Table of Contents
Which country is known as East Indies?
The most restrictive and best-known use is as a synonym for the islands that now constitute the Republic of Indonesia (formerly known as the Netherlands Indies, or Dutch East Indies); these include the Greater Sunda Islands (Borneo, Celebes, Java, and Sumatra), the Lesser Sunda Islands (stretching eastward from Bali to …
What is the difference between West Indies and East Indies?
Students often confuse the two world regions of West Indies and East Indies. The West Indies include the islands of the Caribbean and the East Indies are the is- lands of Southeast Asia. The only similari- ties between the regions are their names, their numerous islands and their tropical climates.
Is Malaysia in the East Indies?
Regions of the East Indies are sometimes known by the colonial empire they once belonged to, hence, Spanish East Indies means the Philippines, Dutch East Indies means Indonesia, and British East Indies refers to Malaysia.
Was India called East Indies?
At first the term East Indies was applied to India and “Farther India” (most of Southeast Asia). After the British developed India as a colony, the term East Indies came to apply only to the islands of the Malay Archipelago (though those of the Philippines are often excluded).
Why are they called the Indies?
The West Indies are a chain of islands located in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They were named the Indies by Christopher Columbus, the first European on record to reach the islands. He believed that he had reached India, and thus, called the newly-discovered islands the Indies.
Is Jamaica a country?
Jamaica is the third largest of the Caribbean islands, and the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean Sea. Jamaica has a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model of Government. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain on 1962 August 6.