What were the demographics and economics of South-East Asian islands around year 1400?
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The south east asia called as "SWARNA DHWEEP" means land of gold. The chola empire once invaded to sri vijaya(malaysia) anda kadaram(Keddah). Rajendra chola the great has titled as "KADARAM KONDAN" means conqueror of keddah. Even today we can find dravidan sculptured temples in south east asia. specially in combodia , Indonesia.
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We know the population of the whole Southeast Asia mostly by estimates. Contemporary figures are considered unreliable, and state of the art values are computed by combining the most reliable ones with backward projections from XIX century data.
Estimated Southeast Asian Population about 1600
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Region Population ('000) Density (per km2)
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... ... ...
Malaya (incl. Pattani) 500 3.4
Sumatra 2400 5.7
Java 4000 30.3
Borneo 670 0.9
Sulawesi 1200 6.3
Bali 600 79.7
Lesser Sunda 600 9.1
Maluku 160 2.2
Luzon and Visayas 800 4.0
Mindanao and Sulu 150 1.5
Although the values concern 1600, the population growth rate was extraordinarily low as late as 1800. You can take them within a factor of two. Apart from Java and Southern Sulawesi, most of the population was concentrated in big cities, that thrived on commerce. The landscape was dominated by jungles, and it remained pretty much so until at least the XIX century. For instance, attacks by tigers were not uncommon, even around populous centres.
As for the economy, the question is quite broad, but the fulcrum of any answer on this topic is geographic. The Strait of Malacca is a mandatory choke point for sea trade between East Asia and the Indian Ocean, which makes it one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.
In addition, trade from the Spice Islands must necessarily go through Western Indonesia. The strategic importance was thus complemented with the passage of precious spices, directed to Northern and Western foreign markets.
The region around Malacca only produced small amounts of tin, gold and fish. Its economy flourished on the flow of goods through it. See on this topic Saint Wikipedia's article about the Sultanate of Malacca.
As for the Majapahit Empire, the same holds. In contrast with the Sultanate of Malacca, the Javanese could rely on local production, for example Javanese rice. One of the leading causes of its decline is the rise of the Sultanate of Malacca to the North, and the loss of control on the maritime traffic in the region.
Around the 1400, increasing demand of goods from China, and later from other regions, including Europe, determined an unprecedented growth in commerce. Chinese authorities, worried because of the outflow of cash from the Empire, banned commerce with Java in the XV century. The extent of this economic boom determined a revolution in the region.
Source: Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, Vol. 1, Singapore, 1992
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