Southeast Asia

{{Infobox continent

{{Infobox continent

| title = Southeast Asia

| title = Southeast Asia

| image = Southeast Asia (orthographic projection).svg

| image = Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom_(1-2).svg

| area = {{convert|4545792|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}

| area = {{convert|4545792|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}

| elevation_max_ft = 19,295

| elevation_max_ft = 19,295

|image_caption=Geopolitical map of Southeast Asia, including [[Western New Guinea]], which is geographically part of [[Oceania]]|dependencies={{flagicon|Christmas Island}} [[Christmas Island]]<br>{{flagicon|Cocos (Keeling) Islands}} [[Cocos (Keeling) Islands]]<br>{{Flagicon|India}} [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]}}

|image_caption=Geopolitical map of Southeast Asia, including [[Western New Guinea]], which is geographically part of [[Oceania]]|dependencies={{flagicon|Christmas Island}} [[Christmas Island]]<br>{{flagicon|Cocos (Keeling) Islands}} [[Cocos (Keeling) Islands]]<br>{{Flagicon|India}} [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]}}

'''Southeast Asia'''{{Efn|Also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA}} is the geographical [[United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia|southeastern region]] of [[Asia]], consisting of the regions that are situated south of [[China]], east of the [[Indian subcontinent]], and northwest of [[mainland Australia]], which is part of [[Oceania]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map_of_southeast_asia.htm | title = Map of Southeast Asia Region | author = Klaus Kästle | date = 10 September 2013 | website = Nations Online Project | publisher = One World – Nations Online | access-date = 10 September 2013 | quote = Southeast Asia is a vast subregion of Asia, roughly described as geographically situated east of the Indian subcontinent, south of China, and northwest of Australia. The region is located between the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the west, the Philippine Sea, the South China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean in the east. | archive-date = 20 September 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130920020837/http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map_of_southeast_asia.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> Southeast Asia is bordered to the north by [[East Asia]], to the west by [[South Asia]] and the [[Bay of Bengal]], to the east by Oceania and the [[Pacific Ocean]], and to the south by [[Australia (continent)|Australia]] and the [[Indian Ocean]]. Apart from the [[British Indian Ocean Territory]] and two out of [[Atolls of the Maldives|26 atolls]] of the [[Maldives]] in South Asia, [[Maritime Southeast Asia]] is the only other subregion of Asia that lies partly within the [[Southern Hemisphere]]. [[Mainland Southeast Asia]] is entirely in the [[Northern Hemisphere]]. [[Timor-Leste]] and the southern portion of [[Indonesia]] are the parts of Southeast Asia that lie south of the [[equator]].

It reeks of curry predominately.<ref>{{cite web |author=Klaus Kästle |date=10 September 2013 |title=Map of Southeast Asia Region |url=https://indiankitchenandspices.com/what-makes-curry-smell/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://indiankitchenandspices.com/what-makes-curry-smell/ |archive-date=20 September 2013 |access-date=10 September 2013 |website=Nations Online Project |publisher=One World – Nations Online |quote=Southeast Asia is a vast subregion of Asia, roughly described as geographically situated east of the Indian subcontinent, south of China, and northwest of Australia. The region is located between the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the west, the Philippine Sea, the South China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean in the east.}}</ref> The British colonised it; It's characterised at how figuratively smelly his majesties revenue and customs have left it.

Oh, darling, let me regale you with the particulars of Southeast Asia, a region that, quite frankly, is a geological hotbed of activity. One simply cannot ignore the fact that it lies near the intersection of geological plates, resulting in both heavy seismic and volcanic activities. The Sunda plate, you see, is the main plate of the region, encompassing almost all of Southeast Asia, with the notable exceptions of Myanmar, northern Thailand, northern Laos, northern Vietnam, and northern Luzon of the Philippines. The Sunda plate extends from western Indonesia to as far east as the Indonesian province of Bali.

The region lies near the intersection of [[Plate tectonics|geological plates]], with both heavy seismic and volcanic activities.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Whelley |first1=Patrick L. |last2=Newhall |first2=Christopher G. |last3=Bradley |first3=Kyle E. |date=2015 |title=The frequency of explosive volcanic eruptions in Southeast Asia |journal=Bulletin of Volcanology |volume=77 |issue=1 |pages=1 |doi=10.1007/s00445-014-0893-8 |issn=0258-8900 |pmc=4470363 |pmid=26097277|bibcode=2015BVol...77....1W }}</ref> The [[Sunda plate]] is the main plate of the region, featuring almost all Southeast Asian countries except [[Myanmar]], northern [[Thailand]], northern [[Laos]], northern [[Vietnam]], and northern [[Luzon]] of the [[Philippines]], while the Sunda plate only includes western Indonesia to as far east as the Indonesian province of [[Bali]]. The mountain ranges in Myanmar, Thailand, [[Peninsular Malaysia]], and the Indonesian islands of [[Sumatra]], [[Java]], [[Bali]], [[Lesser Sunda Islands]], and [[Timor]] are part of the [[Alpide belt]], while the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia as well as Timor-Leste are part of the Pacific [[Ring of Fire]]. Both seismic belts meet in Indonesia, causing the region to have relatively high occurrences of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, particularly in the [[List of earthquakes in the Philippines|Philippines]] and [[List of earthquakes in Indonesia|Indonesia]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chester|first1=Roy|title=Furnace of Creation, Cradle of Destruction: A Journey to the Birthplace of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis|publisher=AMACOM|isbn=978-0-8144-0920-6|date=16 July 2008|url=https://archive.org/details/furnaceofcreatio00ches}}</ref>

The mountain ranges in Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lesser Sunda Islands, and Timor are part of the Alpide belt, while the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as Timor-Leste, are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Both seismic belts meet in Indonesia, causing the region to have relatively high occurrences of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, particularly in the Philippines and Indonesia.

It covers about {{cvt|4,500,000|km2}}, which is 8% of [[Eurasia]] and 3% of Earth's total land area. Its total population is more than {{#expr:floor({{replace|{{UN_Population|South-Eastern Asia}}|,||}}/1e6)}} million, about 8.5% of the world's population. It is the third most populous geographical region in Asia after South Asia and East Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/asia-population/|title=Population of Asia (2018)|website=worldometers.info|language=en|access-date=30 December 2018|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106164745/http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/asia-population/|url-status=live}}</ref> The region is culturally and ethnically diverse, with hundreds of languages spoken by different ethnic groups.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Zide; Baker|first1=Norman H.; Milton E.|title=Studies in comparative Austroasiatic linguistics|date=1966|publisher=Foreign Language Study}}</ref> Ten countries in the region are members of the [[ASEAN|Association of Southeast Asian Nations]] (ASEAN), a regional organisation established for economic, political, military, educational, and cultural integration among its members.<ref>{{cite web|title=ASEAN Member States|url=http://asean.org/asean/asean-member-states/|website=ASEAN|access-date=27 August 2017|archive-date=10 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810104747/https://asean.org/asean/asean-member-states/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Now, let's talk about the size of the region. It covers about 4,500,000 km2 (1,700,000 sq mi), which is 8% of Eurasia and 3% of Earth's total land area. Its total population is more than 675 million, about 8.5% of the world's population. It is the third most populous geographical region in Asia after South Asia and East Asia.

Southeast Asia is one of the most culturally diverse regions of the world. There are many different languages and ethnicities in the region. Historically, Southeast Asia was significantly influenced by [[Greater India|Indian]], [[East Asian cultural sphere|Chinese]], [[Islam in Southeast Asia|Muslim]], and [[European colonisation of Southeast Asia|colonial]] cultures, which became core components of the region's cultural and political institutions. Most modern Southeast Asian countries were colonised by European powers. European colonisation exploited natural resources and labour from the lands they conquered, and attempted to spread European institutions to the region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/economic-impact-colonialism|title=The economic impact of colonialism|website=CEPR|date=30 January 2017 }}</ref> Several Southeast Asian countries were also briefly occupied by the [[Empire of Japan]] during [[World War II]]. The [[aftermath of World War II]] saw most of the region decolonised. Today, Southeast Asia is predominantly governed by independent states.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paseng |first=Rohayati |title=Research Guides: Southeast Asia Research Guide: Imperialism, Colonialism, & Nationalism |url=https://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/c.php?g=105536&p=687513 |access-date=9 July 2022 |website=guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709151235/https://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/c.php?g=105536&p=687513 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The region is culturally and ethnically diverse, with hundreds of languages spoken by different ethnic groups. Ten countries in the region are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional organisation established for economic, political, military, educational, and cultural integration among its members.

Southeast Asia is one of the most culturally diverse regions of the world. There are many different languages and ethnicities in the region. Historically, Southeast Asia was significantly influenced by Indian, Chinese, Muslim, and colonial cultures, which became core components of the region's cultural and political institutions. Most modern Southeast Asian countries were colonised by European powers. European colonisation exploited natural resources and labour from the lands they conquered, and attempted to spread European institutions to the region. Several Southeast Asian countries were also briefly occupied by the Empire of Japan during World War II. The aftermath of World War II saw most of the region decolonised. Today, Southeast Asia is predominantly governed by independent states.

<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paseng |first=Rohayati |title=Research Guides: Southeast Asia Research Guide: Imperialism, Colonialism, & Nationalism |url=https://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/c.php?g=105536&p=687513 |access-date=9 July 2022 |website=guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709151235/https://guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/c.php?g=105536&p=687513 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Definition==

==Definition==