Search

Southeast Asia is on sheet four of this map. British colonial territory—British Burma, the Straits Settlements, Sarawak, Brunei, British North Borneo—is highlighted in red, with Dutch, Spanish, French and Portuguese territory also shown.

To aid navigation, this map shows small islands, shoals and reefs, maritime routes for use during monsoons or at particular times of the year, bathymetry (sea depth), tide information, shipwrecks, compass roses and landmark mountains at the coasts.

Five maps showing the distribution of animal species, including in Southeast Asia, covering primates, marsupials, pachyderms and Edentata. Lines show the geographical range of individual species, alongside illustrations of the animals featured.

Two maps showing the distribution of rodent and ruminant animal species, including in Southeast Asia. Lines show the geographical range of individual species, alongside illustrations of the animals featured.

Two maps showing the distribution of birds, including Southeast Asia on the upper map. Lines show the geographical range of different types of birds, alongside illustrations of some of the birds featured.

Four world maps showing the distribution of reptiles and snakes, including in Southeast Asia. Lines show the geographical range of individual species, alongside illustrations of some of the animals featured.

Map of the East Indies in the mid-19th century, with the borders of Dutch colonial territory (Dutch East Indies) marked in brown.

Map of the East Indies in the mid-19th century, with the borders of Dutch colonial territory (Dutch East Indies) marked in brown.

A late 18th century map of Asia, with notes on the principal states, empires and kingdoms of Asia written in French on the right-hand side.

This map uses colour to identify regions in late 18th century Southeast Asia, many of which roughly correspond to modern countries: Pegu=Myanmar, Tonkin/Cochin China=Vietnam, Lao =Laos, Siam=Thailand, Malaya=Malaysia, Philippin Islands=Philippines.

This map shows some inaccuracies, especially in the shape of the Malay Peninsula and the islands meant to represent Sumatra (labelled ‘Camatra’), Java (‘Iava Mazor’) and Borneo (‘Iava Menor’). Latin text describes the Maluku Islands.

This 1550 map by the German cartographer Sebastian Münster (1488–1552) was based on the work of the 2nd century geographer Ptolemy. There are many inaccuracies, especially in scale and the locations of mountain ranges, but the region is recognisable.