The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c15.36

v1.c15.36

From the far south we cross the Bay of Bengal to the far east of India. Burma is the newest province of the Indian Empire, if we except sub-divisions of older units. In race, language, religion, and social customs it is nearer to China than it is to India. In these respects it may be considered rather the first land of the Far East than the last of India, the Middle East. Geographically, however, Burma is in relation with the Indian world across the Bay of Bengal, for it has a great navigable river which drains into the Indian ocean, and not into the Pacific as do the rivers of the neighbouring countries, Siam and Annam. Commercially it is coming every day into closer relation with the remainder of the Indian Empire, for it is a fruitful land of sparse population, which may perhaps be developed in the future by the surplus labour of the Indian plains.