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A world map, including Southeast Asia, showing rainfall information (darker shading indicates greater rainfall). Southeast Asia lies in the ‘Zone of the Periodical Rains’, and is marked with monsoons and ‘Electrical Explosions’.

This early 19th century map depicts the regions of Asia by colour. The continental regions are green, while the archipelago regions are red, except for New Guinea which is yellow.

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.

On this map of Asia, New Guinea is shown as two separate islands—the western part as ‘Isle de Papous’ and the eastern part as ‘Nouvelle Guinée’—showing that in the 1770s the details of the region were uncertain.

On this map of Asia, New Guinea is shown as two separate islands—the western part as ‘Isle de Papous’ and the eastern part as ‘Nouvelle Guinée’—showing that in the 1770s the details of the region were uncertain.

Some regions on this map of Southeast have a descriptive label: Sumatra is described as having mines of gold, silver, iron, and sulphur; and elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, dragons and crocodiles. Gilolo has rice, sago and turtles. Ambon has nutmeg.

Some regions on this map of Southeast have a descriptive label: Sumatra is described as having mines of gold, silver, iron, and sulphur; and elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, dragons and crocodiles. Gilolo has rice, sago and turtles. Ambon has nutmeg.

This 18th century map of Southeast Asia by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy features the national borders of the Philippines in green, and of modern Indonesia in yellow. The Malay Peninsula and modern Cambodia and Vietnam are in red.

This 18th century map of Southeast Asia by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy features the national borders of the Philippines in green, and of modern Indonesia in yellow. The Malay Peninsula and modern Cambodia and Vietnam are in red.

This 18th century map of Southeast Asia by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy features the national borders of the Philippines in green, and of modern Indonesia in yellow. The Malay Peninsula and modern Cambodia and Vietnam are in red.

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).