Southeast Asian Countries
Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is the geographical southeastern subregion of Asia, consisting of the regions that are south of China, southeast of the Indian subcontinent and northwest of Australia. 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 and the Indian Ocean.
- Southeast Asia covers about 4,500,000 km2, which is 10.5% of Asia or 3% of Earth’s total land area.
- Southeast Asia has a total population is more than 655 million, about 8.5% of the world’s population.
- Southeast Asia is the third most populous geographical region in Asia after South Asia and East Asia.
- Ten countries in the region are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
- There are more than 25,000 islands and islets in Southeast Asia.
Southeast Asia is geographically divided into two subregions, namely Mainland Southeast Asia and Maritime Southeast Asia.
- Mainland Southeast Asia includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand & Vietnam.
- Maritime Southeast Asia includes Brunei, East Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines & Singapore.
List of Southeast Asian Countries
Brunei
Brunei is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, the country is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang.
Cambodia
Cambodia is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia. The sovereign state of Cambodia has a population of over 15 million. Buddhism is enshrined in the constitution as the official state religion
East Timor
East Timor is an island country in Southeast Asia. East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the 16th century and was known as Portuguese Timor until 28 November 1975, when the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor declared the territory’s independence.
Indonesia
Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Indonesia is a presidential, constitutional republic with an elected legislature.
Laos
Laos is a Southeast Asian country traversed by the Mekong River and known for mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture, hill tribe settlements and Buddhist monasteries.
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories. Malaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire, along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate.
Myanmar
Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia. early civilisations in the area included the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states in Upper Myanmar and the Mon kingdoms in Lower Myanmar. Myanmar was reconquered by the Allies and granted independence in 1948.
Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It is situated in the western Pacific Ocean and consists of about 7,640 islands. The Philippines is a multinational state, with diverse ethnicities and cultures throughout its islands.
Singapore
Singapore is a sovereign island city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles as a trading post of the British Empire. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959, and in 1963 became part of the new federation of Malaysia. Ideological differences led to Singapore being expelled from the federation two years later, becoming an independent country.
Thailand
Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia. Thailand is located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning 513,120 square kilometres, with a population of over 66 million people.
Vietnam
Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. It is located at the eastern edge of the Indochinese Peninsula and is divided into 58 provinces and five municipalities, covering 331,699 square kilometres.
Southeast Asia Geology and Relief
The physiography of Southeast Asia has been formed to a large extent by the convergence of three of the Earth’s major crustal units: the Eurasian, Indian-Australian, and Pacific plates.
Southeast (SE) Asia is surrounded by subduction zones causing intense seismicity and volcanic activity.
Mount Hkakabo (5,881 m) and Mount Gamlang (5,870 m) are the highest mountains in Southeast Asia, both located on the Myanmar-Chinese border in northern Myanmar.
Sovereign states (Area, Population & Capital City)
| Countries | Area (km2) | Population (2020) | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 5,765 | 437,479 | Bandar Seri Begawan |
| Cambodia | 181,035 | 16,718,965 | Phnom Penh |
| East Timor | 14,874 | 1,267,974 | Dili |
| Indonesia | 1,904,569 | 267,670,543 | Jakarta |
| Laos | 236,800 | 7,061,507 | Vientiane |
| Malaysia | 329,847 | 31,528,033 | Kuala Lumpur |
| Myanmar | 676,578 | 53,708,320 | Nay Pyi Taw |
| Philippines | 300,000 | 106,651,394 | Manila |
| Singapore | 719.2 | 5,757,499 | Singapore |
| Thailand | 513,120 | 69,428,453 | Bangkok |
| Vietnam | 331,210 | 95,545,962 | Hanoi |
