In the sixteenth century, Antwerp was one of the most important trading ports in Western Europe. Consequently, it became the center of book publishing and map production. After Antwerp was taken by the Spaniards – during the Dutch Revolt – the center shifted to the north, where Amsterdam took over the role of Antwerp as major trading city. Amsterdam also became the center for the production of maps and atlases, produced by famous mapmakers like Joan Blaeu and many others. In the atlases that were published, the part devoted to Asia was limited. Often, only a single overview map of the continent was included. Sometimes regional maps were added, such as separate maps of Southeast Asia. During the seventeenth

and eighteenth centuries no separate maps of Vietnam can be found in these atlases. The region of Mainland Southeast Asia or Indochina, i.e the peninsula of today’s countries Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and mainland Malaysia (Malacca) often can be found in the margin of maps of Southeast Asia, South Asia of East Asia. Only incidentally, individual maps of Indochina are included. An important reason for the lack of detailed maps of Southeast Asia in such atlases is related to the secrecy policies of the VOC. Smaller pocket atlases sometimes have maps of smaller regions. However, the maps themselves are also smaller in such atlases.