Country Profiles

Country profiles provide a quick guide to the history, politics and economic background of Asian and Asia-Pacific countries. To read, select a country below or from the left navigation menu.

Afghanistan Afghanistan has struggled with conflict and instability during its recent history. more	American Samoa Samoa is a conservative, Christian society made up of nine volcanic islands. more
Australia Australia is home to a competitive economy and indigenous Aborigines. more	Bangladesh Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries. more
Bhutan Closely allied with India, Bhutan is a small kingdom with two political parties. more	Brunei Though a tiny nation, the sultanate Brunei has one the highest GDPs in Asia. more
Cambodia Cambodian civil wars led to the communist Khmer Rouge seizing control. more	China Communist-ruled China is the world's most populous country. more
Cook Islands The Cook Islands comprise 15 volcanic islands in the South Pacific. more	East Timor East Timor's struggle for independence lasted nearly 30 years. more
Federated States of Micronesia Micronesia consists of about 600 islands. more	Fiji Ethnic conflicts and coups have impacted Fiji's politics and tourism industry. more
French Polynesia The French Polynesia is a territory composed of five island groups. more	Guam The territory Guam is an important part of the US's military strategies. more
Hong Kong S.A.R. The territory Hong Kong boasts a robust, ever- expanding economy. more	India The world's biggest democracy, India is a growing global power. more