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270 People and Places

Southeast Asia is made up of a large

mainland peninsula, and a maritime area

with 20,000 islands scattered through the

Pacific and Indian Oceans. Much of the

land in this region is mountainous and

covered in dense, tropical forest.

WHY DOES SOUTHEAST ASIA HAVE A RICH

TRADITION OF PERFORMING ARTS?

The music, dance, and drama of southeast Asia derive

from the region’s religious traditions. Cambodia’s

highly stylized classical dances are based on

12th-century Hindu dances, while much of

Indonesian drama re-tells Hindu myths. Indonesia

is also famous for its shadow puppet shows.

HOW DOES DEFORESTATION AFFECT THE REGION?

Deforestation in Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, and Laos

has destroyed the habitats of many rare plants and

animals, such as tigers and wild elephants. It has also

caused flooding and soil erosion. Some trees, such as

teak, are logged for their timber; others are felled to

create farmland and replanting is rare. Thailand took

the step of banning commercial logging in 1989.

HOW IS RICE FARMING CHANGING IN THE REGION?

In the last 20 years, rice farmers have been planting

new species of high-quality rice, which produce

a greater yield. These, along with new, intensive

rice-planting programmes and sophisticated machinery,

have helped countries, such as Indonesia, raise living

standards. Indonesia is now the world’s third-largest

rice producer. Rice is a staple food of the region

and grows well in the warm, humid climate.

CAMBODIAN CLASSICAL DANCER 3

In her traditional, close-fitting, silk

costume, a dancer performs the

graceful movements of a

classical Cambodian dance.

1 RICE TERRACES, PHILIPPINES

The stone walls on these ancient rice terraces in the Philippines

help to retain the water in the fields at each level. Rice has

been cultivated in southeast Asia for 7,000 years.

1 ROCKY ISLANDS, VIETNAM

A Vietnamese woman rows her

boat among the rocky limestone

islands of Ha Long Bay. The

beauty of the coastline draws

many tourists to this area on the

Red River delta.

Hand gestures

convey a

specific meaning

A rich head-dress and jewellery

transform the dancer into a

goddess or other divine being

Terraces were cut

by hand about

2,000 years ago

Stone walls prevent

major soil erosion

on the hillsides

Southeast Asia

southeast

Asia