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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).

Map of part of the Dutch colonial administrative region (assistant residency) of Benkoelen (Bengkulu, Sumatra), with an inset map of the Mentawai Islands. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of part of the Dutch colonial administrative region (assistant residency) of Benkoelen (Bengkulu, Sumatra). Inset map of Nias Island and the Batu Islands. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of part of the Dutch colonial administrative region (assistant residency) of Benkoelen (Bengkulu, Sumatra). There is an inset map of the Banyak Islands. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Lampung at the southern tip of Sumatra, divided into five regencies (yellow borders). (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the western half of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Palembang, Sumatra, divided into departments. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the eastern half of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Palembang, Sumatra. A fort is marked in the town of Batoeradja. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Riouw (Riau) focusing on the islands and sea passages, with bathymetry (sea depth) marked. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the South Peninsula of Celebes (Sulawesi). The Spermonde Archipelago in the Makassar Strait is very detailed with islands, shoals, reefs and bathymetry. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the western half of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Timor, featuring Flores, Komodo, Sumba and Savu islands, and their straits. (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the eastern half of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Timor, with an inset map of its capital city and port Timorkoepang (Kupang). (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

The use of hachures—short lines/dashes that give a sense of the shape and steepness of terrain—highlight the mountain ranges along the west coast of Sumatra, with rivers flowing east. The island is divided into administrative ‘residencies’.