Due to its strategic location and size, the Riau Archipelago has a rich history. Riau has for centuries been the home of Malay and Orang Laut people (sea nomads). Later migrants came from southern China and Indochina, today people from a large region of Asia has settled here. The Riau archipelago was located aside the China-India maritime trading route, and was early in the 14th century, together with Temasek (Singapore), recorded in Chinese maritime records as one of Riau archipelago's islands that was inhabited by Malay pirates.