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Map of stream ship trade routes around Southeast Asia. Rivers, railways, submarine telegraph cables, lighthouses (fixed, revolving and flashing), graving docks and coaling stations are marked. An inset map shows a railway route from Britain to Asia.

Coloured borders are used to highlight the colonial territories of the British (red), Dutch (orange), Spanish (red) and Portuguese (blue) on this mid-19th century map of Southeast Asia. An inset map shows the island and strait of Singapore.

Southeast Asia is shown on sheets two and three of this 12-sheet map of the Indian and Pacific oceans, including detailed inset maps of the straits of Singapore, Bangka, Gaspar and Sunda, with bathymetry (sea depth), shoals, reefs, anchorages etc.

Map of Southeast Asia highlighting the colonial possessions of the Netherlands (Dutch East Indies), Spain (Philippines), Britain (Straits Settlements, Burma, part of Borneo) and Portugal (East Timor). From the German atlas ‘Stielers Handatlas’.

Map of Southeast Asia highlighting the colonial possessions of the Netherlands (Dutch East Indies), Spain (Philippines), Britain (Straits Settlements, Burma, part of Borneo) and Portugal (East Timor). From the German atlas ‘Stielers Handatlas’.

On this map of India and Southeast Asia, borders are outlined and cities underlined in different colours to show the colonial territories of the European powers. On Borneo, the names of indigenous peoples are listed (‘Dayak’s, Papua’s, Bugi’s’).

Coloured borders are used on this map to divide mainland Southeast Asia into empires and kingdoms. Mountains, rivers and major settlements are shown in land, with islands, shoals and reefs marked in the South China Sea.

On this map of India and Southeast Asia, borders are outlined and cities underlined in different colours to show the colonial territories of the European powers. On Borneo, the names of indigenous peoples are listed (‘Dayak’s, Papua’s, Bugi’s’).

This map of the Burman Empire (Myanmar) features mountains, forests and rivers, as well as borders with Siam (Thailand) and Laos. Text notes how far up rivers boats can reach (‘Boats reach hither from the Sea’), ruby mines and rice fields.

This map of the Burman Empire (Myanmar) features mountains, forests and rivers, as well as borders with Siam (Thailand) and Laos. Text notes how far up rivers boats can reach (‘Boats reach hither from the Sea’), ruby mines and rice fields.

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).

Maritime routes had to be adjusted in response to the changing monsoon seasons, as is seen on this late 18th century map of the Indian Ocean. Drawings of the heads of children blowing—called ‘wind-heads’—are used to indicate wind direction.