Overview
Southeast Asia is the geographical southeastern region of the Asian continent. It comprises the areas situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of mainland Australia, which itself belongs to Oceania. This positioning places Southeast Asia at a crossroads between several of the world's major geographic and cultural spheres.
Borders and Neighboring Regions
Southeast Asia is defined by the regions that surround it on all sides. Understanding these boundaries helps clarify the region's place within the broader Asian continent and its relationship to neighboring parts of the world.
- North: Bordered by East Asia, primarily China.
- West: Bordered by South Asia and the Bay of Bengal.
- East: Bordered by Oceania and the Pacific Ocean.
- South: Bordered by Australia and the Indian Ocean.
Geographic Division: Mainland and Maritime Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is typically divided into two broad subregions based on physical geography: Mainland Southeast Asia and Maritime Southeast Asia. This division reflects both the physical landscape and the distinct geographic characteristics of the countries within each subregion.
Mainland Southeast Asia lies entirely within the Northern Hemisphere, connected by land to the rest of the Asian continent. Maritime Southeast Asia, by contrast, consists largely of island nations and archipelagos, and it is notable for being one of the few subregions of Asia that extends partly into the Southern Hemisphere.
Position Relative to the Equator
While most of Asia lies within the Northern Hemisphere, Southeast Asia is unusual in that portions of it cross into the Southern Hemisphere. Aside from the British Indian Ocean Territory and two of the twenty-six atolls of the Maldives in South Asia, Maritime Southeast Asia is the only other subregion of Asia that lies partly within the Southern Hemisphere.
Specifically, Timor-Leste and the southern portion of Indonesia are located south of the equator, making them the southernmost extensions of the Southeast Asian region. The rest of the region, including all of Mainland Southeast Asia, remains in the Northern Hemisphere.