EAST INDIES, or MALAY ARCHI PELAGO, the double chain of islands which extends from the southeastern corner of Asia to the northern extremity of Australia. On the Pacific side there are the islands of Borneo, Celebes, Buton, Sula Island, Burn, Morotai, Jilolo or Halmahera, Amboyna, Ceram, Banda, Waigeu, Misol, Salwati and New Guinea. The Sulu Archipelago and the Philippines are a northward extension of this chain, the connect ing links being Sangir and Talaut groups of islands. Next the Indian Ocean the southern chain includes Sumatra, Sin pore Island la Riouw-Lingga, Banca, Billiton, ava, Madura, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sande wood, Flores, Timor and the Tenimber, Kei and Aru groups. All these belong to the Netherlands, except the Philippines and Sulu Islands (property of the United States), the northern part of Borneo (British), the eastern half of Timor (Portu guese), the eastern portions of New Guinea (British), and Singapore Island (British). Sev eral of the islands (e.g., Java, Sumatra) are studded with active volcanoes. The entire archi pelago seems to represent the surviving frag ments of an ancient land connection between Asia and Australia, the evidence in support of this view being especially strong in Borneo and Celebes. The inhabitants are mostly of the
Malay race; though Chinese, Arabs, indigenous tribes and various Europeans are also present. As these islands lie on each side of the equator, their climate is equably hot; and it is also moist, for they fall within the influehte of the Mon soons. Consult Angier, A. G., 'The Far East Revisited,' with a preface by Sir Robert Hart (London 1908); Day, C., 'The Policy and Ad ministration of the Dutch in Java' (New York 1904),; Gomes, E. H., 'Seventeen Years Among the Sea Dyalcs of Borneo' (London 1911); Swettenham, F., 'British Malaya' (London 1907); Taunton, H., 'Australind: Wanderings in Western Australia and the Malay East' (London 1903) ; Robson, J. H. M., 'Motoring in Malaya' (London 1911); Wallace, A. R., On the Physical Geography of the Malay Archi pelago' (Royal Geographical Soc. Jour., Lon don 1863, v. 33) and 'The Malay Archipelago' (London 1869 and 10th ed., London 1906).