1. East Asia & SE Asia Mongolia, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, & the Philippines

2. Mongolia Mongolia was a communist nation from 1921- 1992 under the influence of the Soviet Union Became a democratic Parliamentary Republic in 1992 Switch to a market economy had a few problems, high inflation & food shortages Has good relations with Russia, China, North & South Korea, Japan, & the USA

3. China Most populous nation Totalitarian Communist nation Currently allowing more capitalist ideas to filter in 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising caused another crack down Dilemma-How to become part of the world’s market economy & maintain totalitarian control?

4. China Today Showing off to the world with the Beijing Olympics & the Shanghai World Expo Has power because it is the largest market in the world Also becoming one of the top lenders in the world, recently helped “bail out” the US market Has a horrible human rights record

5. North Korea Totalitarian Communist Regime Led by Kim Jong Un Has been in the news for claiming to have nuclear weapons Arresting 2 US reporters & tried them as spies Sinking a South Korean naval ship at the end of March 2010 in violation of the truce signed in 1953 ending the Korean War

6. North Korea Today

7. South Korea The Republic of Korea was established on August 15, 1945 after it was liberated from Japan with the end of WWII Korea went from being one of the poorest nations in the world immediately after WWII to having one of the 20 largest economies in the world The Asian Financial crisis of 1997-1998 forced economic reforms that have protected them in the recent economic downturn

8. South Korea Today South Korea has built a hi-tech industrialized economy There has been some political issues following the suicide of the former President Roh Moo-Hyun in May 2009 North Korea sank a South Korean naval ship on March 26, 2010 killing 46 of the 104 sailors on board, they have taken the issue to the U.N. Security Council

9. Vietnam

10. Images of Vietnam

13. Thailand Constitutional Monarchy Has seen rapid economic growth due to increased tourism

14. Tsunami December 26, 2004 a 9.1-9.3 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra caused a devastating tsunami Close to 230,000 people died throughout the Indian Ocean Basin, one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history

18. Cambodia Cont’d Vietnamese occupied from 1978-1988, civil war ended in 1991 Government elections held in 1993 & 1998 Pol Pot was captured & tried in 1997, he died under house arrest in April 1998 It is a constitutional monarchy today Elections in July 2008 were peaceful

19. Malaysia Established in 1963 from several independent states Home to Singapore, the busiest port in the world

21. Philippines Former U.S. colony from the Spanish American War Gained independence in 1946 Ruled by dictator Ferdinand Marcos from 1966-1986 Democratic government established in 1986 when Corazon Aquino was elected president Has had relatively peaceful transfers of power for the last 27 years