Lecture 21: Geography of the Global Village - Southeast Asia

Introduction

• Lecture by Dr. Jonathan Smith
• Part of the Geography of the Global Village series

Part 1: A Further India

• Great Mountain belt cuts through Asia, called Taurus by ancient Greeks
• Continental Asia vs. Coastal Asia:
  • Continental Asia: Russian Siberia, Central Asia (Tartari)
  • Coastal Asia: Includes five great peninsulas
    • Arabian Peninsula
    • Indian Subcontinent (South Asia)
    • Southeast Asia (focus of this lecture)
    • China and Korea/Japan region
• European geographical awareness evolved from Arabian Peninsula to Korea/Japan
• Southeast Asia was once referred to as the "Golden Peninsula" due to myths of riches

Part 2: The Shape of the Land

• Outlined as a lobster on the map
  • The "claw" is the Malay Peninsula
  • The "head/body" is the Anam Mountains (Vietnam)
• Parallel ridges and lowlands define geography
• Key Rivers and Deltas:
  • Irrawaddy (Burma)
  • Chao Phraya (Thailand)
  • Mekong (Cambodia and Southern Vietnam)
  • Red River (Northern Vietnam)

Part 3: A Cultural Convergence Zone

• Indo-China: Influence from both India and China
• Conrad Malt Brun: Described it as "Chinese India"
• Indian influence: Primarily religious (Hinduism, Buddhism)
• Chinese influence: Economic (trade, commerce)
• Transition zone for Indian and Chinese cultural influences

Part 4: Burma (Myanmar)

• Basin filled with hills and delta of Irrawaddy
• Ethnic Berman people dominate
• Geography buffered by Arakan Mountains and plateau, limiting influence from India and China
• Key Cities: Mandalay (historic), Rangoon (port)

Part 5: Thailand (Siam)

• Historical name Siam
• Flat alluvial land with rice cultivation
• Heartland around Chao Phraya River
• Bangkok: Major city on water, dominated by Chinese merchants

Part 6: The Mekong Delta

• Known as Cochin China, highly fertile due to floods
• Complex ethnic and political history
• French Indochina history
• Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Phnom Penh are key cities

Part 7: Tonkin (North Vietnam)

• Delta of the Red River
• Closest region to direct Chinese influence
• Historically part of French Indochina
• Hanoi: Capital of Tonkin

Summary

• Southeast Asia is geographically and culturally diverse
• Influence from both India’s religious traditions and China’s economic practices
• Unique interplay of geography and culture creates distinct regional identities

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the geography helps in comprehending the cultural and historical evolution of Southeast Asia
• The region serves as a bridge and convergence zone between two great civilizations: India and China