SOUTH EAST ASIA

1
SOUTH EAST ASIA

• Mainland and Insular Regions

2
GENERALIZATIONS

• Consists of mainland and insular regions
• Has been shatter belt between powerful
  adversaries
• Fractured cultural and political geography
• High relief, volcanic activity , earthquakes,
  tropical climates
• Legacies of foreign influences still felt
• Insular SE Asia population growing faster than
  mainland
• Mekong river starts in China and flows through 5
  countries sustaining farmers, fishing and boat
  owners
• Indonesia, most populous country but has not
  reached potential

3
POPULATION GEOGRAPHY

• Of SE Asias 546 million people, over half (303
  million or 55) live on islands of Indonesia and
  Philippines leaves mainland with only 45 of
  total population
• Limited immigration because of physical geography
• Ethnically similar but cultural differences have
  emerged through time
• Hindu, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity all
  present
• Real division between rural/urban society
• Minorities in each country from surrounding
  countries

4
EVOLUTION OF POLITICAL MAP

• Dutch, French, British and Spanish (then America
  after Spanish-American War) major European
  colonizers
• Created zones to control but problem came after
  independence
• France becomes Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
• Britain develops into Burma (now Myanmar) and
  Malaysia
• America develops Philippines
• Dutch developed Indonesia
• Outcome very similar to what happened in Africa

5
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

• Boundaries contracts between states
• 4 types of boundaries and all found in SE Asia
• Antecedent defined and delineated before
  present-day human landscape Malaysia and
  Indonesia
• Subsequent result of long process of adjustment
  and modification China and Vietnam
• Superimposed drawn forcibly across unified
  cultural landscape Indonesia and Papua New
  Guinea
• Relict border that has ceased to function but
  imprint still evident in culture North and South
  Vietnam

6
MAINLAND SE ASIA

• Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar
  (Burma)
• Vietnam
• Vietnam War 1954-1974 based on Domino Theory
• Most today dont remember War, 60 or population
  under 21 years of age
• Currently united under Communist North
• Recently seen foreign investment, privatization
  of industry especially in Saigon (South Vietnam)
  and some saw North and South growing apart again
• Cambodia
• French colony, primarily Hindu
• 1975 overthrown by Khmer Rouge who destroyed
  economy and country
• Vietnam invaded in 1970s after Khmer Rouge
  creating major refugees into Thailand
• 1998 Pol Pot committed suicide and many hoping
  Cambodia will turn around, but it is dependent on
  political stability which seems hard to find

7
MAINLAND SE ASIA, cont.

• Laos
• Interior and isolated, Surrounded by 5 nations
  who all stronger
• 5.5 million people, no railroads, few paved
  roads, only 17 urban
• Thailand
• 63.1 million people, constitutional monarchy and
  attempts to move more towards democracy thwarted
• During 1990s Thailand grew rapidly, but in 1997
  currency fell and became first casualty in
  economic probs of late 1990s
• Buddhism primary religion and tourism leading
  source of revenue
• AIDS infects 1 million of 60 million population
• Myanmar
• When British left, ruled by military dictatorship
  destroyed political and economic stability
• Today one of poorest nations in world, leading
  exporter in Opium Trade, high unemployment,
  limited industrial growth

8
INSULAR SE ASIA

• Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor,
  Philippines
• Malaysia
• 24.2 million people, predominantly Muslim
• Economic growth occurring but existence of many
  minorities creating cultural problems
• Singapore
• 1965 seceded from Malaysia and became ministate
• 4.1 million people, 240 square miles
• Modern, wealthy, one of worlds largest high tech
  producers
• As long as world considers Singapore safe and not
  corrupt will continue to expand and grow

9
INSULAR SE ASIA, cont.

• Indonesia
• Largest archipelago in world 17,000 islands and
  219 million people
• Controls 5 major islands, some of whom want
  independence
• Economic stability kept dictator in power, but
  affected by economic downturn that hit Pacific
  Rim, late 1990s
• East Timor
• Formerly part of Indonesia but in 1999 voted for
  Independence and currently working for it
• Philippines
• Primarily Christian with some Islamic influence
• Mix of Mongoloid, Malay, Arab, Chinese, Japanese,
  Spanish and American created unique Pilipino
  culture
• During 1990s economic growth occurred despite
  volcano eruption, Islamic insurgents and
  territory dispute
• If keeps economically stable, this
  lower-middle-income country will improve and
  become powerful in emerging Pacific Rim

10
POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY, cont.

• Territorial Morphology individual countries
  shape that affects is condition and survival
• 5 types and 4 found in SE Asia
• Compact somewhere between round and
  rectangular, without major indentations Cambodia
• Protruded substantial, usually compact
  territory from which extends a peninsular
  corridor that may be landlocked of coastal
  Thailand, Myanmar
• Elongated length is at least six times the
  average width, lies astride environmental or
  cultural transitions, Vietnam
• Fragmented two or more territorial unites
  separated by foreign territory or by water,
  Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines
• Perforated completely surround territory of
  other states South Africa and Lesotho