Southeast Asia

What makes this a region? Its Physical Geography: Southeast Asia has two areas, which are distinct physically. The larger section, the mainland, is wedged on the edges of South Asia and East Asia. It is a region of several mountain ranges that run from north to south with plateaus or valleys between, The land descends to coastal plains that include the rich deltas of 5 rivers.

Physical Geography - Continued The islands of Southeast Asia form an arch curving from the southwest to the southeast of the mainland. Most of its hundreds of islands belong to the countries of Indonesia or the Philippines. Formed by the collision of some of Earth’s tectonic plates, these islands have many active volcanoes.

Cultural Geography Southeast Asia is a region of great cultural diversity. It is home to a large number of ethnic groups, each with its own language and culture. It has been affected by the cultures of other regions. Its position at the junction of South and East Asia has opened it to the influences of those areas.

Cultural Geography - Continued Arab traders brought Islam and won many converts in the region. In recent centuries, parts of the region were held as colonies by European powers bringing new cultural influences.

Landforms The Eurasian, Philippine, and Indo-Australian tectonic plates collided millions of years ago and formed the landmasses known today as Southeast Asia. This upheaval formed cordilleras, or parallel mountain ranges and plateaus. Activity from related volcanoes and tectonic activity created a series of archipelagoes, or groups of islands.

Peninsulas and Islands The Indochina Peninsula and the Malay Peninsula make up mainland Southeast Asia, South and east of this area is the Malay Archipelago, sometimes called the East Indies.

Mainland Southeast Asia About half of Southeast Asia’s 11 countries are on the mainland. The rest are island countries, except for Malaysia, which is both a mainland and an island country. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar (Burma) lie entirely on the Indochina Peninsula. Most of Thailand is also located there, but part of that country trails southward to the Malay Peninsula.

Island Southeast Asia The insular, or island, countries of Southeast Asia include Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Brunei, surrounded almost entirely by Malaysia, is a small country on the northern coast of Borneo. Indonesia is the largest island country in the region with more than 17,500 islands. Only about 6,000 are inhabited.

Island Southeast Asia - Continued East Timor, once a part of Indonesia, is now a fully independent country. Singapore, a collection of one large island and more than 50 smaller ones, sits just off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Although more than 7,000 islands make up the Philippines, only 900 are settled, and 11 islands account for over 95% of the country’s area.

Mountains and Volcanoes Mountains dominate Southeast Asia, creating geographic and political boundaries. The Indochina Peninsula’s western and northern highlands separate the region from India, and China. To the south and east, three cordilleras run predominantly north to south, forming natural barriers between and within mainland countries.

Mts. and Volcanoes - Continued Mountains on Southeast Asia’s islands form part of the Ring of Fire, an area of volcanic and earthquake activity surrounding the Pacific Ocean. These mountains are actually volcanoes, many of which are still active.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/what-pacific-ring-fire-facts-12342864

Mts. And Volcanoes - Continued More than 300 volcanoes stretch across Indonesia. Java, an Indonesian island, is one of the Ring of Fire’s most active areas. There are 21 of Indonesia’s 129 active volcanoes on Java. Krakatau is located on Java – one of the most massive destructions and loss of life in modern history.

Water Systems Throughout Southeast Asia, people rely on waterways for transportation, communication, and food. The rivers’ silt and deposits of sediment also create fertile agricultural areas.

Natural Resources Fossil fuels, minerals, and gems are some of the natural resources of the region. The flora and fauna, or plants and animals, of Southeast Asia are among the most diverse on Earth and are also a valuable natural resource.

Fossil Fuels Southeast Asia has a plentiful supply of fossil fuels. One of Malaysia’s major exports is petroleum, and the country’s production of oil and natural gas has increased since the 1970s. Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines mine coal, and Vietnam has rich offshore oil reserves.

Fossil Fuels - Continued Oil and natural gas deposits off Borneo’s northern coast have made the sultan, or ruler, of Brunei one of the world’s richest people. One of the leading producers of oil in the region, Indonesia is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).