Tectonic evolution of southeast Asia

Abstract

SE Asia is probably the finest natural geological laboratory in the world yet is still not geologically well known. It is a spectacular region in which the manifestations and processes of plate collision can be observed at present and in which their history is recorded. It is a region that must be understood if we are to understand mountain belts, arc development, marginal basin evolution and, more generally, the behaviour of the lithosphere in collision settings. Furthermore, the region is developing rapidly on the economic front, and a major part of this rapid development is built on natural resources. The geological reasons for the distribution of these resources are therefore of major importance for the inhabitants of the region and for any attempts to discover and exploit them.