ASEAN Region and Its Diversity

There are 10 nations in the ASEAN region. Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam are located in mainland Southeast Asia, whereas Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines are in the maritime region.

Formed in 1967, the ASEAN region contains rich cultural diversity and a strong emerging economy. The year 2015 heralded a new chapter in the regions history with the formalization of the political security, economic, and socio-cultural communities, all of which aim to bring the nations closer together to achieve sustained peace, a thriving single market, and a common identity. The region’s population, trade, GDP per capita and life expectancy (see infographic) have all shown significant improvement since its formation.

Our discussion in this course will focus on ASEAN as a region (vs. as an organization). The nations of the ASEAN region are interconnected through a shared history and culture, as well as other common factors such as the tropical weather and rice cultivation.