SoutheastAsia.pptVIP

Southeast Asia Background Southeast Asia is a land of large and small peninsulas and islands region is a cultural and political mosaic of diverse peoples and lands influence of India and China on the historical development of region Buddhism strongly entrenched in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam Hindu cosmology and beliefs influential in region Angor Wat TempleCambodia temples like Ankor Wat (Cambodia) and Prembanan and Borobodur (Java) reveal Indian influences Chinese also influential politically and culturally in Southeast Asia overseas Chinese are major entrepreneurs in large urban areas Thai people pushed out of southern China in 13th C direct Chinese influence on Vietnam Vietnam occasionally ruled by China influence of colonialism most states under colonial rule from 19th to 20th C, i.e. UK (Myanmar, Singapore and Malaysia); France (Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos) Holland (Indonesia); US (Philippines) brutal colonial wars for independence only Thailand (Siam) never colonized by the West Thai monarchy practiced skillful diplomacy to preserve their independence Thailand historically was a buffer between UK and France Physical regions physically, Southeast Asia divided into two major regions of roughly equal size, i.e. mainland Southeast Asia and insular Southeast Asia mainland Southeast Asia includes Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam insular Southeast Asia includes Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore mountain ranges run in north-south direction; difficulty with east-west transportation and communication river valleys for core areas of national states, i.e. Irrawady River (Rangoon, Mynanmar); Chao Phraya River(Bangkok, Thailand); Mekong River ( Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam); Red River, Hanoi/Haiphong, Vietnam) rivers very important for internal transportation and communication series of high hills separate Mynanmar from India Shan plateau between Mynanmar and Thailand Korat plateau in northern Thail