Trade routes and imperialism from outside countries have been the main factors that have led to the development of Southeast Asian cities. Trade routes have facilitated the exchange of goods and ideas, attracting people and resources to urban centers. Additionally, the colonization and imperialist policies of outside countries, such as European powers in the past, have influenced the growth and development of cities in Southeast Asia. Desert development is not a factor in Southeast Asian cities as the region does not contain significant desert areas.
