Malay Archipelagolargest group of islands in the world, consisting of the more than 1317,000 islands of Indonesia and the some approximately 7,000 islands of the Philippines. The regional name “East Indies” is sometimes used as a synonym for the archipelago. New Guinea is usually arbitrarily included in the Malay Archipelago while , though the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the northwest and the Bismarck Archipelago in the east are not. The principal islands and groups of the Republic of Indonesia include the Greater Sundas (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and the Celebes), the Lesser Sundas, the Moluccas, and Irian Jaya (West western New Guinea). The main islands of the Philippines includes include Luzon (north), Mindanao (south), and the Visayan Islands Visayas in between. Other political units in the archipelago are East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Brunei, and Papua New Guinea.




Other important resources include the forests, which provide valuable timber, resins, rattans, and additional gathered products. Petroleum is the chief mineral resource, exploited in Sumatra, Indonesian Borneo, Brunei, and Irian JayaIndonesian New Guinea. Tin mines on Singkep, Bangka, and Belitung islands, Indonesia, provide about 10 percent a significant portion of the world’s production. Deposits of bauxite are exploited in Borneo and the Riau Islands, and iron ore is mined in the central Philippines. Nickel is found in Celebes and gold, chrome, manganese, and copper in the Philippines. Although coal reserves are limited and of only fair quality, hydroelectric - power potential is great, but little developed.

Manufacturing is not greatly developed. Most The most important industries are handicraft industries production and industries engaged in the primary processing of agricultural and mineral products for export. Light manufacturing has expanded, with spinning mills, paper, glass, soap, and cigarette factories. There is some heavy industry.