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This map of the Sunda Islands features three different locations for the city of Palembang. ‘Palambam’ is in the correct location on Sumatra, while ‘Palimbam’ is in west Java, and ‘Palambang’ is in east Java, a confusion often seen at this time.

Longitude is indicated in two different ways on this mid-18th century map: along the top border, it is shown in degrees (number of degrees east of London); more unusually, along the bottom border, it is shown in time (number of hours east of London).

Three of the larger Sunda Islands—Sumatra, Java and Borneo—are shown on this mid-18th century map, along with a few of the smaller islands such as Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa. Celebes (Sulawesi) and some of the other smaller islands are not included.

Map of the regions, empires and states of Asia. Extensive notes cover religion (people of mainland Southeast Asia are idolaters), colonialism (Dutch and Portuguese rule in Malacca and the Sunda Islands) and the spice trade of the Maluku Islands.

Map of the regions, empires and states of Asia. Extensive notes cover religion (people of mainland Southeast Asia are idolaters), colonialism (Dutch and Portuguese rule in Malacca and the Sunda Islands) and the spice trade of the Maluku Islands.

There are some labels on this mid-18th century map of Southeast Asia describing the local populations, including the Ke-moy, a ‘Nation sauvage [savage people]’ living in the mountains on the border of Cochinchine (Vietnam) and Camboja (Cambodia).

Text on this mid-18th century map notes the dimensions of the islands of maritime Southeast Asia, in length, breadth and square miles (e.g. ‘Java 580 long, 105 broad, & 38,250 sq.’). It also states that the Dutch are the main traders in the region.

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.

Mid-18th century French-language map of Asia, with Southeast Asia divided into four regions: the mainland in yellow, the Philippines in green, the Sunda Islands in red, and the Maluku Islands in yellow.

Mid-18th century French-language map of Asia, with Southeast Asia divided into four regions: the mainland in yellow, the Philippines in green, the Sunda Islands in red, and the Maluku Islands in yellow.

This map of the Eastern Hemisphere was designed to show maritime routes from the Netherlands to Southeast Asia. It shows New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Hollande’) as one landmass, connected via an area labelled ‘Karpentarie’.

This map of the Eastern Hemisphere was designed to show maritime routes from the Netherlands to Southeast Asia. It shows New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Hollande’) as one landmass, connected via an area labelled ‘Karpentarie’.