Geography by George Hernandez

Exploring the geography of the martial arts. (Maps on this page are from MapQuest.com unless otherwise noted. There are many sources for map such as the CIA World Factbook [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/] or Geography at About.com [http://geography.about.com/library/maps/]).

MAP: World

MAs (martial arts) exists wherever people are.

The two major categories of pre-modern MAs, the EMAs (Eastern MAs) and the WMAs (Western MAs), originate from two regions, Asia and Europe respectively.
The most ancient weapons of fists, sticks, and stones have origins in Africa since we all evolved out of Africa.
The modern martial arts are global.

Asia

MAP: Asia

Asia is the source of the EMAs (Eastern martial arts).

Afghanistan
China, host of the vast array of CMAs (Chinese MAs).

China has many geographical oddities but two are particularly notable:
- Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
- Taiwan (aka Formosa), a large island of China.
India
Indochina or the Indochinese Peninsula
- Cambodia. Home base of the Khmer Empire (800s/1200s)
  - Pradal Serey ("fight free"; aka Khmer Boxing)
- Singapore. A small island country on the tip of the Indochinese Peninsula.
- Laos
- Malaysia. Spans Indochina and the Malay Archipelago.
- Myanmar, formerly Burma.
  - Bando (aka Burmese Silat). The main MA of Myanamar/Burma.
  - Lethwei (aka Lethawae; Burmese Boxing; Myanama Traditional Boxing). "Science of the 9 limbs".
  - Naban. A grappling system.
- Vietnam. The east side of Indochina.
- Thailand, formerly Siam.
  - Krabi Krabong. Like Muay Thai with weapons.
  - Lerdrit. Like Muay Thai but with open hands instead of fists. Used by the Royal Thai Army.
  - Muay Thai (aka Thai Boxing). "Science of the 8 limbs"
Iraq
Japan, host of the many JMAs (Japanese MAs). Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, had great influence on the development of karate.
Korea, currently consisting of North Korea and South Korea. Located on the mainland across the Sea of Japan.
Malay Archipelago. Between southeastern Asia and Australia. The Malay Archipelago also coincides with the geographical location of the Austronesian languages, and hence Austronesian peoples.
- The Sunda Islands
  - The Greater Sunda Islands (on the west). Shared by the countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei (on Sumatra). From west to east:
    - Sumatra
    - Java, home base of the Majapahit Empire (1293/1500).
    - Borneo. The Borneo part of Indonesia is called Kalimantan.
    - Sulawesi (formerly Celebes)
  - The Lesser Sunda Islands (aka Nusa Tenggara) (on the east). Shared by the countries of Indonesia and East Timor. Bali Island on the west to Timor Island on the east.
- The Philippine Islands, host of the FMAs (Filipino MAs). North of the Sunda Islands.
- The Maluku Islands (aka Moluccas, Moluccan Islands, Maluku, the "Spice Islands"). Between the Sunda Islands and the New Guinea Island. Part of Indonesia.
- New Guinea Island. Shared by the countries of Indonesia (on the west) and Papua New Guinea (on the east). Some consider New Guinea to be culturally (not very Asian) and geologically (part of Oceania).
Russia. Spans to Europe too.
Turkey. Source of the Ottoman Empire (1299/1922).

Europe

MAP: Europe

Europe is the source of the WMAs (Western martial arts).

Germany.
Greece.
Italy.
- Seat of the Roman Empire.
  - Gaius Julius Caesar (-0100-07-13/-0044-03-15) extended the Roman Republic and became dictator. His assassination (by his friend Marcus Brutus) led to civil wars which led to his adopted son and cousin Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus becoming Imperator Caesar Augustus on 0023 BCE.
  - The RE divided into Eastern and Western Roman Empires in 286.
    - The Western RE fell in 476 with Romulus Augustus as the last Emperor. The Western RE was "renewed" as the Holy Roman Empire (0800/1806).
    - The Eastern RE (aka Byzantine RE) fell in 1453 with Constantine XI Paleologus as the last Emperor when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire.
- Fiore and Fabris.
Russia. Spans to Asia too.
Scandinavia. Source of the Norse.
Spain.
United Kingdom.

Page Modified: (Hand noted: 2007-10-16 15:10:49Z) (Auto noted: 2007-11-17 06:28:33Z)