Question

What geographic factors led to the development of distinct cultures in Southeast Asia? What fueled the growth of the states in Southeast Asia?

Answer 1

A remarkable feature of Southeast Asia is the different ways people have adapted to local environments. In premodern times many nomadic groups lived permanently in small boats and were known as orang laut, or sea people. The deep jungles were home to numerous small wandering groups, and interior tribes also included fierce headhunters.