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Srivijaya’s maritime empire was anchored at Palembang (Sumatra) and managed a network of key trade ports and sea lanes linking the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. The empire’s influence was centered on two vital chokepoints: the Strait of Malacca and the Sunda Strait, ensuring control over trade routes between India, China, Southeast Asia, and beyond.wikipedia+6​

Key Trade Ports

• Palembang (Capital & main entrepôt, Sumatra): Chief port controlling the Musi River, linking inland resource areas and sea trade.rsis+1​

• Jambi and Muara Sabak (Sumatra): Important secondary ports for gathering and shipping local goods.wikipedia​

• Kataha (Kedah, Malaysia): Strategic port on the Malay Peninsula’s western side, collecting goods for the empire.unesco​

• Chaiya (Southern Thailand): Secondary port within Srivijaya’s influence, linking trade from the Malay Peninsula.unesco​

• Temasek (Modern Singapore): Later developed as an outpost for controlling southern entrance of the Strait of Malacca.rsis​

Main Sea Lanes

• Strait of Malacca: The most critical waterway through which most east-west marine trade between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea passed.khanacademy+3​

• Sunda Strait: Linking the Indian Ocean and Java Sea, providing alternate access to Southeast Asia.fiveable+2​

• Musi, Ogan, and Komering Rivers (Sumatra): Inland waterways funnelling goods to and from the main trading hub at Palembang.rsis​

Network and Control

• Srivijaya directly administered and taxed passing ships at these ports, built naval bases, and established colonies along these routes, stretching influence to as far as the Malay Peninsula and Western Java.fiveable+1​

• The empire’s reach included sub-regional ports and “feeder” ports, which sent goods to Palembang as the principal entrepôt and re-export node.unesco​

• By dominating these lanes and ports, Srivijaya became the essential maritime “middleman,” connecting Chinese, Indian, Arab, and Southeast Asian markets.khanacademy+1​

Srivijaya’s mastery of this port-and-sea-lane system allowed the empire to accumulate tremendous wealth and set the framework for later Southeast Asian maritime kingdoms.elon+4​