Indokina

Indokina, also spelled Indochina, is a historical term used to describe the region of Southeast Asia lying between the Indian subcontinent and China. In geographic and cultural usage it typically refers to the area that today comprises Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, located on the Indochinese Peninsula along the Mekong River and the Gulf of Tonkin. The name combines "Indo-" (India) and "China," reflecting long-standing cultural influences from both civilizations as well as the region's historical trade networks and religious exchanges.

In the colonial period the term took on an administrative sense. French Indochina was established in the late 19th century and existed until 1954, aggregating the Vietnamese territories of Tonkin, Annam, and Cochinchina with the protectorates of Laos and Cambodia. The colony played a central role in regional politics, economy, and nationalist movements, and its legacy continues to shape memory and identity in the region.

After the 1954 Geneva Agreements, colonial rule ended and Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia pursued independent paths, with Vietnam temporarily divided and later reunified. The area later became a focal point of Cold War conflicts and, from the late 20th century onward, a part of Southeast Asia's regional integration through organizations such as ASEAN.

Today the term Indochina is largely historical and used mainly in academic contexts. The modern states of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are sovereign, sharing geographic ties and historical experiences, but maintaining distinct languages, cultures, and political systems.