Mainland Southeast Asia facts for kids
 |
|
| Population | 243,201,036 (1 July 2019) |
|---|---|
| GDP (nominal) | $1.485 trillion (2022) |
| GDP (PPP) | $2.877 trillion (2021) |
| Countries |  Cambodia Laos Malaysia Myanmar (Burma) Thailand Vietnam |
Mainland Southeast Asia is a big part of Southeast Asia. It is also called Indochina or the Indochinese Peninsula. This area is east of India and south of China. The Indian Ocean is to its west, and the Pacific Ocean is to its east.
This region includes several countries. These are Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It also includes the peninsula part of Malaysia.
The name Indochina was first used a long time ago. It shows how much Indian and Chinese ways influenced this land. Later, the French used this name for their colony, French Indochina. Today, people often say Mainland Southeast Asia to describe this area. This helps to tell it apart from Maritime Southeast Asia, which is made up of islands.
What's in a Name?
The name "Indo-China" came from two people. One was a French geographer named Conrad Malte-Brun in 1804. The other was a Scottish linguist named John Leyden in 1808. They both used similar terms to describe the people and languages here.
At first, people argued about the name. Some thought it showed too much Chinese influence. But "Indo-China" became popular anyway. It replaced older names like "Further India." Later, when France created the colony of French Indochina, the name mostly referred to that colony. This colony included modern-day Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Now, "Mainland Southeast Asia" is the common term for the whole region.
Nature and Wildlife
This region is important for its plants and animals. In biogeography, it is called the Indochinese bioregion. It is a major part of the Indomalayan realm. This means it has many native plants and animals. These species are found in all the countries mentioned above.
The area next to it is called the Malesian Region. This region covers the island countries of Southeast Asia. It has plants and animals from both the Indomalayan and Australasian realms.
Land and Rivers
.jpg)
The Indochinese Peninsula stretches south from the main Asian continent. It has many mountain ranges. These mountains start in the Tibetan Plateau in the north. Between the mountains are lowlands. These lowlands are mostly watered by three large river systems. These rivers flow from north to south.
The main rivers are:
- The Irrawaddy in Myanmar.
- The Chao Phraya in Thailand.
- The Mekong River, which flows through Northeastern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
To the south, the land forms the Malay Peninsula. This peninsula includes Southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Sometimes, Peninsular Malaysia is seen as part of Mainland Southeast Asia. Other times, it is grouped with the islands of Maritime Southeast Asia.
People and Cultures
Mainland Southeast Asia is different from Maritime Southeast Asia. People in Mainland Southeast Asia often live on land. They have lifestyles based on farming and land resources. People in the islands of Indonesia and the Philippines often live near the sea.
The languages are also different. In Mainland Southeast Asia, people speak Austroasiatic, Tai–Kadai, and Sino-Tibetan languages. In Maritime Southeast Asia, people speak Austronesian languages. Even though the mainland languages come from different families, they share many similarities. This is because they have influenced each other over a long time.
The cultures in this region have been shaped by both India and China.
- Countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand were mostly influenced by India. China had a smaller impact.
- Vietnam was more heavily influenced by Chinese culture. India's influence was smaller, often coming through the Champa civilization.
- Myanmar has a balance of both Indian and Chinese influences.
Most people in Mainland Southeast Asia are Buddhist. There are also smaller groups of Muslim and Hindu people.
See also
- Related regional concepts
- Mainland Southeast Asia linguistic area
- Southeast Asian Massif
- Zomia
- Sub-regions
- Golden Chersonese
- Golden Triangle
- Greater Mekong Subregion
