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In the 18th century, European maps tended to use their own country’s meridian, so on this French map of Southeast Asia longitude is measured from the Paris Meridian. Eleven different scales are also shown.

Map of the Bay of Bengal, with the western coast of mainland Southeast Asia. Shoals, reefs and islands are marked. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, while the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), both used to aid navigation.

Map of the Bay of Bengal, with the western coast of mainland Southeast Asia. Shoals, reefs and islands are marked. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, while the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), both used to aid navigation.

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The title is given in both French and Dutch, as are some of the place names on the map.

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The points of the compass can be seen radiating out from a central compass rose.

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The title is given in both French and Dutch, as are some of the place names on the map.

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The points of the compass can be seen radiating out from a central compass rose.

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The title is given in both French and Dutch, as are some of the place names on the map.

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The title is given in both French and Dutch, as are some of the place names on the map.

The arrows on this map show the direction of the seasonal monsoons of Southeast Asia during the late 18th century. Each arrow has a label in French, indicating the month. The hatched sea areas are where the winds always blow in the same direction.

On this late 18th century map, the modern nation states of mainland Southeast Asia can be seen emerging: Myanmar (here labelled Ava), Laos, Vietnam (Tong-King and Cochinchine), Cambodia (Camboge), Thailand (Siam) and Malaysia (Malaca).

This map shows the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, the straits of Sunda, Malacca and Bangka, and the Gulf of Siam. The points of the compass can be seen radiating out from a central compass rose.