South East Asia

Area	4,523,000 km²
Population	568,300,000
Density	126 per km²
Countries	11
Territories	12
GDP	$900 billion (exchange rate) $2. In Finance, the exchange rates (also known as the foreign-exchange rate, forex rate or FX rate) between two currencies specifies how 8 trillion (purchasing power parity)
GDP per capita	$1,584 (exchange rate) $4,927 (purchasing power parity)
Languages	Indonesian, Filipino, Vietnamese,Thai, Burmese, Malay, Khmer, Lao, Tetum, Nicobarese, Mandarin, English, Tamil, Kanarese, Portuguese, Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam, Punjabi, Telugu, Javanese, Sundanese, Tagalog, Cebuano, Madura, Cantonese, Min, Taiwanese (Min Nan), and many others
Time Zones	UTC +9:00 (Indonesia) to UTC +5:30 (Andaman and Nicobar Islands)
Largest Cities	Jakarta Manila Bangkok Ho Chi Minh City Surabaya Kuala Lumpur Singapore Hanoi Bandung Medan Yangon

South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. In Finance, the exchange rates (also known as the foreign-exchange rate, forex rate or FX rate) between two currencies specifies how The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia, based on the Riau version of Malay language, was declared the official language with the declaration of Filipino is the national and an Official language of the Philippines as designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and The Burmese language (မြန်မာဘာသာ myà̃mà bàθà MLCTS: myanma bhasa) is the official Language of Burma. The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. Lao or Laotian (BGN/PCGN phasa lao IPA: pʰaːsaː laːw is a Tonal Language of the Tai-Kadai language family Tetum (also Tetun) is an Austronesian language, a National language and one of the two Official languages of East Timor. "Nicobarese" redirects here For the indigenous peoples see Nicobar Islands. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Javanese is the language of the people in the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. Sundanese ( Basa Sunda, literally "language of Sunda " is the Language of about 27 million people from the western third of Java Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines. "Cebuano" redirects here For the inhabitants of Cebu see Cebuano people Cebuano (Cebuano Sinugbuanon, "language Madurese is the spoken language of the Madurese people from Madura Island, Indonesia; it is also spoken on Kangean Islands, Sapudi There is a wide variety of Languages spoken throughout Asia, comprising a number of families and some unrelated isolates Jabotabek or Jabodetabek is the term given to the Metropolitan area surrounding Jakarta, Indonesia. Metropolitan Manila ( Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila, Kamaynilaan) or the National Capital Region (NCR ( Filipino: Pambansang Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest Surabaya (formerly spelled as Soerabaja) is Indonesia 's second-largest city, and the capital of the province of East Java. Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K Singapore Hanoi ( Vietnamese: Hà Nội Hán Tự: 河[[wikt 内|内]], estimated population 3398889 (2007, is the Capital of Vietnam Bandung (bʌndʊŋ is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's fourth largest city Medan is the capital of the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia. Yangon (also known as Rangoon) is the largest city and a former capital of Burma. A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity.

South East Asia consists of two geographic regions: the Asian mainland, and island arcs and archipelagoes to the east and southeast. A volcanic arc is a chain of volcanic islands or Mountains formed by Plate tectonics as an oceanic Tectonic plate subducts under An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian The mainland section consists of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam; the population of which are primarily Tai peoples and Austroasiatic peoples; the dominant religion is Buddhism, followed by Christianity. Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially "Thai peoples" redirects here For the subgroup of the Tai see Thai people The Tai or Tai-Kadai ethnicity refers collectively to the Ethnic The Austro-Asiatic languages are a large Language family of Southeast Asia, and also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The maritime section consists of Brunei, East Timor,^[1] Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. The Malay Archipelago is a name given to the Archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia ( Indochina) and Australia. Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Singapore Austronesian peoples predominate in this region; the dominant religion is Islam, followed by Christianity. The Austronesian people or Austronesian-speaking people, are a population group present in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings

Divisions

Political

South East Asia frequently refers to the area consisting of these following countries, although in general and certain specific usage, the area it refers to can be narrower or broader, smaller or larger.

•  Brunei
•  Cambodia
•  Indonesia
•  Laos
•  Malaysia
•  Myanmar
•  Philippines
•  Singapore
•  Thailand
•  East Timor
•  Vietnam

All of the above are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), except East Timor, which is an ASEAN candidate state. Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Singapore The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. The area, together with part of South Asia, was previously known as the East Indies or simply Indies. The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term often used to refer to the islands of SE Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term often used to refer to the islands of SE Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago

Although politically external territories of Australia, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are culturally part of South East Asia. The Territory of Christmas Island is a small territory of Australia located in the Indian Ocean, 2600 kilometres (1600 mi northwest of Meanwhile, certain islands in the South China Sea are currently disputed. The South China Sea Islands (or Nanhai Islands, simplified: 南海诸岛 traditional: 南海諸島 Pinyin: Nánhǎi Zhūdǎo consist of over Papua, however, is politically part of Southeast Asia through Indonesia, although geographically it is often considered as part of Oceania.

Geographical

Location of Southeast Asia. ^[2]

beach on Ko Samui Thailand

Mayon Volcano in the Philippines overlooks a pastoral scene. Ko Samui island of Surat Thani Province (or Koh Samui, เกาะสมุย is an Island off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus in Thailand The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP

South East Asia is geographically divided into two regions, namely Mainland Southeast Asia (or Indochina) and the Maritime Southeast Asia (or the Malay Archipelago) (Indonesian language: Nusantara). Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. The Malay Archipelago is a name given to the Archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia ( Indochina) and Australia. The Malay Archipelago is a name given to the Archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia ( Indochina) and Australia. Indonesian or Bahasa Indonesia, based on the Riau version of Malay language, was declared the official language with the declaration of Nusantara is a traditional geographical concept of the Malay world that encompasses the Indonesian lands from Sabang in the West to Manokwari

Mainland Southeast Asia includes:

• Cambodia
• Laos
• Myanmar
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Maritime Southeast Asia includes:

• Brunei
• East Timor
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Philippines
• Singapore

The eastern parts of Indonesia and East Timor (east of Wallace line) are considered to be geographically parts of Oceania. Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Malay Archipelago is a name given to the Archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia ( Indochina) and Australia. Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Singapore

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India are considered part of South East Asia. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a Union territory of India. Informally the territory's name is often abbreviated to A & N Islands, or ANI Hainan Island is sometimes considered both East Asian and South East Asian. Hainan ( POJ: Hai-lam Pinyin:, Jyutping: hoi2 naam4 literal meaning "South of the Sea" is the smallest province of the People's

History

Main article: History of Southeast Asia

Architecture in the Srivijayan style. The history of Southeast Asia has been characterized as interaction between regional players and foreign powers Srivijaya or Sriwijaya was an ancient Malay kingdom on the island of Sumatra, Southeast Asia which influenced much of the Malay Archipelago. Surat Thani Thailand

Solheim and others have shown evidence for a Nusantao (Nusantara) maritime trading network ranging from Vietnam to the rest of the archipelago as early as 5000 BCE to 1 CE. Surat Thani (often in short Surat, สุราษฎร์ธานี is the largest of the southern provinces ( changwat) of Thailand, on The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially ^[3]

The peoples of Southeast Asia, especially those of Austronesian descent, have been seafarers for thousands of years, some reaching the island of Madagascar. Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern Their vessels, such as the vinta, were ocean-worthy. The vinta ( locally known as lepa-lepa or sakayan) is a traditional boat found in the Philippine island of Mindanao. Magellan's voyage records how much more manœuvrable their vessels were, as compared to the European ships. Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ dɨ mɐgɐˈʎɐ̃ĩʃ Fernando de Magallanes (Spring 1480 &ndash April 27 1521 Mactan Island, Cebu ^[4]

Passage through the Indian Ocean aided the colonization of Madagascar by the Malay race, as well as commerce between West Asia and Southeast Asia. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The concept of a Malay race ( Bangsa Melayu) was proposed by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840 Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. Gold from Sumatra is thought to have reached as far west as Rome. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2

Originally most people were animist. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals This was later replaced by Brahmanic Hinduism. Theravada Buddhism soon followed in 525. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation In 1400s, Islamic influences began to enter. This forced the last Hindu court in Indonesia to retreat to Bali. Bali is an Indonesian Island located at, the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to

In Mainland South East Asia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand retained the Theravada form of Buddhism, brought to them from Sri Lanka. This type of Buddhism was fused with the Hindu-influenced Khmer culture.

Indianized kingdoms

Main article: Indianized kingdom

Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world, in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Very little is known about Southeast Asian religious beliefs and practices before the advent of Indian merchants and religious influences from the second century BCE onwards. The concept of the Indianized kingdom, first described by George Coedès, is based upon the Hindu and Buddhist cultural and economic influences in Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) (អង្គរវត្ត is a Temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II Siem Reap City is the capital of Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Prior to the 13th century, Buddhism and Hinduism were the main religions in Southeast Asia. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

The Jawa Dwipa Hindu kingdom in Java and Sumatra existed around 200 BCE. Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two

The history of the Malay-speaking world begins with the advent of Indian influence, which dates back to at least the 3rd century BC. Indian traders came to the archipelago both for its abundant forest and maritime products and to trade with merchants from China, who also discovered the Malay world at an early date. Both Hinduism and Buddhism were well established in the Malay Peninsula by the beginning of the 1st century CE, and from there spread across the archipelago. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula (Semenanjung Tanah Melayu (คาบสมุทรมลายู is a major Peninsula located in Southeast

Cambodia was first influenced by Hinduism during the beginning of the Funan kingdom. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Funan (Old Khmer Bnam, Modern Khmer Phnom, Khmer script នគរភ្នំ (i Hinduism was one of the Khmer Empire's official religions. The Khmer Empire was the largest empire of South East Asia based in what is now Cambodia. Cambodia is the home to one of the only two temples dedicated to Brahma in the world. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. Angkor Wat is also a famous Hindu temple of Cambodia. Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) (អង្គរវត្ត is a Temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II

The Majapahit Empire was an Indianized kingdom based in eastern Java from 1293 to around 1500. Majapahit was an Indianized kingdom based in eastern Java from 1293 to around 1500. The concept of the Indianized kingdom, first described by George Coedès, is based upon the Hindu and Buddhist cultural and economic influences in Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. Its greatest ruler was Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked the empire's peak when it dominated other kingdoms in the southern Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Bali and the Philippines. Hayam Wuruk, also called (after 1350 Rajasanagara, (1334 -1389 was the ruler of the Javanese Hindu state of Majapahit at the time of The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula (Semenanjung Tanah Melayu (คาบสมุทรมลายู is a major Peninsula located in Southeast Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two Bali is an Indonesian Island located at, the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The rest of the Philippines also did tributes to the empire.

The Cholas excelled in maritime activity in both military and the mercantile fields. Their raids of Kedah and the Srivijaya, and their continued commercial contacts with the Chinese Empire, enabled them to influence the local cultures. Kedah ( Jawi: قدح pop 1778188 is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. Srivijaya or Sriwijaya was an ancient Malay kingdom on the island of Sumatra, Southeast Asia which influenced much of the Malay Archipelago. Many of the surviving examples of the Hindu cultural influence found today throughout the Southeast Asia are the result of the Chola expeditions. Hinduism in Southeast Asia influenced the former Champa civilization in southern parts of Central Vietnam, Funan in Cambodia, the Khmer ^[5]

Chinese trade

See also: List of tributaries of Imperial China

Chinese merchants have traded with the region for a long time as evidence of Magellan's voyage records that Brunei possessed more cannon than the European ships so it appears that the Chinese fortified them. The following is a list of tributaries of Imperial China. Chronological list Many entities have paid Tribute to Imperial China Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural ^[4]

Malaysian legend has it that a Chinese Ming emperor sent a princess, Han Li Po to Malacca, with a retinue of 500, to marry Sultan Mansur Shah after the emperor was impressed by the wisdom of the sultan. Han Li Po's well (constructed 1459) is now a tourist attraction there, as is Bukit Cina, where her retinue settled. Bukit Cina ( Malay: "Chinese Hill" is a hillside of historical significance in the Malaysia state of Malacca near its capital Malacca Town

The strategic value of the Strait of Malacca, which was controlled by Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th and early 16th century, did not go unnoticed by Portuguese writer Duarte Barbosa, who in 1500 wrote "He who is lord of Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice". The Strait of Malacca is a narrow 805 km (500 mile stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra The Sultanate of Malacca was founded by Parameswara in 1402 and later married the princess of Pasai in 1409. The Portuguese people (os Portugueses literally the Portuguese) are the Ethnic group or Nation native to the country of Portugal, in the west Duarte Barbosa (died 1521 was a Portuguese writer and trader Living in the 15th and the 16th century his father was Diogo Barbosa. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the

Strait of Malacca, (narrows). The Strait of Malacca is a narrow 805 km (500 mile stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra

Western colonization

See also: Imperialism in Asia

Western influence started to enter in the 1500s, with the arrival of the Portuguese and Spanish in Moluccas and the Philippines. Imperialism in Asia traces its roots back to the late fifteenth century with a series of voyages that sought a sea passage to India in the hope of The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings The Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Moluccan Islands, the Spice Islands or simply Maluku) are an Archipelago The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Later the Dutch established the Dutch East Indies; the French Indochina; and the British Strait Settlements. See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. The Straits Settlements were a collection of territories of the British East India Company in Southeast Asia, which were given collective administration in 1826

European explorers were reaching Southeast Asia from the west and from the east. A regular trade between the sailing ships east, from the Indian Ocean and south from mainland Asia provided goods in return for natural products such as honey and hornbill beaks from the islands of the archipelago.

Europeans brought Christianity allowing Christian missionaries to become widespread. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Siam also allowed Western science and technology to enter their country.

Present

See also: Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere and Japanese foreign policy in Southeast Asia

Regional integration through ASEAN is one of the goals of Southeast Asian countries today. The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere ( Kyūjitai: 大東亞共榮圈 Shinjitai: ja 大東亜共栄圏 Dai-tō-a Kyōeiken) was a concept Japanese foreign policy toward Southeast Asia, this diverse region stretching from South Asia to the islands in the South Pacific Ocean, was in part defined The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language

Currently, there are various conflicting territorial and/or maritime claims, both among these countries and even involving other parties (notably both Chinas in the case of the Spratly Islands). The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 100 reefs islets and islands occupying in total less than five square kilometres and spread over more than 400000 square kilometres

Geography

Hạ Long Bay, a Natural World's Heritage Site in Vietnam

Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Philippines

See also: Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia) and List of Southeast Asian mountains

Geologically, the Indonesian archipelago is one of the most active vulcanological regions in the world. Ha Long Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially For the island see Bohol Island. Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Golden Triangle is one of Asia 's two main illicit Opium -producing areas The following is a list of mountain Peaks of Southeast Asia: The Malay Archipelago is a name given to the Archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia ( Indochina) and Australia. Volcanology (also spelled vulcanology) is the study of Volcanoes, Lava, Magma, and related geological and Geophysical phenomena Geological uplifts in the region have also produced some impressive mountains, culminating in Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia on the island of Borneo with a height of 4,101 metres (13,455 ft) and also Puncak Jaya in Papua, Indonesia at 4,884 metres (16,024 ft), on the island of Papua. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by Plate tectonics which increases elevation Mount Kinabalu ( Gunung Kinabalu) is a prominent Mountain in Southeast Asia. Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Puncak Jaya (ˈpʊntʃak ˈdʒaja sometimes called Mount Carstensz or the Carstensz Pyramid, is a mountain in the Sudirman Range, the western central

Boundaries

See also: Austronesia

The Australasian continental plate defines a region adjacent to Southeast Asia, which is also politically separated from the countries of Southeast Asia. Austronesia, in historical terms refers to the homeland of the people who speak Austronesian languages, to which Malay, Filipino, Indonesian Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere But a cultural touch point lies between Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian region of Papua, which shares the island of New Guinea with Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known

Climate

The climate of Southeast Asia is mainly tropical – hot and humid all year round. There is a lot of rainfall. Southeast Asia has a wet and dry season caused by seasonal shift in winds or monsoon. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The tropical rain belt causes additional rainfall during the monsoon season. The weather in the Tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year The rain forest is the second largest on earth (with the Amazon being the largest). Exception to this type of climate and vegetation is the mountain areas in the northern region, where high altitudes lead to milder temperatures and drier landscape. Some parts are like a desert.

Environment

See also: Southeast Asian coral reefs and Wallace line

Water Buffalo. Southeast Asian coral reefs have the highest: levels of Biodiversity for the world's marine ecosystems The Wallace Line (or Wallace's Line) is a boundary that separates the zoogeographical regions of Asia and Australia.

Wallace's hypothetical line between Australasian and Southeast Asian fauna.

The animals of Southeast Asia are diverse; on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, the Orangutan (man of the forest), the Asian Elephant, the Malayan tapir, the Sumatran Rhinoceros and the Bornean Clouded Leopard can be also found. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two The orangutans are two Species of great apes known for their intelligence long arms and reddish-brown hair The Asian or Asiatic Elephant ( Elephas maximus) sometimes known by the name of one of its subspecies &ndash the Indian Elephant, is one of Tapirs (ˈteɪpɚ as in "taper" or /təˈpɪər/ as "ta-pier" are large browsing Mammals, roughly pig-like in shape with short Hairy rhinoceros redirects here For the Extinct Megafauna, see Wooly rhinoceros. The Bornean Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi is a medium-sized wild cat found on Borneo, Sumatra and the Batu Islands in the The bearcat can be found on the island of Palawan. Palawan is an Island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region.

Great Hornbill - bird from Southeast Asia

The Water Buffalo, both domesticated and wild, can be found all over Southeast Asia, where once it was found in much greater extent in South Asia, for example. The Great Hornbill, Buceros bicornis also known as Greater Indian Hornbill or Two-horned Calao, is the largest Asian member of the Hornbill family The mouse deer, a small tusked deer as large as a toy dog or cat, can be found on Sumatra, Borneo and Palawan Islands. "Kancil" redirects here For the car see Perodua Kancil Not to be confused with Kanchil (Lesser Mouse Deer Not to be confused The gaur, a gigantic wild ox larger than even wild Water buffalo, is found mainly in Indochina. The gaur (ˈɡaʊɚ ( Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Birds such as the peafowl and drongo live in this subregion as far east as Indonesia. The term peafowl refers to Gallinaceous Birds classified within the genera Rheinardia Argusianus Afropavoand Pavo The drongos are a family of small Passerine Birds of the Old World tropics The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The babirusa, a four-tusked pig, can be found in Indonesia as well. The Babirusa or pig-deer, Babyrousa babyrussa, is a Pig -like animal native to Sulawesi and surrounding islands of Indonesia. The hornbill was prized for its beak and used in trade with China. Hornbills ( family Bucerotidae) are a group of Birds characterized by a long down-curved bill sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible The horn of the rhinoceros, not part of its skull, was prized in China as well.

The Indonesian Archipelago is split by the Wallace Line. The Wallace Line (or Wallace's Line) is a boundary that separates the zoogeographical regions of Asia and Australia. This line runs along what is now known to be a tectonic plate boundary, and separates Asian (Western) species from Australasian (Eastern) species. The islands between Java/Borneo and Papua form a mixed zone, where both types occur, known as Wallacea.

The shallow waters of the Southeast Asian coral reefs have the highest levels of biodiversity for the world's marine ecosystems, where coral, fish and molluscs abound. Southeast Asian coral reefs have the highest: levels of Biodiversity for the world's marine ecosystems Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. The whale shark can be found in the South China Sea. The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow filter feeding Shark that is the largest living Fish Species. The South China Sea is a Marginal sea south of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the

The trees and other plants of the region are tropical; in some countries where the mountains are tall enough, temperate-climate vegetation can be found. These rainforest areas are currently being logged-over, especially in Borneo.

While Southeast Asia is rich in flora and fauna, Southeast Asia is facing severe deforestation which causes habitat loss for various endangered species such as orangutan and the Sumatran tiger. Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation At the same time, haze has been a regular occurrence. Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky The worst regional haze occurred in 1998 in which multiple countries were covered with thick haze. In reaction, several countries in Southeast Asia signed the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in order to combat haze pollution. The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is an Environmental agreement signed in 2002 between all ASEAN nations to bring Haze

Economy

The region is also one of the most productive in manufacturing microprocessors. A microprocessor incorporates most or all of the functions of a Central processing unit (CPU on a single Integrated Reserves of oil are also present in the region. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit

Siam Paragon, one of the biggest shopping malls in Asia and considered one of the most luxurious shopping centers in Southeast Asia. Siam Paragon is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia

Seventeen telecommunications companies have contracted to build a new submarine cable to connect Southeast Asia to the U. S. ^[6] This is to avoid the disruption caused by the cutting of the undersea cable from Taiwan to the U. S. in a recent earthquake.

Demographics

Southeast Asia has an area of approx. 4,000,000 km² (1. 6 million square miles). As of 2004, more than 593 million people lived in the region, more than a fifth of them (125 million) on the Indonesian island of Java, the most densely populated large island in the world. Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. The distribution of the religions and people is diverse in Southeast Asia and varies by country. Some 30 million overseas Chinese also live in Southeast Asia, most prominently in Christmas Island, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, and also, as the Hoa, in Vietnam. The Territory of Christmas Island is a small territory of Australia located in the Indian Ocean, 2600 kilometres (1600 mi northwest of For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Singapore The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Hoa refers to a minority in Vietnam consisting of persons considered Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially

Pie chart showing the distribution of population among the nations of Southeast Asia and among the islands of Indonesia

Ethnic groups

See also: Austronesian people, Chinese ethnic groups, Eurasian (mixed ancestry), Filipino people, Malays (ethnic group), Negrito, Tai peoples, and Southeast Asian American

According to a recent Stanford genetic study, the Southeast Asian population is far from being homogeneous. The Austronesian people or Austronesian-speaking people, are a population group present in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke The following is a list of ethnic groups in China where "China" is taken to mean areas controlled by either of the two states using "China" in their formal In the context of Ethnic origins, Eurasian is a term for people and ethnic groups of mixed European and Asian ancestry Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast The term Negrito refers to several ethnic groups in isolated parts of Southeast Asia. "Thai peoples" redirects here For the subgroup of the Tai see Thai people The Tai or Tai-Kadai ethnicity refers collectively to the Ethnic Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in Although primarily descendants of Austronesian, Tai, and Mon-Khmer-speaking immigrants who migrated from Southern China during the Bronze Age and Iron Age, there are overlays of Arab, Chinese, Indian, Polynesian and Melanesian genes.

There are also large pockets of intermarriage between indigenous Southeast Asians and those of Chinese descent. They form a substantial part of everyday life in countries such as Vietnam,Singapore,Thailand and the Philippines. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Singapore The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Indonesia and Malaysia also has a few mixed Southeast Asian-Chinese populations.

Religions

See also: Theravada, Hinduism in Southeast Asia, and Islam in Southeast Asia

Thai Theravada Buddhists in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Countries in Southeast Asia practice many different religions. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Hinduism in Southeast Asia influenced the former Champa civilization in southern parts of Central Vietnam, Funan in Cambodia, the Khmer Islam is the most widely practiced religion in Southeast Asia, numbering approximately 240 million adherents which translate to about 40% of the entire population with majorities History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Chiang Mai (in Thai; locally (Kham Muang Jiang Mai also sometimes written as "Chiengmai" is the largest and most culturally significant The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj Mainland SEA countries, which are, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, practice predominantly Buddhism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Singapore is also predominantly Buddhist. Singapore In the Malay Archipelago, people living in Malaysia, western Indonesia and Brunei practice mainly Islam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Christianity is predominant in the Philippines, eastern Indonesia and East Timor. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Philippines has the largest Roman Catholic population followed by Vietnam, both ex-colonies of European powers.

The religious composition for each country is as follows. Some values are taken from the CIA World Factbook:^[7]

Religions and peoples are diverse in Southeast Asia and not one country is homogeneous. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Cao Đài ( Vietnamese:) is a relatively new syncretist, Monotheistic Religion, officially established in Tây Ninh, Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Hòa Hảo is a religious tradition based on Buddhism, founded in 1939 by Huynh Phu So, a native of the Mekong River Delta region of southern Vietnam For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. In the world's most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, Hinduism is dominant on islands such as Bali. Bali is an Indonesian Island located at, the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to Christianity also predominates in Philippines, Papua and Timor. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Timor is an Island at the south end of the Malay Archipelago, north of the Timor Sea. Pockets of Hindu population can also be found around Southeast Asia in Singapore, Malaysia etc. Garuda (Sanskrit: Garuḍa), the phoenix who is the mount (vahanam) of Vishnu, is a national symbol in both Thailand and Indonesia; in the Philippines, gold images of Garuda have been found on Palawan; gold images of other Hindu gods and goddesses have also been found on Mindanao. GARUDA is India's Grid Computing initiative connecting 17 cities across the country The phoenix ( Ancient Greek: Φοῖνιξ phoínix is a mythical sacred firebird in ancient mythologies starting with the Greek and later the For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Palawan is an Island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost Island in the Philippines. Balinese Hinduism is somewhat different from Hinduism practiced elsewhere, as Animism and local culture is incorporated into it. Christians can also be found throughout Southeast Asia; they are in the majority in East Timor and the Philippines, Asia's largest Christian nation. In addition, there are also older tribal religious practices in remote areas of Sarawak in East Malaysia and Papua in eastern Indonesia. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. In Myanmar, Sakka (Indra) is revered as a nat. Indra ( Sanskrit: इन्द्र or इंद्र Indra, Malay: Indera, Thai: พระอินทร์ Phra-Intra The nats ( naʔ are spirits worshipped in Burma (or Myanmar in conjunction with Buddhism. In Vietnam, Mahayana Buddhism is practiced, which is influenced by native animism but with strong emphasis on Ancestor Worship.

Languages

See also: Austric languages, Austro-Asiatic languages, Austronesian languages, Hmong-Mien languages, Sino-Tibetan languages, and Tai-Kadai languages

Each of the languages have been influenced by cultural pressures due to trade and historical colonization as well. The Austric language superfamily is a large theoretical grouping of languages primarily spoken in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and the eastern Indian subcontinent The Austro-Asiatic languages are a large Language family of Southeast Asia, and also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. The Hmong-Mien or Miao-Yao languages are a small Language family of southern China and Southeast Asia. The Sino-Tibetan languages form a Language family composed of at least the Chinese and the Tibeto-Burman languages, including some 250 languages of The Tai-Kadai languages, also known as Kadai, Kradai, or Kra-Dai languages and in China as Zhuang-Dong languages are a tonal Thus, for example, a Filipino, educated in English and Filipino, as well as in his native tongue (e. g. , Visayan), might well speak another language, such as Spanish for historical reasons, or even Chinese for economic reasons; a Malaysian might well speak Malay, Chinese as well as English, again for economic reasons.

The language composition for each country is as follows: (The official languages have been bolded. )

Culture

See also: Southeast Asian cinema, Southeast Asian Games, and Southeast Asian music

The Banaue Rice Terraces in Luzon Island, Philippines. Southeast Asian cinema refers to the Film industry and films produced in and/or by natives of Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asian Games (also known as the SEA Games) is a biennial Multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast

Rice paddy agriculture has existed in Southeast Asia for thousands of years, ranging across the subregion. A paddy field is a flooded parcel of Arable land used for growing Rice and other semiaquatic crops. Some dramatic examples of these rice paddies populate the Banaue Rice Terraces in the mountains of Luzon in the Philippines. The Banaue Rice Terraces (Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banaue are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines Luzon is the largest and most economically and politically important Island in the Philippines and one of the three island groups in the country with Visayas Maintenance of these paddies is very labor-intensive. The rice paddies are well-suited to the monsoon climate of the region.

Stilt houses can be found all over Southeast Asia, from Thailand and Laos, to Borneo, to Luzon in the Philippines, to Papua New Guinea. Stilt houses or pile dwellings are houses raised on Piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water Papua New Guinea stilt house is a unique architecture constructed by Motuans a native inhabitant in Papua New Guinea.

The region has diverse metalworking, especially in Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. This include weaponry, such as the distinctive Kris, and musical instruments, such as the Gamelan. The kris or keris is a distinctive asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Thailand and A gamelan is a musical ensemble of Indonesia typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones xylophones drums and gongs bamboo flutes bowed and

Influences

The region's chief cultural influences have been from either China or India or both, with Vietnam considered by far the most Chinese-influenced. The Buddhist calendar is used on mainland Southeast Asia in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly Burma The traditional Burmese calendar is a Lunisolar calendar based on both the phases of the moon and the motion of the sun The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, incorporating elements of a Lunar calendar with those of a Solar calendar. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used Calendar in the world today The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as The Javanese calendar is a Calendar still in use by the Javanese people of Indonesia concurrently with two other important calendars the Gregorian The Tabular Islamic Calendar (also called the Fatimid Calendar is a rule-based variation of the Islamic calendar. The Thai lunar calendar ( Thai: ปฏิทินจันทรคติ Patitin Chantarakati) (literally Against-the-Sun Moon-Ways) is Thailand The Thai solar calendar, Suriyakati (สุริยคติ has been the official and prevalent Calendar in Thailand since it was adopted by King The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history The culture of India has been shaped by the long History of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history

As a rule, the peoples who ate with their fingers were more likely influenced by the culture of India, for example, than the culture of China, where the peoples first ate with chopsticks; tea, as a beverage, can be found across the region. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market The fish sauces distinctive to the region tend to vary. Fish sauce is a Condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment.

The Arts

"Buffalo boy plays a flute", Đông Hồ painting, Vietnam. Dong Ho Painting or Vietnamese woodblock prints ( Tranh Đông Hồ) refers to a Vietnamese folk art originating in Dong Ho Village Song Ho Commune Thuan Thanh Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially

Dance in much of Southeast Asia also includes movement of the hands, as well as the feet. Puppetry and shadow plays were also a favoured form of entertainment in past centuries. The Arts and Literature in some of South East Asia is quite influenced by Hinduism brought to them centuries ago.

In Indonesia, though they converted to Islam, they retained many forms of Hindu influenced practices, cultures, arts and literatures. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. An example will be the Wayang Kulit (Shadow Puppet) and literatures like the Ramayana. Wayang is an Indonesian and Malay word for Theatre. When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theater sometimes the puppet itself is referred The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki This is also true for mainland South East Asia (excluding Vietnam). Dance movements, Hindu gods, Arts were also fused into Thai, Khmer, Laotian and Burmese cultures. The Culture of Thailand is heavily influenced by Buddhism. Other influences have included Hinduism, conflict and trade with Southeast Asian neighbors such as The culture of Cambodia has had a rich and varied history dating back many centuries and has been heavily influenced by India. The culture of Laos has been highly influenced by Theravada Buddhism. Arts Historically Burmese art was based on Buddhist or Hindu cosmology and myths

In Vietnam, the Vietnamese share many cultural similarities with the Chinese.

Music

Traditional music in Southeast Asia is as varied as its many ethnic and cultural divisions. Lao cuisine is the Cuisine of the Lao ethnic group of Laos and Northeast Thailand ( Isan) The cuisine of Myanmar (or Burma has been influenced by the respective cuisines of China, India and Thailand. Main styles of traditional music can be seen: Court music, folk music, music styles of smaller ethnic groups, and music influenced by genres outside the geographic region.

Of the court and folk genres, Gong-chime ensembles and orchestras make up the majority (the exception being Vietnam. A gong chime is a generic term for a set of small high-pitched bossed Pot gongs The gongs are ordinarily placed in order of pitch with the boss upward on cords held in a low Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Gamelan orchestras from Indonesia, Piphat ensembles of Thailand (and the related Pinpeat ensembles of Cambodia ), and Kulintang ensembles of the southern Philippines, Borneo, Sulawesi and Timor are the three main distinct styles of musical genres that have influenced other traditional musical styles in the region. A gamelan is a musical ensemble of Indonesia typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones xylophones drums and gongs bamboo flutes bowed and The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. A piphat (ปี่พาทย์ is a kind of ensemble in the Classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The pinpeat Orchestra or Musical ensemble performs the ceremonial music of the former courts and temples of Cambodia. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Kulintang is a modern term for an instrumental form of music composed on a row of small horizontally-laid Gongs that function melodically accompanied by larger suspended The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes, ˈsɛlɛbiz is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Timor is an Island at the south end of the Malay Archipelago, north of the Timor Sea. String instruments also are popular in the region.

Writing

Main articles: Baybayin, Jawi script, S.E.A. Write Award, and Thai alphabet

Balinese writing on palm leaf. Baybayin or Alibata (known in Unicode as the Tagalog script) is a pre- Spanish Philippine Writing system that originated Jawi (جوي Jăwi (or Yawi in Pattani) is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. The SEA Write Award, or Southeast Asian Writers Award, is an award that has been presented annually since 1979 to Poets and Writers in Southeast Asia The Thai Alphabet (อักษรไทย àksŏn thai) is used to write the Thai language and other minority languages in Thailand Artifacts can be seen in the Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois. The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union.

The history of Southeast Asia has led to a wealth of different authors, from both within and without writing about the region.

Originally, Indians were the ones who taught the native inhabitants about writing. The culture of India has been shaped by the long History of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors This is shown through Brahmic forms of writing present in the region such as the Balinese script shown on split palm leaf called lontar, right:

The antiquity of this form of writing extends before the invention of paper around the year 100 in China. The Brahmic family is a family of syllabaries (writing systems used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central Asia and East Asia, The Balinese script is an Abugida that was used to write the Balinese language, an Austronesian language spoken by about three million people on the Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Note each palm leaf section was only several lines, written longitudinally across the leaf, and bound by twine to the other sections. The outer portion was decorated. The alphabets of Southeast Asia tended to be abugidas, until the arrival of the Europeans, who used words that also ended in consonants, not just vowels. An abugida ( from Ge‘ez አቡጊዳ ’äbugida or Amharic አቡጊዳ ’abugida is a segmental Writing system which Other forms of official documents, which did not use paper, included Javanese copperplate scrolls. This would have been more durable in the tropical climate of Southeast Asia.

See also

• Southeast Asian Capitals
• Southeast Asian studies
• History of Southeast Asia
• Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)
• Japanese foreign policy in Southeast Asia
• S.E.A. Write Award
• Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia)
• List of Southeast Asian mountains
• Southeast Asian Leaders

References

• Tiwari, Rajnish (2003): Post-crisis Exchange Rate Regimes in Southeast Asia (PDF), Seminar Paper, University of Hamburg.

External links

• Topography of Southeast Asia in detail (PDF)
• CityMayors.com article
• Southeast Asian Archive at the University of California, Irvine.
• "Documenting the Southeast Asian Refugee Experience", exhibit at the University of California, Irvine, Library. The University of California Irvine is a public Coeducational Research university situated in Irvine, California.
• Southeast Asia Visions, a collection of historical travel narratives Cornell University Library Digital Collection