mines and rice fields.

This map of the Burman Empire (Myanmar) features mountains, forests and rivers, as well as borders with Siam (Thailand) and Laos. Text notes how far up rivers boats can reach (‘Boats reach hither from the Sea’), ruby mines and rice fields.

This early 19th century map was based on an earlier map by the English cartographer John Cary. It highlights the mountain ranges and rivers of Southeast Asia, and also features many place names of cities, towns and islands.

An early 19th century map by the English cartographer John Cary, highlighting the mountain ranges and rivers of Southeast Asia. The map also features many place names of cities, towns and islands.

This map of Asia, from an atlas by the German cartographer Karl von Spruner, is colour-coded to show the colonial possessions of the European powers—Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Britain and Denmark—at the end of the 17th century.

Longitude is indicated in two different ways on this mid-18th century map: along the top border, it is shown in degrees (number of degrees east of London); more unusually, along the bottom border, it is shown in time (number of hours east of London).

A late 18th century map of Asia with regions divided by colour-coded borders, and detailing rivers, mountains, reefs and shoals.

Map of Asia, with mainland Southeast Asia in red and divided into ancient kingdoms, Sunda Islands in yellow, and the Philippines in grey. Twelve different scales are shown, as different countries used different measurement systems.