The region of Southeast Asia consists of two parts, mainland or peninsular—comprising Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia—and maritime or insular—comprising Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, and East Timor. Situated between East Asia and the Indian sub-continent the region's huge archipelago and large portion of the Asian continent was once referred to as Further India. The area we define as Southeast Asia today is among the most diverse and disparately defined physiographic and cultural realms in the world. Along with its multiple states, religions and languages, various traditions, and diverse cultural landscapes, parts of Southeast Asia are also among the more densely populated regions in the world.

Exploring Southeast Asia challenges students to blend historical and geographic information to better comprehend the human story of this dynamic region.

• Use Web-based GIS map layers to define the physical and historical geography of Southeast Asia.
• Use the historical map sequence to make connections between geographic and cultural transformations.
• Understand how historical maps are documents that provide clues to the historical landscape as the people of the time experienced it.
• Think about the ways maps help explain change over time as well as what they tell us about the world of the people who construct them

1. Visit selected Online resources listed below to learn more about mapping Southeast Asia.
2. View the PowerPoint© presentation which explains how to use the ArcIMS browser.
3. View the PowerPoint© presentation Exploring Southeast Asia.
4. You will then use an ArcIMS browser to view a number of layers of historical, demographic, and cultural phenomena.

You can click here to start the exercise.

• Viewing the PowerPoint© Presentation about Southeast Asia

• 10 minutes

• Viewing the PowerPoint© Presentation about using ArcIMS

• 10 minutes

• Completing the Exercise

• 60 minutes

• Computer with a printer (for on-campus work) and Internet access (preferably equipped with Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 6.0 or higher).
• If you prefer Netscape make sure you have the 7.1 version - download .
• Word processing software.
• PowerPoint© Viewer ~ slides best viewed in Internet Explore

Online resources:

• The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection is a rich resource for digital historical maps. Read browser system requirement then follow directions to download a viewer - once loaded select, by country, all maps relating to South Asia. Insight™ software allows zoom, pan, and other navigation tools.
• The Perry-Castañeda Map Collection at the University of Texas at Austin has a good online map collection. See contemporary map of Southeast Asia as well as maps of individual states. (Scroll).
• The Harvard Map Collection   
• National Geographic: Map Machine - Scroll to Asia, select each of the countries of Southeast Asia and follow the links (includes country profile, maps, links to CIA World Factbook entry).
• See the CIA World Factbook and select each country of Southeast Asia for map, data, and other categories.
• Buddhism and Its Spread Along the Silk Road - One of the many useful articles and web resources maintained by the Silk Road Foundation. The Foundation's Website site monitors research, exhibitions, publications, and events relating to Central Asia and the Silk Road.
• UNESCO World Heritage List of cultural and natural properties considered to be of outstanding universal value was established by UNESCO in 1972. Scroll down the list to countries of Southeast Asia for site and information.
• Time Map locates the individual World Heritage sites of Southeast Asia and includes a time line.
• People, Places, Event, Processes, is a Geoproject created by Jonathan A. Lee to help World History and World Geography students understand how geography, people, and events influenced long-term processes such as the diffusion of religions over long distances and over long periods of time. See: The Indian Ocean and Process: The Diffusion of World Religions
• Mapping the World with Web-based GIS is featured on the World History Sources Web site.

Selected Reading List

• Black, J. Maps and Politics (1997)

• Cribb, Robert B. Historical Atlas of Indonesia (2000)

• Edney, Matthew H. Mapping an Empire: The Geographical Construction of British India, 1765-1843 (1997).

• Harley, J. B. The New Nature of Maps: Essays in the History of Cartography (2001)

• Imago Mundi Academic Journal on the History of Cartography

• King, Geoff, Mapping Reality: An Exploration of Cultural Cartographies (1996)

• Lewis,Martin W. and Kären Wigen, The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography. (1997).

• Monmonier, Mark, How to Lie with Maps 2 e (1996)

_____ ., Drawing the Line: Tales of Maps and Cartocontroversy (1995).

_____., Mapping it Out: Expository Cartography for the Humanities and Social Sciences (1993)

• Pluvier, Jan M. Historical Atlas of South-East Asia (1995)Short, John Rennie The World Through Maps (2003)

• Suárez, Thomas, Early Mapping of Southeast Asia (1999)

• Tarling, Nicholas, Nations and States in Southeast Asia (1998)

• Wolters, Oliver W. History, Region, and Culture in Southeast Asia (1999)

• Winichaku,l Thongchai. Siam Mapped: A History of the Geo-body of a Nation, (1994 ), available as an e-book, check your library data base.

• Wood, Dennis, The Power of Maps (1992)

However, instructors are welcome to assign a credit value they feel appropriate.