Malay archipelago: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Malay archipelago refers to the Malay sphere of influence, covering not just the archipelago of modern-day Indonesia, but also the Malay Peninsula, all of Borneo (incl. Brunei), the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and East Timor as well. The area was formerly known as the East Indies, although India itself is not included.

The term Nusantara is an equivalent of the Malay archipelago in both the Malay and the Indonesian language.