Performances of Asia-Pacific Countries : A New Approach

Asian and Pacific countries are rapidly emerging as engines of global growth. In 2006, the 7.9 percent increase in the size of the region''s developing economies represented a third of world-wide growth. Developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region grew at 7.9%, up from 7.6% in 2005. The region''s impressive economic performance was against the backdrop of a present world-wide depression. In this context, it is of highly significant to observe whether the countries of the region are also improving in other aspects of human life, such as, social, environmental aspects. This book attempts to examine the socio-economic-environmental performances of the fifteen major countries of the Asia-Pacific region over last three decades: 1975 to 2005. The countries are : Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand.