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Map of the South China Sea between mainland Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Shoals and reefs, especially the Paracel Islands (‘Poulo Parcellas’), are shown. Bathymetry (sea depth) is indicated by the numbers marked along coastal routes.

An early 18th century map of Asia by the French cartographer Guillaume Delisle (1675–1726). Regions are indicated with coloured borders, and the southern part of Borneo is labelled ‘Côte de Mahometans [Coast of the Muslims]’.

An early 18th century map of Asia by the French cartographer Guillaume Delisle (1675–1726). Regions are indicated with coloured borders, and the southern part of Borneo is labelled ‘Côte de Mahometans [Coast of the Muslims]’.

This 18th century maritime navigation map charts the waters between the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo. A route south towards the Sunda Strait, as taken by the French ship Mascarin in March and April 1772, is highlighted.

An early 18th century map of Asia by the French cartographer Guillaume Delisle (1675–1726). Regions are indicated with coloured borders, and the southern part of Borneo is labelled ‘Côte de Mahometans [Coast of the Muslims]’.

An early 18th century map of Asia by the French cartographer Guillaume Delisle (1675–1726). Regions are indicated with coloured borders, and the southern part of Borneo is labelled ‘Côte de Mahometans [Coast of the Muslims]’.

This 18th century maritime navigation map charts the waters between the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo. A route south towards the Sunda Strait, as taken by the French ship Mascarin in March and April 1772, is highlighted.

Map of maritime Southeast Asia, with mountains, forests and settlements represented pictorially. The lower part of the map, which had six inset maps, has been cut off and is missing.

Map of maritime Southeast Asia, with four inset maps of locations in the region: Surabaya, some of the Lesser Sumba Islands, and Buton and Muna islands of the coast of Sulawesi. Mountains, forests, settlements and fields are represented pictorially.

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 mid-18th century map of Asia has colour-coded regions, with mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands bordered in blue, and India in red.

A map of a small island chain off the west coast of the island of Gilolo (modern Halmahera in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia). The military forts on the islands were used by the European colonial powers during conflicts over the area’s spice trade.