Maps of Asia

A presentation of modern and historical images and charts of the Asian Continent, Subcontinent, and Archipelagos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asia
Two Point Equidistant projection, 2006
35N 40E and 35N 140E
Earth Observatory
National Aeronautics Space Administration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India and Sri Lanka
Two Point Equidistant projection, 2006
35N 40E and 35N 140E
Earth Observatory
National Aeronautics Space Administration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines
Straits of Malacca
Two Point Equidistant projection, 2006
35N 40E and 35N 140E
Earth Observatory
National Aeronautics Space Administration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China, Hong Kong, Macau, Amoy, and Taiwan
Two Point Equidistant projection, 2006
35N 40E and 35N 140E
Earth Observatory
National Aeronautics Space Administration

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japan and Korea
Two Point Equidistant projection, 2006
35N 40E and 35N 140E
Earth Observatory
National Aeronautics Space Administration

 

Asia
A Political and Physical World Map, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India and Sri Lanka
A Political and Physical World Map, 2005

 

 

Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Strait of Malacca
A Political and Physical World Map, 2005

 

China, Hong Kong, Macau, Amoy, Taiwan
A Political and Physical World Map, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japan and Korea
A Political and Physical World Map, 2005

 

Early Asian Maps: circa 1602-1644 A.D.

 

Kwon Kun 權近 and Yi Hwei 李薈 (Koreans, active 15^th century)
Honil Gangni Yeokdae Gukdo Ji Do 混一疆理歷代國都之圖
(Map of Integrated Lands and Regions of Historical Countries and Capitals, 1402)
Ink on silk
Ryukoku University Library
Kyoto, Japan

 

 

Matteo Ricci, S.J. (Italian, 1552-1610), Li Zhizhao 李之藻 (Chinese, 1565-1630) et al.
Kunyü Wanguo Qüantu 坤輿萬國全圖 (A Map of the Myriad Countries of the World, 1602, ed.), unattributed copy, detail
Ink and color on paper
Image Database of the Kano Collection, Tohoku University Library
Sendai, Japan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wang Qi 王圻 (Chinese, 1530-1615) and Wang Siyi 王思義 (Chinese, active ca. 1607-1609)
Shanhai yüdi qüantu 山海輿地全圖 (Mountains and Seas World Map, 1609)
in the Sancai tuhui 三才圖會 (Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms, 1609), detail

 

Giulio Aleni, J.S. (Italian, 1582-1649)
Wanguo qüantu 萬國全圖
(Complete Map of the Myriad Countries of the World, ca. 1620), detail

 

DaMing hunyi tu 大明混一圖 (Integrated Map of the Great Ming Dynasty, ca. 1644)
Ink and color on silk
First Historical Archive of China
Beijing, China

 

 

Early European Maps

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claudius Ptolemy (Roman ca. 90-168), Geographia, ca. 150
Indian Ocean, India, and China
The Ptolemy world map, 2^nd century, detail
Reconstructed for editions printed in Bologna, 1477 and Rome, 1478
The British Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fra Mauro (Venetian, 15th century)
Asia
Map of the Old World, 1460, detail
Ink and color on parchment, inverted
Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice
Piero Falchetta (Italian, 1951-present),
Fra Mauro Map Reconstruction, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alberto Cantino (Italian, active 15^th century)
Asia
Cantino planisphere (Cantino World Map), 1502
Ink and color on parchment
Biblioteca Estense, Modena

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diogo Ribeiro (Portuguese, active ca. 1518-1532)
Asia
World Map (Second Borgian Map, 1529), 1539, detail
Ink on vellum
Facsimile copied in 1887 [?] in London by W. Griggs, (English, 19^th century) from the original Carta Universal (Propaganda Map) in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vatican City
National Library of Australia World Map

 

Abraham Ortelius (Flemish, 1527-1598)
Asia
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theater of the World), 1570, detail
Copper plate engraving: ink on paper
Antwerp: Gilles Coppens de Diest, 1570
University Library of Basel, Switzerland