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South-east Asia is a giant 'jigsaw puzzle' of allochthonous continental lithospheric blocks and fragments (terranes) and that are bounded by suture zones (remnants of Palaeo-Tethys, Meso-Tethys and Ceno-Tethys oceans and back-arc basins). 400 million years of geological evolution have resulted in major collisional orogenic belts, magmatic belts and volcanic arcs. Tectonic evolution in the region has produced significant oil and gas reserves and mineral deposits, and underpins major biogeographic divides (e.g. Wallace's Line), biodiversity and diversity hotspots in the region. |
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