Southeast Asia can be described as global due to its strategic location at the crossroads of major sea trade routes between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This has made the region a hub for international trade and commerce for centuries, attracting merchants, traders, and settlers from all over the world. Southeast Asia's rich cultural heritage and diverse ethnicities are a reflection of this global interconnectedness, with influences from China, India, the Middle East, and Europe evident in the region's languages, religions, cuisines, and arts. In recent decades, Southeast Asia has also become a major destination for foreign direct investment, further integrating it into the global economy.