Geography and History of Southeast Asia

Indochina

the region between India and China that includes Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia

Malay Peninsula

southernmost part of the Asian continent it includes Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore

Malay Archipelago

a group of over 25,000 islands between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean that includes Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia (specifically East Malaysia), Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines

Volcanic Islands

many of Indonesia's islands are active Volcanoes including Java and Sumatra

Divided country

Malaysia is split between the Malay peninsula and the Island of Borneo which it shares

Seafarers and farmers

the earliest settlers of Southeast Asia

Early trade

the Southeast Asians exchanged Ivory, Gems, and Timber with the South Asian and they received the ideas of Hinduism, Buddhism, and writing systems.

Khmer Empire

Buddhist empire centered in 1200s Cambodia

Angkor Wat

a Buddhist temple built by the Khmer

Srivijaya

an empire in the 500s that controlled trade between the Indian and Pacific Oceans

Thai Kingdom

defeated the khmer and ruled into the 1800s

British Colonies

Malaysia, Myanmar, and Singapore

French Colonies

Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam

Philippines

a Spanish colony that was taken by the United States in 1898 during the Spanish American War- it became independent after WWII

Domino Theory

the idea that one communist country in a region would cause others to follow

Containment

America's policy designed to stop communism from spreading during the Cold War

Vietnam War

Cold War conflict between the United States and communist forces in Vietnam between 1955-1975

1973 Paris Peace Accords

agreement to withdraw US troops from Vietnam

United Vietnam

in 1976 Vietnam was reunited under that Vietnamese communist government

Khmer Rouge

Cambodian regime under the Marxist leader Pol Pot was responsible for the killing of 1.5 million people- this group was defeated by Vietnam in 1979

Hun Sen

current leader of Cambodia

Mekong River

largest river in Vietnam that often floods

Rainforests and Swamps

landscape of much of Indochina that makes living here very difficult

Chinese Ethnic Minority

most of SE Asia still has a very large one

Minangkabau

this ethnic group in Indonesia has absorbed the cultures of China, India, and the Netherlands to form a very unique culture and they are one of the most wealthy, educated, and powerful group in indonesia

Authoritarian Governments

Vietnam and Laos still have this kind of government

Sultanate

Brunei is one and an absolute monarchy

Military Government

Myanmar and Thailand are ruled by their militaries

Traditional economy

remote mountainous areas still have one of these economies

Mixed Economy

the official economic system of all of Southeast Asian countries

Low-wages/Low-skilled labor

countries like Vietnam use this kind of labor to offset costs and beat our countries like China

Semiconductors

Malaysia is the world's largest producer which takes highly educated people with specialized skills

Strait of Malacca

a narrow stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra that is one of the most important shipping routes in the world

Needs of a successful economy

include a stable government, natural resources or skilled workers, and reliable banking, communication, and transportation systems