Southeast Asia divides into Mainland Southeast Asia. which has Vietnam, Laos. Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and West Malaysia. Maritime Southeast Asia includes, Indonesia, East Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, East Timor, Brunei, Cocos Islands, and Christmas Island.
The region has been greatly influenced by the culture of India and China. The term “Indianised Kingdoms” is a designation for numerous Southeast Asian political units, that had to a varying degree adopted most aspects of India’s statecraft, administration, art, epigraphy, writing and architecture. The religions Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam gradually diffused into local cosmology. Nonetheless, the Southeast Asian nations have very diversely adapted to these cultural stimuli and evolved their distinct sophisticated expression in lifestyle, the visual arts and most notably in architectural accomplishments, such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia.
Buddhist culture has a lasting and significant impact in mainland Indochina nations (Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam); most Buddhists in Indochina practice Theravada Buddhism. In the case of Vietnam, it is also influenced much by Confucianism and the culture of China. Myanmar has also been exposed to Indian cultural influences. Before the 14th century, Hinduism and Buddhism were the dominant religions of Southeast Asia. Thereafter, Islam became dominant in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Southeast Asia has also had a lot of Western influence due to the lasting legacy of colonialism. One example is the Philippines which has been heavily influenced by America and Spain, with Christianity as the dominant religion. East Timor also demonstrates Portuguese influence through colonialism, as it is a predominantly Christian nation.
