French Indochina: Composition and What It Excluded

French Indochina was a colonial federation in Southeast Asia established by France in the late 19th century. It comprised three main territories: Vietnam (divided into Tonkin, Annam, and Cochinchina), Cambodia, and Laos. Despite its name, French Indochina did not include China. The term "Indochina" reflects the region's geographic position between the Indian subcontinent and China, but politically, the colony was limited to the aforementioned Southeast Asian territories. This distinction is important for understanding the colonial boundaries and the subsequent history of the region.