SOUTH EAST ASIA ‘CROSS ROAD OF CULTURE’.

 This region includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines.

INDONESIA

Area: 19, 04, 570 sq. km (largest country of south East Asia)

Latitude: 5˚55’ N = 11˚ S

Longitude: 95˚ - 141˚ E

Population: 209. 3 million (most populous country of south East Asia and the biggest Islamic nation of the world)

Capital: Jakarta

Situation: Indonesian,\,the largest country in south East Asia lies between the Indian and the Pacific Ocean and occupies most of the Malay archipelago or east indies.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, comprising of the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Bali, the Lesser Sundae Islands group, Sulawesi, Timor and the western half of the Island of New Guinea and many smaller group of islands.

JAVA

·         Lies wholly in the southern hemisphere and is separated from Sumatra buy sundae strait.

 

·         Comprises one – seventh of Indonesia’s total area, it is the most important island and the home of two out of three Indonesians.

·         Largest peasant population, with high agricultural activity because of fertile volcanic soil.

JAKARTA (BATAVIA)

·         Country’s capital lies on the northwest coast of java.

·         Commercial and the chief political centre of the Indonesian republic.

·         The most important port in Indonesia and handles nearly all imports which are often reshipped to other domestic ports.

·         Textiles ,oil milling ,rubber – processing plants, steelwork, ship repairing  and food processing are important industries of this city.

BANDUNG

·         Situated on a volcanic plateau, has many light industries.

·         World’s largest supplier of cinchona for quinine.

SEMARANG

·         Situated on the northern coast of central java.

·         Important fishing centre and also the commercial centre of rubber, coffee, etc.