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This map highlights the colonisation of Southeast Asia, showing French Indochina (green), British Burma and Malaya (orange), the Dutch East Indies (pink), and the Spanish Philippines (green). In the region, only Siam (yellow) is independent.

Mountain chains are represented by black lines; volcanoes by black dots. Three insets maps: expansion of Reguain—island of Taung-ywa, off the coast of Myanmar—due to volcanic activity; geology of Java (with heights of mountains); volcanoes of Luzon.

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.

Navigation map of the northern South China Sea, with bathymetry (sea depth), islands, shoals and reefs. There are five maritime routes to Canton and one to Manilla marked, and inset maps of the Gulf of Tonkin and bays and islands in the Philippines.

Navigation map of the northern South China Sea, with bathymetry (sea depth), islands, shoals and reefs. There are five maritime routes to Canton and one to Manilla marked, and inset maps of the Gulf of Tonkin and bays and islands in the Philippines.

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.

This map features eight expedition routes across the South China Sea from 1752 to 1763. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, and bathymetry (sea depth) is marked. The place names are in French, but with an English title and notes.

Map of the Indian Ocean dominated by a rhumbline network—a web of interconnected lines used to help plot routes—with a compass rose at the centre. At the top there are (incomplete) drawings of people with text in Dutch, French, English and Spanish.

The cartouche on this early 18th century navigation map features the title in Latin and Dutch, as well as a wealth of detailed drawings illustrating the region’s trade: Asian merchants, their goods and animals, and two female European customers.

Map of Asia from the second volume of ‘Navigantium atque itinerantium bibliotheca: or, A compleat collection of voyages and travels: consisting of above four hundred of the most authentick writers’ published by John Harris in 1705.

The illustration on this map highlights the wealth of the Asian trade routes, with merchants wearing colourful and elaborate robes presenting valuable treasures to a royal figure. A monkey, tortoise and camel emphasise the 'exoticism' of Asia.