Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific (abbreviated as Asia-Pac, Asia Pac, Apac, APAC, APJ, JAPA or JAPAC) is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean. The region varies in size depending on context, but it typically includes at least much of East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.
The term may also include Russia (on the North Pacific) and countries in North and South America which are on the coast of the Eastern Pacific Ocean; the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, for example, includes Canada, Chile, Russia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States.
Alternatively, the term sometimes comprises all of Asia and Australasia as well as small/medium/large Pacific island nations - for example when dividing the world into large regions for commercial purposes (e.g. into Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific).
Even though imprecise, the term has become popular since the late 1980s in commerce, finance and politics because, though the economies within the region are heterogeneous, they are mostly emerging markets experiencing rapid growth. (Compare the concept/acronym APEJ or APeJ - Asia-Pacific excluding Japan.[1])
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The Asia-Pacific region generally includes:
ASEAN+3 |
Others |
Country or territory |
Area km² |
Population | Population density per km² |
GDP millions of USD (2009) |
GDP per capita USD (2009) |
Capital |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 199 | 55,519 | 326 | 537 | 7,874 | Pago Pago |
Australia | 7,617,930 | 22,462,842 | 3 | 920,000 | 41,500 | Canberra |
Brunei | 5,765 | 407,000 | 70 | 14,700 | 36,700 | Bandar Seri Begawan |
Cambodia | 181,035 | 14,805,000 | 82 | 10,900 | 800 | Phnom Penh |
China | 9,671,018 | 1,339,530,000 | 138 | 4,911,000 | 3,700 | Beijing |
East Timor | 14,874 | 1,171,000 | 76 | 599 | 500 | Dili |
Hong Kong | 1,104 | 7,055,071 | 6,390 | 210,730 | 30,000 | - |
India | 3,287,263 | 1,210,193,422 | 365 | 4,060,000 | 3,339 | New Delhi |
Indonesia | 1,904,569 | 237,556,363 | 126 | 514,900 | 2,200 | Jakarta |
Japan | 377,944 | 127,470,000 | 337 | 5,073,000 | 39,700 | Tokyo |
Laos | 236,800 | 6,320,000 | 27 | 5,721 | 900 | Vientiane |
Macau | 29 | 541,200 | 18,662 | 21,700 | 39,800 | - |
Malaysia | 329,847 | 28,318,000 | 86 | 191,399 | 7,525 | Kuala Lumpur |
Mongolia | 1,564,116 | 2,736,800 | 2 | 4,212 | 1,500 | Ulan Bator |
Myanmar | 676,578 | 50,496,000 | 74 | 26,820 | 500 | Naypyidaw |
New Zealand | 268,021 | 4,357,437 | 16 | 109,600 | 25,500 | Wellington |
North Korea | 120,540 | 23,906,000 | 198 | 27,820 | 1,200 | Pyongyang |
Papua New Guinea | 462,840 | 6,732,000 | 15 | 8,200 | 1,200 | Port Moresby |
Philippines | 299,764 | 91,983,000 | 307 | 158,700 | 1,700 | Manila |
Singapore | 710 | 4,987,600 | 7,023 | 177,133 | 35,500 | City of Singapore |
South Korea | 100,140 | 50,062,000 | 500 | 800,300 | 20,000 | Seoul |
Taiwan | 36,191 | 23,119,772 | 639 | 379,400 | 16,400 | Taipei |
Thailand | 513,120 | 67,764,000 | 132 | 263,510 | 3,900 | Bangkok |
Vietnam | 331,210 | 88,069,000 | 265 | 97,119 | 1,100 | Hanoi |
Based on Forbes' 2011 list of the world's billionaires, Asia Pacific has 332 billionaires worth $996 billion, while Europe has 300 billionaires worth $1.3 trillion.[2]
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