The countries of Southeast Asia display a variety of shapes and sizes. A State’s physical shape - its territorial morphology - are among the factors that affect its cohesion and political viability. For example, state consisting of several parts located at great distances (a fragmented State) faces problems that do not afflict a State with a single contiguous territory. For example, presently the fragmented State of Indonesia is experienceing centrifugal pressures on a number of its islands.
Geographers have defined five categories of territorial morphology:
An example of a compact state is Cambodia [secambfb]. Elongated states are long and narrow countries such as Vietnam [sevietfb] and Chile [smchilfb]. Fragmented states are countries broken into separate pieces, for example, Indonesia [seindofb] and the Philippines [sephilfb]. Prorupt States have a large main territory and a narrow corridor leading from it. Examples include: Myammar [seburmfb] and Thailand [sethaifb]. a perforated State is a country where one State encircles another, such as South Africa [afsafrfb] encircling Lesotho.
The territorial morphology (shape) of a country may have a significant effect on it's political stability. Fragmented, elongated, and prorupt states often experience centrifugal pressures in areas far removed from the political and cultural core. For example read this BBC report on political instability in the fragmented [seindofb] State of Indonesia - http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1999/05/99/east_timor/newsid_342000/342147.stm
Also read: http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa102797.htm
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