Hospitals & Asylums

South East Asia 2010

	Country	Population	GDP PPP billion	Per capita	ODA 2008 million	Con.
41	East Asia and Oceania	2,203,566,902	19,173	$8,700	13,716 -9,792
12	South East Asia	598,550,779	2,818.8	$4,714	-6,722
1	Brunei	388,190	6.842	$23,600		1984
2	Burma(Myanmar)	48,137,741	56.92	$1,100	-534	1948
3	Cambodia	14,494,293	28.09	$1,900	-743	1953
4	Indonesia	240,271,522	969.2	$4,000	-1,225	1945
5	Laos	6,993,767	15.07	$2,100	-496	1949
6	Malaysia	26,160,256	381.1	$14,800	-158	1957
7	Maldives	396,334	1.673	$4,200	-54	1965
8	Philippines	99,900,177	324.8	$3,300	-61	1946
9	Singapore	4,701,069	235.7	$50,300	0	1965
10	Thailand	66,404,688	538.6	$8,100	-621	1238
11	Timor-Leste	1,131,612	2.74	$2,400	-278	2002
12	Vietnam	89,571,130	258.1	$2,900	-2,552	1945
8	Eastern Asia	1,570,580,280	15,369	$9,783	9,579 -1,953
13	China	1,338,612,968	8,789	$6,600	-1,489	221BC
14	Hong Kong SAR	7,089,705	301.6	$42,700	0	1990
15	Japan	126,804,433	4,137	$32,600	9,579	660BC
16	Korea, North	22,757,275	40	$1,900	-218	1945
17	Korea, South	48,636,068	1,356	$28,000	800	1945
18	Macau SAR	567,957	18.47	$33,000	0	1993
19	Mongolia	3,086,918	9.456	$3,200	-246	1921
20	Taiwan	23,024,956	717.7	$29,800	0	1945
21	Oceania	34,528,421	969.65	$27,704	2,954 -1,040
14	Independent	33,988,190	962.32	$28,303	2,954 -995
21	Australia	21,262,641	824.3	$38,800	2,954	1901
22	Fiji	944,720	3.704	$3,900	-45	1970
23	Kiribati	99,482	0.597	$6,100	-27	1979
24	Marshall Islands	65,859	0.134	$2,500	-53	1986
25	Micronesia	107,154	0.238	$2,200	-94	1986
26	Nauru	14,264	0.060	$5,000	-31	1968
27	New Zealand	4,252,277	114.9	$27,300	348	1907
28	Palau	20,879	0.164	$8,100	-43	1994
29	Papua New Guinea	6,064,515	14.02	$2,400	-304	1975
30	Samoa	192,001	1.025	$5,400	-39	1962
31	Solomon Islands	609,794	1.57	$2,600	-224	1978
32	Tonga	122,580	0.552	$4,600	-26	1870
33	Tuvalu	10,472	0.015	$1,600	-17	1978
34	Vanuatu	221,552	1.041	$4,800	-92	1980
3	Australia Dependency	4,153
35	Christmas Island	1,402
36	Cocos (Keeling) Island	596
37	Norfolk Island	2,155
1	French Dependency	229,993	3.158	$15,000
38	French Polynesia	291,000	4.718	$18,000
39	New Caledonia	229,993	3.158	$15,000		2014
40	Wallis and Futuna	15,343	0.06	$3,800	-131
3	New Zealand Dependency	14,624	0.1955	$1,392	-45
41	Cook Islands	11,870	0.184	$9,100	-6	1965
42	Niue	1,354	0.01	$5,800	-18	1974
43	Tokelau	1,400	0.0015	$1,000	-21	NZ
3	US Dependency	295,614	3.975	$3,429
44	Guam	180,865	2.5	$15,000		1950
45	Northern Mariana Islands	48,317	0.900	$12,500		1987
46	Samoa, American	66,432	0.575	$8,000		1966
	British Dependency
47	Pitcairn Islands	48

Vital Statistics

Country	Population	Growth	Births per 000	Deaths per 000	Migr ation per 000	Infant Mort ality per 000	Life Expec tancy	AIDS rate	Literacy	Penal Pop.	Penal Pop. Per 00,000
Australia	21,262,641	1.195%	12.47	6.74	6.23	4.75	81.63	0.2%	99%	29,317	125
Brunei	388,190	1.759%	18.2	3.29	2.69	12.27	75.74	<0.1%	92.7%	453	115
Burma(Myanmar)	48,137,741	0.783%	16.97	9.14		47.61	63.39	0.7%	89.9%	64,930	132
Cambodia	14,494,293	1.756%	25.73	8.08		54.79	62.1	0.8%	73.6%	11,688	79
China	1,338,612,968	0.655%	14	7.06	-0.39	20.25	73.47	0.1%	90.9%	1,565,771	119
Christmas Island	1,402									0
Cocos (Keeling) Island	596									0
Cook Islands	11,870	-3.302	16.18			16.9	74.22		95%	27	126
Fiji	944,720	1.379%	21.92	5.66	-2.47	11.58	70.73	0.1%	93.7%	1,016	120
French Polynesia	291,000	1.355%	15.67	4.8	2.69	7.41	76.91		98%	404	153
Guam	180,865	1.346%	18.1	4.64	0	5.93	78.18		99%	513	287
Hong Kong	7,089,705	0.476%	7.45	6.91	4.22	2.91	81.96	0.1%	93.5%	9,882	141
Indonesia	240,271,522	1.136%	18.84	6.25	-1.24	29.97	70.76	0.2%	90.4%	140,740	61
Japan	126,804,433	-0.24 %	7.41	9.83	0	2.79	82.17	<0.1%	99%	80,523	63
Kiribati	99,482	1.271%	23.06	7.48		40.13	64.03			84	76
Korea, North	22,757,275	0.389%	14.58	10.6	-0.09	50.15	64.13		99%	0
Korea, South	48,636,068	0.258%	8.72	6.15	0	4.27	78.81	<0.1%	97.9%	47,514	98
Laos	6,993,767	2.292%	33.44	10.52		76.01	56.96	0.2%	68.7%	4,020	69
Macau	567,957	0.89%	8.98	3.6	3.52	3.2	84.38		91.3%	930	173
Maldives	396,334	-0.17%	14.55	3.65	-12.6	29.53	73.97	0.1%	96.3%	1,125	343
Malaysia	26,160,256	1.704%	22.06	5.02		15.37	73.55	0.5%	88.7%	36,040	130
Marshall Islands	59,071	2.023%	29.94	4.42	-5.3	24.57	71.48		93.7%	47	78
Micronesia	107,154	-0.28%	22.57	4.4	-21.0	25.2	71.23		89%	96	89
Mongolia	3,086,918	1.495%	21.03	6.08		38.56	67.98	<0.1%	97.8%	5,079	188
Nauru	14,264	1.711%	23.56	6.45		9.08	64.57			3	23
New Caledonia	229,993	1.1%	16.71	5.71		6.91	75.21		96.2%	326	133
New Zealand	4,252,277	0.901%	13.81	7.1	2.3	4.85	80.48	0.1%	99%	8,532	196
Niue	1,354	-0.032			0				95%	0
Norfolk Island	2,155									0
Northern Mariana Islands	48,317	-5.57%	21.05	3.17	-73.6	5.89	76.9		97%	124	142
Palau	20,879	0.374%	10.68	7.81	0.86	12.72	71.51		92%	97	478
Papua New Guinea	6,064,515	2.033%	26.95	6.62		44.59	65.99	1.5%	57.3%	5,288	79
Philippines	99,900,177	1.931%	25.68	5.06	-1.31	19.94	71.38	<0.1%	92.6%	102,267	111
Pitcairn Islands	48	0								0
Samoa	192,001	0.605%	22.92	5.36	-11.5	23.21	72.13		99.7%	186	99
Samoa, American	66,432	1.212%	23.05	4.09	-6.83	9.91	73.97		97%	132	198
Singapore	4,701,069	0.863%	8.65	4.8	4.79	2.32	82.06	0.2%	92.5%	12,349	274
Solomon Islands	609,794	2.315%	26.87	3.73	0	18.41	73.94			173	34
Taiwan	23,024,956	0.213%	8.97	6.47	0.03	5.26	78.15		96.1%	63,875	278
Thailand	66,404,688	0.601%	13.21	7.2		16.91	73.36	1.4%	92.6%	212,058	313
Timor-Leste	1,131,612	2.027%	26.25	5.98		40.65	67.27		58.6%	223	20
Tokelau	1,400	-0.01%								0
Tonga	122,580	1.282%	17.78	4.95		11.28	71.03		98.9%	106	89
Tuvalu	10,472	0.659%	23.01	9.36		35.52	64.39			3	25
Vanuatu	221,552	1.359%	21.08	7.49		48.17	64.33		74%	187	76
Vietnam	89,571,130	1.096%	17.29	5.97	-0.37	21.57	71.94	0.5%	90.3%	92,153	107
Wallis and Futuna	15,343	0.365%			-5.87	4.74	78.83		50%	0
Total	2,203,566,902									2,497,156	113

Sources: CIA World Fact Book July 2009; World Prison Brief 18 March 2010

Economics

Country	Population	GDP PPP billion	GDP Ex. Rate billion	Economic Growth	Per capita	Labor 000	Unem ploy ment	Below Poverty Line	Budget Revenue billion	Budget Expense billion	Surplus/ Deficit billion	Surplus/ Deficit % GDP	Public Debt % GDP	Inflation	Exports billion	Imports billion	Trade Balance billions	Trade Balance % GDP	External Debt billion	ODA 2008
Asia	2,203,562,701	19,173	13,906		$8,703	1,228,346			3,502.5	4,190.4	-687.9	-0.5%			3,594	3,444	150	1.1%	4,931	12,916 -9,792
Australia	21,262,641	824.3	930.8	1%^{^[1]}	$38,800	11,440	5.7%		323.6	358.4	-34.8	-3.7%	18.6%	1.9%	161.5	189.9	-28.4	-3%	920	2,954
Brunei	388,190	19.43	14.87	-1.9%^{^[2]}	$50,100	189	3.7%		6.889	4	2.889	19.4%		2.7%	10.67	2.61	8.06	54.2%	0
Burma(Myanamar)	48,137,741	56.92	26.83	1.8%^{^[3]}	$1,100	30,850	4.9%	32.7%	1.142	2.354	-1.212	-4.5%		7.7%	6.504	3.55	-2.954	-11%	7.373	-534
Cambodia	14,494,293	28.09	11.03	-0.9%^{^[4]}	$1,900	8,000	3.5%	31%	1.186	1.748	-0.562	-5.1%		7.5%	4.13	6.004	-1.904	-17.3%	4.157	-743
China	1,338,612,968	8,789	4,814	8.7%^{^[5]}	$6,600	812,700	4.3%	2.8%	972.3	1,137	-164.7	-3.4%	18.2%	-0.8%	1,194	921.5	272.5	5.6%	347.1	-1,489
Cook Islands	11,870	0.184	0.183	0.1%	$9,100	7	13.1%		0.071	0.069	-0.002	-1.1%		2.1%	0.005	0.081	-0.076	-41.5%	0.141	-6
Timor-Leste	1,131,612	2.74	0.606	7.2%^{^[6]}	$2,400	414	20%	42%	0.733	0.309	0.424	70%		7.8%	0.010	0.202	-0.192	-31.7%	0	-278
Fiji	944,720	3.704	3.084	-2.5%	$3,900	335	7.6%	25.5%	1.363	1.376	-0.013	-0.4%		4.8%	1.202	3.12	-1.918	-62.2%	0.127	-45
French Polynesia	291,000	4.718	6.1	2.7%	$18,000	116	11.7%		0.865	0.644	0.221	-3.6%		1.1%	0.211	1.706	-1.495	-24.5%	0
Guam	180,865	2.5	2.773	^{^[7]}	$15,000	83	11.4%	23%	0.320	0.428	-0.108	-3.9%		2.5%	0.045	0.701	-0.656	-23.6%	0
Hong Kong	7,089,705	301.6	211.3	-3%^{^[8]}	$42,700	3,670	5.3%		37.05	41.14	-4.09	-1.9%	18.1%	-0.5%	316.6	345.2	-28.6	-13.5%	655.1
Indonesia	240,271,522	969.2	521	4.5%^{^[9]}	$4,000	113,300	7.7%	17.8%	83.77	97.24	-13.47	-2.6%	29.8%	5%	115.6	86.6	29	5.6%	150.7	-1,225
Japan	126,804,433	4,137	5,108	-5.3%^{^[10]}	$32,600	65,930	5.6%		1,614	1,997	-383	-7.5%	192.1%	-1.3%	516.3	746.5	-230.2	-4.5%	2,132	9,579
Kiribati	99,482	0.597	0.115	1.5%	$6,100	8	2%		0.0284	0.0372	-0.004	-3.5%		0.2%	0.017	0.062	-0.045	-39.1%	0.010	-27
Korea, North	22,757,275	40	28.2	3.7%^{^[11]}	$1,900	9.6			2.88	2.98	-0.1	-3.5%			2.062	3.574	-1.512	-5.4%	12.5	-218
Korea, South	48,636,068	1,356	809.7	0.2%^{^[12]}	$28,000	24,370	5.1%	15%	191.5	227.2	-35.7	-4.4	28%	2.8%	355.1	313.4	41.7	5.2%	333.6	800^{^[13]}
Laos	6,993,767	15.07	5.788	6.4%^{^[14]}	$2,100	3,650	2.5%	26%	0.845	1.3	-0.455	-7.9%		0%	1.273	2.034	-0.761	-13.1%	3.085	-496
Macau	567,957	18.47	22.1	13.2%^{^[15]}	$33,000	322	3.6%		7.2	3.6	3.6	16.3%		1.2%	0.950	4.5	-3.55	-16.1%	0
Maldives	396,334	1.673	1.359	-4%^{^[16]}	$4,200	144	14.4%	16%	0.487	0.873	-0.386	-28.4%		7.3%	0.088	0.782	-0.694	-51.1%	0.589	-54
Malaysia	26,160,256	381.1	209.8	-2.2%^{^[17]}	$14,800	11,290	5%	5.1%	44.6	60.72	-16.12	-7.7%	47.8%	0.4%	156.4	119.5	36.9	17.6%	48.26	-158
Marshall Islands	59,071	0.134	0.162	-0.3%^{^[18]}	$2,500	15	36%		0.123	1.213	-1.09	-673%		12.9%	0.019	0.079	-0.6	-370%	0.087	-53
Micronesia	107,154	0.238	0.238	N/A^{^[19]}	$2,200	16	22%	26.7%	0.166	0.153	0.013	5.4%		2.2%	0.014	0.133	-0.119	-0.5%	0.061	-94
Mongolia	3,086,918	9.456	4.261	-1.6%^{^[20]}	$3,200	1,068	2.8%	36.1%	1.38	1.6	-0.22	-5.2%		4.2%	1.902	2.131	-0.229	-5.4%	1.86	-246
Nauru	14,264	0.060	0	^{^[21]}	$5,000	0	90%		0.014	0.014	0	0%		-3.6%	0.000006	0.02	-0.019		0.033	-31
New Caledonia	229,993	3.158	3.3	^{^[22]}	$15,000	103	17.1%		0.996	1.072	-0.076	-2.3%		-1.4%	1.341	1.998	-0.657	20%	0.079
New Zealand	4,252,277	114.9	110.9	-1.4%^{^[23]}	$27,300	2,290	7.3%		46.54	53.66	-7.12	-6.4%	29.3%	1.8%	26.25	24.29	1.96	1.8%	58.92	348
Niue	1,354	0.01	0.01	6.2%	$5,800	0.6	12%		0.015	0.016	-0.001	-10%		4%	0.0002	0.009	-0.0088	-88%	0.0004	-18
Northern Mariana Islands	48,317	0.9	0.633	^{^[24]}	$12,500	38	8%		0.193	0.223	-0.707	111%		-0.8%	0.098	0.214	-0.116	-18.3%	0
Palau	20,879	0.164	0.164	^{^[25]}	$8,100	9.8	4.2%		0.115	0.1	0.015	9.1%		2.7%	0.006	0.107	-0.101	-61.6%	0	-43
Papua New Guinea	6,064,515	14.02	8.296	4%^{^[26]}	$2,400	3,723	1.8%	37%	2.264	2.415	-0.151	-1.8%	33.7%	6.5%	4.062	2.692	1.367	16.5%	2.32	-304
Philippines	99,900,177	324.8	160.6	0.9%^{^[27]}	$3,300	37,890	7.5%	32.9%	23.29	29.23	-5.94	-3.7%	58.7%	3.2%	37.2	45.8	-8.6	-5.4%	53.14	-61
Samoa	192,001	1.025	0.574	-0.8%^{^[28]}	$5,400	66			0.171	0.078	0.093	16.2%		6%	0.131	0.324	-0.193	-33.6%	0.177	-39
Samoa, American	66,432	0.575	0.462	3%^{^[29]}	$8,000	17	29.8%		0.155	0.184	-0.029	-6.3%			0.446	0.309	0.137	30%	0
Singapore	4,701,069	235.7	165	-2.1%^{^[30]}	$50,300	3,030	3%		21.29	24.14	-2.85	-1.7%	117.6%	0.2%	268.9	245	23.9	14.5%	19.2
Solomon Islands	609,794	1.57	0.676	0.4%	$2,600	203	0		0.05	0.075	-0.25	-3.7%		6.3%	0.237	0.256	-0.019	-2.8%	0.166	-224
Taiwan	23,024,956	717.7	361.5	-2.5%^{^[31]}	$29,800	10,920	5.9%	1.08%	53.3	57.2	-3.9	-1.1%	33.5%	-0.9%	203.7	174.7	29	8%	79.8
Thailand	66,404,688	538.6	269.6	-2.8%^{^[32]}	$8,100	38,240	1.6%	9.6%	40.9	51.5	-10.6	-3.9%	45.9%	-0.9%%	150.9	131.5	19.4	7.2%	66.3	-621
Tokelau	1,400	0.0015	0	^{^[33]}	$1,000	0			0.00043	0.0028	-0.0024	-158%			0	0.969	-0.969		0	-21
Tonga	122,580	0.552	0.262	-0.5%^{^[34]}	$4,600	40	13%	24%	0.081	0.11	-0.029	-11%		5.9%	0.022	0.139	-0.117	-44.7%	0.081	-26
Tuvalu	10,472	0.015	0.015	3%	$1,600	4			0.022	0.023	-0.001	-6.6%		3.8%	0.001	0.013	-0.012	-80%	0	-17
Vanuatu	221,552	1.041	0.561	3.8%	$4,800	116	1.7%		0.079	0.072	0.007	1.3%		3.9%	0.04	0.156	-0.116	-20.7%	0.081	-92
Vietnam	89,571,130	258.1	92.84	7.8%^{^[35]}	$2,900	43,870	2.9%	12.3%	21.89	30.42	-8.83	-9.5%	52.3%	6.9%	56.55	62.69	-6.14	-6.6%	31	-2,552
Wallis and Futuna	15,343	0.06			$3,800	3	15.2%						5.6%	2.8%					3.67	-131

Sources: CIA World Fact Book July 2009; OECD Development Aid at a Glance: Statistics by Region 8 February

2010

[1] The Australian economy grew for 17 consecutive years before the global financial crisis. Subsequently, the Rudd government introduced a fiscal stimulus package worth over US$50 billion to offset the effect of the slowing world economy, while the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates to historic lows. These policies - and continued demand for commodities, especially from China - helped the Australian economy rebound after just one quarter of negative growth. The economy grew by 1.5% during the first three quarters of 2009 - the best performance in the OECD. Unemployment, originally expected to reach 8-10%, peaked at 5.7% in late 2009 and fell to 5.3% by February 2010. As a result of an improved economy, the budget deficit is expected to peak below 4.2% of GDP and the government could return to budget surpluses as early as 2015.

[2] Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more than 90% of exports. The government provides for all medical services and free education through the university level and subsidizes rice and housing.

[3] Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. Despite Burma's emergence as a natural gas exporter, socio-economic conditions have deteriorated under the regime's mismanagement, leaving most of the public in poverty, while military leaders and their business cronies exploit the country's ample natural resources. The economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. A major banking crisis in 2003 caused 20 private banks to close; private banks still operate under tight restrictions, limiting the private sector's access to credit. The United States, the European Union, Canada, and Australia have imposed financial and economic sanctions on Burma, prohibiting most financial transactions with Burmese entities, imposing travel bans on Burmese officials and others connected to the ruling regime, and banning imports of certain Burmese products. The global crisis of 2008-09 caused exports and domestic consumer demand to drop.

[4] From 2004 to 2007, the economy grew about 10% per year, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector, construction, agriculture, and tourism. GDP dropped to below 7% growth in 2008 and probably contracted in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown.

[5] Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. Annual inflows of foreign direct investment rose to nearly $108 billion in 2008. Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg was more than 20% by late 2008. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. China in 2009 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. In 2009, the global economic downturn reduced foreign demand for Chinese exports for the first time in many years. The government vowed to continue reforming the economy and emphasized the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make China less dependent on foreign exports for GDP growth in the future.

[6] The Timor-Leste economy has been little impacted by the global financial crisis and continues to recover strongly from the mid-2006 outbreak of violence and civil unrest, which disrupted both private and public sector economic activity. The government in 2008 resettled tens of thousands of an estimated 100,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs); most IDPs returned home by early 2009. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil economy onto a higher growth path and to reduce poverty.

[7] The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.

[8] Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of re-exports, is about four times GDP. GDP growth averaged a strong 4% from 1989 to 2008. Hong Kong's GDP fell in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis, but a recovery began in third quarter 2009. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

[9] Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has weathered the global financial crisis relatively smoothly because of its heavy reliance on domestic consumption as the driver of economic growth. Although the economy slowed significantly from the 6%-plus growth rate recorded in 2007 and 2008, expanding at 4% in the first half of 2009, Indonesia outperformed its regional neighbors and joined China and India as the only G20 members posting growth during the crisis. The government in 2010 faces the ongoing challenge of improving Indonesia's insufficient infrastructure to remove impediments to economic growth, while addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation needs, particularly with regard to conserving Indonesia's forests and peatlands.

[10] Today, measured on a purchasing power parity basis, Japan is the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China; measured by official exchange rates, however, Japan is the second largest economy in the world behind the US. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%. In October 2007 Japan's longest post-war period of economic expansion ended after 69 months and Japan entered into recession in 2008, with 2009 marking a return to near 0% interest rates. Japan's huge government debt, estimated to have reached 192% of GDP in 2009, and an aging and shrinking population are two major long-run problems.

[11] North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. By December 2005, the government terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for developmental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. In May 2008, the US agreed to give 500,000 metric tons of food to North Korea via the World Food Program and US nongovernmental organizations; Pyongyang began receiving these shipments in mid-2008, but in March 2009 rejected additional US aid shipments. The economy probably grew in 2009 as a result of favorable climate conditions and energy assistance from other countries. In December 2009, North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency, capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations.

[12] Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and global integration to become a high-tech industrialized economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies, and currently is among the world's twenty largest economies. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model including high debt/equity ratios and massive short-term foreign borrowing. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, and then recovered by 9% in 1999-2000. Korea adopted numerous economic reforms following the crisis, including greater openness to foreign investment and imports. Growth moderated to about 4-5% annually between 2003 and 2007. With the global economic downturn in late 2008, South Korean GDP growth slowed to 2.2% in 2008 and declined 0.2% in 2009. In the third quarter of 2009, the economy began to recover.

[13] The 2003 Human Development Data reported South Koran ODA 2003 contributions to be $1,850 million, in 2008 it was reported to be $800 million. South Korea is the first new member of OECDs DAC (effective 2010) since Greece in 1999.

[14] The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has a rudimentary, but improving, road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Economic growth has reduced official poverty rates from 46% in 1992 to 26% in 2009. Laos launched an effort to ensure the collection of taxes in 2009 as the global economic slowdown reduced revenues from mining projects. The World Bank has declared that Laos's goal of graduating from the UN Development Program's list of least-developed countries by 2020 is achievable. According Laotian officials, the 7th Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2011-15 will outline efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals.

[15] Macau's economy enjoyed strong growth in 2009 despite the global economic slowdown, largely on the back of strong tourism and gaming sectors. Macau's gaming and tourism businesses were fueled by China's decision to relax travel restrictions on Chinese citizens wishing to visit Macau. By 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 70% of total government revenue. This city of nearly 570,000 hosted more than 21 million visitors in 2009. Almost 51% came from mainland China.

[16] Tourism, Maldives' largest economic activity, accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade, and registered 18% in 2006, due to a rebound in tourism and reconstruction following the tsunami of December 2004. GDP slowed in 2007-08, then contracted in 2009 due to the global recession. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.

[17] Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. The government is also trying to lessen its dependence on state oil producer Petronas, which supplies 40% of government revenue. The central bank maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and its well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis. Nevertheless, decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods hurt Malaysia's exports and economic growth in 2009, although both began showing signs of recovery late in the year. In June 2010 NAJIB will introduce the Tenth Malaysia Plan, outlining new reforms. NAJIB already has introduced several reforms in the services sector in a bid to attract direct foreign investment, which has stagnated in recent years.

[18] After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network. The Marshall Islands received more than $1 billion in aid from the US from 1986-2002. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

[19] In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid. Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023.

[20] Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to privatization. Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices and new gold production. In 2008 Mongolia experienced a soaring inflation rate with year-to-year inflation reaching nearly 30% - the highest inflation rate in over a decade. By late 2008, as the country began to feel the effects of the global financial crisis, falling commodity prices helped lower inflation, but also reduced government revenues and forced cuts in spending. In early 2009, the International Monetary Fund reached a $236 million Stand-by Arrangement with Mongolia, and the country has started to move out of the crisis, although the banking sector remains unstable. In October 2009, the government passed long-awaited legislation on an investment agreement to develop Mongolia's Oyu Tolgoi mine, considered to be one of the world's largest untapped copper deposits. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily influenced by its neighbors. Mongolia purchases 95% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Trade with China represents more than half of Mongolia's total external trade - China receives about two-thirds of Mongolia's exports.

[21] Reserves of phosphates may only last until 2010 at current mining rates. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. Nauru lost further revenue in 2008 with the closure of Australia's refugee processing center, making it almost totally dependent on food imports and foreign aid. Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant is deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continues to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

[22] Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence. New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.

[23] Per capita income rose for ten consecutive years until 2007 in purchasing power parity terms, but fell in 2008-09. The economy fell into recession before the start of the global financial crisis and contracted for five consecutive quarters in 2008-09. The economy posted a 1.4% decline in 2009, but pulled out of recession late in the year.

[24] Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

[25] The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with up to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia.

[26] Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. A consortium led by a major American oil company plans to begin the commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility that could begin exporting in 2013 or 2014; the largest investment project in the country's history, it received a green light in December 2009 and has the potential to double GDP in the near-term and triple Papua New Guinea's export revenue.

[27] Philippine GDP grew barely 1% in 2009 but the economy weathered the 2008-09 global recession better than its regional peers due to minimal exposure to securities issued by troubled global financial institutions; lower dependence on exports; relatively resilient domestic consumption, supported by large remittances from four-to five-million overseas Filipino workers; and a growing business process outsourcing industry. Economic growth in the Philippines has averaged 4.5% per year since 2001.

[28] New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely damaged Samoa, and nearby American Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. .

[29] American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency is overseeing a relief program of nearly $25 million.

[30] Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing financial services sector. Real GDP growth averaged 6.8% between 2004 and 2008, but contracted 2.1% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis. The economy has begun to rebound in 2010 and the government predicts growth of 3-5% for the year. Over the longer term, the government hopes to establish a new growth path that focuses on raising productivity growth, which has sunk to 1% per year in the last decade.

[31] In 2009, Taiwan's GDP fell by 2.5%, due primarily to a 20% year-on-year decline in exports. Taiwan's birth rate of only 1.2 child per woman is among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues. Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over 65 accounting for 10.8% of the island's total population as of the end of 2009. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are the world's fourth largest, behind China, Japan, and Russia.

[32] Thailand enjoyed solid growth from 2000 to 2008 - averaging more than 4% per year - as it recovered from the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 severely cut Thailand's exports, with most sectors experiencing double-digit drops. In 2009, the economy contracted 2.8%.

[33] Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $10 million annually in 2008 and 2009 - to maintain public services. New Zealand's support amounts to 80% of Tokelau's recurrent government budget. An international trust fund, currently worth nearly US$32 million, was established in 2004 to provide Tokelau an independent source of revenue. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand.

[34] Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

[35] The global recession has hurt Vietnam's export-oriented economy with GDP growing less than the 7% per annum average achieved during the last decade. In 2009 exports fell nearly 10% year-on-year. Vietnam's managed currency, the dong, faced downward pressure through 2009, leading the government to devalue it by more than 5% in December.