The term 'Divided Island of Southeast Asia' refers to the island of Timor, which is located in the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago. It is divided between the independent nation of East Timor and the Indonesian province of West Timor. The island has a long history of colonization and conflict, with the Portuguese colonizing the eastern half of the island in the 16th century and the Dutch colonizing the western half in the 19th century. After World War II, the island was divided between Indonesia and Portugal, and in 2002, East Timor gained independence from Indonesia.