Search

A map of Southeast Asia coloured to indicate the five different language families spoken in the region in the late 19th century. Names of indigenous tribes/languages are marked in red text, with European colonial possessions in grey.

On this hand-drawn and coloured map of Asia, the colours differentiate the colonial territories of the European powers: for example, New Guinea is divided into Dutch, British and German areas, and Borneo is split between the British and Dutch.

On this mid-19th century map of Asia, national and regional borders are colour-coded, including colonial possessions such at the British Straits Settlements. Coastal cities, islands, shoals and reefs are marked in detail.

This early 19th century map depicts the regions of Asia by colour. The continental regions are green, while the archipelago regions are red, except for New Guinea which is yellow.

Southeast Asia is on the last sheet of this map of Asia. The South China Sea is labelled ‘Malayan Sea’. Small islands, shoals and reefs are shown. A label in Cochin China (Vietnam) reads ‘mountains inhabited by the uncivilized people called Kemoys’.

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

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

This late 18th century map of Asia by the British mathematician and cartographer Samuel Dunn uses an azimuthal projection to aid navigation.

A map of Southeast Asia by the London-based cartographer Herman Moll (1654?–1732) with hand-coloured regional borders. The north coast of Borneo is labelled ‘A Desart [desert] Coast’, while the south is labelled ‘Pepper Country’.

An early 18th century map of Asia by the English cartographer John Senex, featuring labels noting details of the inhabitants of some areas e.g. on Borneo: ‘The Middle of this Isle is Inhabited by a People call’d Beaujous Idolaters’.

Unusually, north is located to the left of this map of East Asia, rather than the top. The text notes that shallows and reefs are marked, and that the map is based on the explorations of Portuguese ships. Illustrations include sea monsters and ships.