Malay Archipelago

The Malay Archipelago is the extensive island region of Southeast Asia and Oceania that includes the large island groups of the Philippines, the Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands, Borneo and New Guinea. It comprises tens of thousands of islands and is one of the world’s most complex archipelagos in terms of geography and biodiversity.

The area is celebrated for extremely high biodiversity, endemic species and varied ecosystems ranging from lowland rainforests to coral reefs. Its mix of Asian and Australasian flora and fauna and numerous endemic species make it a major focus for biogeography and natural history.

Human settlement across the archipelago dates back thousands of years and includes the spread of Austronesian languages and cultures, extensive inter-island trade and historical spice routes. Colonial-era European powers also shaped political boundaries and trade networks across the islands.

Geographically the Malay Archipelago lies between mainland Southeast Asia and Australia, bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, and spans many modern states including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Papua New Guinea.

• Biogeographic significance: The region contains major biogeographic boundaries such as the Wallace Line, which marks a sharp change in species distributions between Asian and Australasian fauna.