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This mid-19th century map of Asia has colour-coded borders that show the beginnings of the emergence of the modern nation states of Southeast Asia, such as Laos, Burmah (Burma), Siam (Thailand) and Malaya (Malaysia).

On this map of Southeast Asia, British colonial territory is highlighted within red borders: the Straits Settlements (Singapore, Malacca and Penang) on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula; and British Burma (Chittagong and Aracan, and Tenasserim).

This map of Asia is from the mid-19th century ‘Grosser Atlas der Erde [Great Atlas of the Earth]’ by the German publisher Albrecht Platt. It shows part of Southeast Asia, including the region’s borders with India and China.

Southeast Asia is featured on the last of the four sheets of this map of Asia. The South China Sea is particularly detailed, with islands, rocks, shoals and reefs named, sometimes dated, and even marked with the name of the ship that mapped them.

An early 19th century map, with the regions of Southeast Asia marked with different colours. Interestingly, Cambodia and modern Vietnam (labelled here as Cochinchina and Tonkin) are grouped with China.

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.

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).

A late 18th century map of Asia with regions divided by colour-coded borders, and detailing rivers, mountains, reefs and shoals.

A late 18th century map of Asia with regions divided by colour-coded borders, and detailing rivers, mountains, reefs and shoals.

A late 18th century map of Asia published in London by John Bowles, with regions indicated by colour. Central Borneo is labelled ‘Part inhabited by the Biayos’, which is seen on many contemporary maps, often with the comment ‘a savage people’.

Navigation chart of the east coast of mainland Southeast Asia, from Cambodia to China. Islands, shoals and reefs are marked, along with bathymetry (sea depth). There are seven side views of islands (elevations) to use as landmarks.

A map to aid navigation around the Touranne Bay (Bay of Turon, location of modern city of Da Nang, Vietnam). The web of lines is a rhumbline network, and bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points and two elevation views of the coasts are shown.