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-18561051141095IntroductionThis book has been created to help students research different regions of the world. It is very important to know information about the country that we live in, but it is just as important to understand our neighbors and what makes us different. No two countries are the same in size, shape, population, or culture. Each of these things make a country special. I hope that you enjoy studying the different regions of the world with this book. Ms. Samantha McSparrinVolunteer English TeacherPeam Chikang High School2010-2012General World InformationThere are 7 continents around the world. These include Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.There are 5 oceans in the world. These include the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic Oceans.There are currently 196 countries in the world and 192 countries are members of the United Nations (an international organization for law, peace and security).There are about 7 billion people living in the world.The largest population is in China, followed by India and the United States of America.The smallest population is in the Vatican City.The largest country in the world (land area) is Russia.The smallest country in the world (land area) is the Vatican City.The top 3 languages with the most native speakers are Mandarin (Chinese), Spanish, and English.Several places in the world are going to disappear because of global warming, pollution, and changes in the water level. The sites include Glacier National Park (USA), Venice, Italy, the Dead Sea (near Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan), and Mexico City, Mexico. The newest country in the world is South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011. Christianity is the most common religion in the world with 2.1 billion followers, which equals 33% of the world population. This is followed by Islam with 1.5 billion (21%), Hinduism with 900 million (14%), Buddhism with 376 million (6%), Sikhism with 23 million (0.36%) and Judaism with 14 million (0.22%).ASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian NationsASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian NationsGeneral InformationSoutheast Asia is a sub region of Asia that is south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia.Not all countries in Southeast Asia are members of ASEAN. East Timor, Christmas Island, Hong Kong, Macau and some of the islands off of the coast of India do not have membership in the association.The total population of ASEAN members is approximately 593,000,000.The total area of ASEAN members totals approximately 5,000,000 km2.Islam is the most commonly practiced religion in the region, followed by Christianity and Hinduism.There are many volcanoes in the region because of the geological plates. Many of these are still active. Many of the countries in Southeast Asia are made of groups of small islands. These islands have been formed after volcanoes erupt and leave lava which hardens and forms land.The climate is mostly tropical. It is hot and humid during most of the year and there is a lot of rainfall. There is a hot and cool season, as well as a monsoon season. There are hundreds, possibly thousands of different languages spoken in Southeast Asia. Minority groups within each country often have their own languages, such as the Cham in Cambodia. Many of these languages are only spoken and have no system of writing. Just like other areas of the world, Southeast Asia has had many wars and a lot of violence in recent history. Many countries were affected by World War II and the Vietnam War. Many countries have also have problems within the country, such as in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge and the civil war in Burma that began in 1948. ASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian NationsFlags of Member NationsIndonesiaMalaysiaThe PhilippinesSingaporeThailandBruneiVietnamLaosMyanmarCambodiaASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian NationsOverviewESTABLISHMENT The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, who were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.Brunei then joined on?7 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.AIMS AND PURPOSESAs set out in the ASEAN Declaration, the aims and purposes of ASEAN are:To accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations;To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter;To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields;To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres;To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization of their agriculture and industries, the expansion of their trade, including the study of the problems of international commodity trade, the improvement of their transportation and communications facilities and the raising of the living standards of their peoples;To promote Southeast Asian studies; andTo maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among rmation from: DarussalamOfficial Name: State of Brunei Darussalem or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of PeaceHead of State: His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Head of Government : Prime Minister Hassanal BolkiahCapital City: Bandar Seri Begawan Other major cities: Sengkurong, Gadong, BerakasLanguage(s): Malay, English Currency: Bruneian Dollar (1.3 BND = $1 USD)Religion: Islam (66%), Buddhism, ChristianityLand area: 5,765 km2Population: 401,890Bordering country: Malaysia Tourist Attractions: Royal Regalia Museum, Omar, Ali, Saifuddien and Mosque, Ulu Temburong National ParkRecent History: Brunei became a protectorate of Britain in 1888, after it had been having trouble and losing some land to other countries. During World War II (1941-1945), the Japanese Empire took control. After the war, the United Kingdom was in control of the country again. In 1959, a new constitution was written that let the people of Brunei be in control of their business domestically, while the United Kingdom was still in control of Brunei’s foreign affairs, security and defense internationally. In 1984, Brunei gained its independence and took control of both domestic and international affairs. Today it is an absolute monarchy with a sultan (ruler of an Islamic country) as leader. In 1962, there was a small group of people who wanted to fight against the monarchy. The United Kingdom helped to stop this fighting, which was called the “Brunei Revolt”. The fighting caused problems with other countries on the island of Borneo, and was partially responsible for the failure to create the North Borneo Federation. This country has had a lot of economic growth. Brunei is now considered to be an industrialized (developed) country. It is considered to have the second highest development rating in Southeast Asia, after Singapore who is number one. It also has very good rating from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This country is very strong and is able to buy very many things. The current sultan of Brunei, Sultan Bolkiah, was crowned in 1967 when he was only 22 years old. This family has been in power for many generations. The sultan became very wealthy for selling an oil field. Brunei is a very rich country, and the sultan is believed to be one of the richest men in the world. CambodiaOfficial Name: The Kingdom of CambodiaHead of State: His Majesty King Norodom SihamoniHead of Government: Prime Minister Hun Sen Capital City: Phnom Penh Other major cities: Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang, Kampong ChamLanguage: Khmer Currency: Riel (4100 riel = $1 USD)Religion: Theravada Buddhism (97%), Islam, ChristianityLand area: 181, 035 km2Population: 14 millionBordering countries: Vietnam, Thailand and LaosTourist Attractions: Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, National Museum, Royal Palace, Killing Fields, Beaches, Eco-TourismRecent history: King Norodom asked for protection from the French in 1863 because of problems with Thailand and Vietnam. Cambodia became a part of French Indochina and was also occupied by the Japanese Empire from 1941-1945 during World War II. Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. Fighting between the Vietnam and Cambodia resulted in bombing and many Cambodians becoming refugees. During this time there were very few resources in Cambodia, little money, and not enough food for the people. The Khmer Rouge came into power in 1975 and claimed to want to solve these problems. This regime was officially called Democratic Kampuchea and was led by Pol Pot. The cities were immediately evacuated and the people were made to become rice farmers and go back to the lifestyle of the 11th century. They did not allow Western medicine, religion, education or any Western influence during this time. At least 1 million Cambodians died because of lack of food, lack of medicine, overwork and execution, but there may have been many more people who died during the regime. In November 1978, Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia because the Khmer Rouge had caused problems at the border. During the 1980s, the Khmer Rouge stayed in power in Cambodia with support from China, Thailand, The United States and The United Kingdom. The Khmer Rouge controlled the country and made attacks to places where they were not in control. These attacks left a lot of damage in Cambodia and made the financial problems even worse for the country. Peace efforts began in 1989 and finally resulted in 1991 when the United Nations came to Cambodia. In 1993, King Norodom Sihanouk was restored as king of Cambodia. This is the only country which has had a king who returned to power after a communist regime. Trials are currently happening for the leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Kang Kek Lew (known as Duch) was the first member of the group that was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was the leader of the S21 extermination camp in Phnom Penh. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The trials for three other members, Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary, began in November 2011. Pol Pot passed away in 1998 before he was ever tried or punished for any crimes. IndonesiaOfficial Name: Republic of IndonesiaHead of State: President Susilo Bambang YudhoyonoCapital City: JakartaOther major cities: Surabaya, Bandung, BaliLanguage: IndonesianCurrency: Rupiah (9,075 IDR = $1 USD)Religion: Islam (87%), Christianity, Hinduism, BuddhismLand area: 1,919,440 km2Population: 437,424,363 Bordering countries: Papua New Guinea, East Timor and MalaysiaTourist Attractions: Beach resorts of Bali and Lombok, crater lakes in Kelimutu and Danua Toba, monument to Buddha in BorobudurRecent history: Foreign powers have been attracted to the many natural resources on the islands of Indonesia for centuries. Muslims came to the Indonesia and brought the religion on Islam. Later Europeans came and introduced Christianity. The Dutch arrived in the early 1600s and established the Dutch East Indies. They were in power for over 3 centuries. During the National Revolution, the Indonesians fought for their independence. They were occupied they the Japanese Empire during World War II, when an estimated 4 million Indonesians died because of starvation and forced labor. After the war, the Dutch tried to regain control, but they were not successful and Indonesia finally gained their independence in 1949.The communist party in Indonesia was blamed for trying to overthrow the state in 1965. During this time, approximately 500,000 people were killed. The military stopped the communists and the country formed a “New Order” to help control the situation. Indonesia suffered very much during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. People were very unhappy with the government and blamed the problems on the “New Order”. These problems caused the military leader, General Suharto, to resign in 1998. After that, East Timor decided to secede from Indonesia and stop the 25 year military occupation. Since that time, Indonesia has focused on strengthening the democratic process. There have been problems with political and economic stability, social unrest, corruption and terrorism. The many different religious, social and ethnic groups do not usually have problems, but occasionally there are disagreements which lead to violence. Things have been better recently and the country was able to have the first direct presidential election in 2004. The country is made up of about 17,508 islands. These often suffer from storms and earthquakes. Heavy rains sometimes cause landslides which have killed many people. There are also many volcanoes that are active on the islands LaosOfficial Name: Lao People’s Democratic RepublicHead of State: President Choummaly SayasoneHead of Government: Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong Capital City: Vientiane Other major cities: Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and PakseLanguage: LaoCurrency: Kip (7,965 LAK = $1 USD)Religion: Theravada Buddhism (67%), Christianity, IslamLand area: 236,800 km2Population: 6.8 millionBordering countries: Burma, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, ThailandTourist Attractions: Luang Prabang, temples in Vientiane, trekking and visiting hill tribesRecent history:This country once consisted of 3 kingdoms: the Kingdom of Luang Prabang, the Kingdom of Vientiane, and the Kingdom of Champasak. In 1893, it became a French protectorate and came together to form what we now call Laos. Like many other countries in Southeast Asia, it was occupied the Japanese Empire during World War II (1941-1945). For a short time after the war, Laos became independent, but they were soon controlled by the French again. They became independent in 1954 with a constitutional monarchy. Not long after Laos gained its independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy and the communist party took control of the country. The northern part of Laos became involved with the northern Vietnamese and allowed them to use land and weapons to attack South Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). At that time, the United States was supporting South Vietnam and helped to bomb Laos and invade the country to attack the communists. Laos is thought to be the most heavily bombed country in the world, and many Laotians died as a result of these weapons. These problems caused a civil war in Laos. The Pathet Lao (a communist political group), with support from the Vietnam People’s Army and the Soviet Union, took control in 1975. Laos is now a socialist republic. Laos is very important for providing electricity to its neighboring countries such as Thailand, China, and Vietnam. The country’s economy is also growing because of the growing need for its metals. MalaysiaOfficial Name: MalaysiaHead of State: Mazan Zainal Abidin of TerengganuHead of Government: Najib Razak Capital City: Kuala LumpurOther major cities: Subang Jaya, Klang, Johor BahruLanguage(s): Malay, English, Chinese, TamilCurrency: Ringgit (3.16 MYR = $1 USD)Religion: Islam (61%), Buddhism, Christianity, HinduismLand area: 329,847 km2Population: 28,334,135Bordering countries: Thailand, Brunei, and IndonesiaTourist Attractions: Islands groups of Pulau Langkawi and Palau Perhentian, night market in Kota Bharu, and tea plantations in Cameron HighlandsRecent history:Malaysia was a colony of Britain until 1957. The country became independent, but there were still many challenges for them to manage. They had to decide which of the territories would become a part of the new state of Malaysia. In 1961, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined Malaysia to make up a new federal union. In 1965, Singapore peacefully decided to leave the union. Because Malaysia was growing, Indonesia’s president decided to attack parts of Malaysia on the island of Borneo and on the peninsula. Indonesia was unsuccessful though.Malaysia also had problems because there were many people from different races and cultures. It was difficult for the country to decide what a national identity would be. The majority of the population was Malay and they had a lot of power in the government. Malay was the national language and Islam became the national religion. The Chinese were very powerful in business and trading and the Malay people were suffering financially. The government (which was controlled by the United Malay National Organization) passed a new law that would help the Malay people to have better opportunities and give them an advantage over the Chinese. The Chinese were not happy about the new situation, so they created a new government party to oppose the Malay. In 1969, there were riots in Kuala Lumpur because they two parties were still fighting. Malaysia was in a state of emergency for two years. This was a bad time for the country and many people try to forget about it. Malaysia has become very powerful in the last 20 years. The country has grown very much and now has very good race relations. Many people think that the leader, Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammed was very important in helping the country grow between 1981 and 2003.Myanmar (Burma)Official Name: Republic of the Union of MyanmarHead of State: President Thein Sein Capital City: Nay Pyi Taw Other major cities: Rangoon, Mandalay, MawlamyineLanguage: Burmese Currency: Kyat (6.14 MK = $1 USD)Religion: Buddhism (89%), Christianity, IslamLand area: 676,578 km2Population: 60,280,000Bordering countries: China, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, and IndiaTourist Attractions: Buddhist temples in Bagan, Inle Lake, the old city of Mandalay, trekkingRecent history:During the Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826) and the years that followed, the British East India Company took control of the country of Burma. In 1886, Burma became a part of India, then is became a separate colony in 1937. During World War II, Burma was a very important country for supplying goods to China. The Japanese Empire came into the country by December 1941 and by May 1942 they were in control of the country. Other countries came in to help Burma remove the Japanese at the end of the war in 1945.Burma became an independent country in 1948. In 1962, there were problems with politics and the constitution was suspended. The group who took over wanted a “Burmese way of socialism”. The problems continued for 25 years, which caused economic problems for the country. In 1987 and 1988, the people of Burma began to demand a change but the government would not let them speak up. In 1989, the military government officially changed the name of the country to Myanmar.During the 1990s, different government parties continued to fight and argue over who would take control of the country. Many were protesting, but this caused some people to be arrested or go into hiding. During this time, the people were repressed and life was very difficult.There are problems with disagreements between ethnic groups, bad finances, bombings and corruption. The country has been fighting against drugs, a lack of university education and the AIDS epidemic. The military has been known to attack citizens who are protesting against the government, even shooting people in crowds and arresting Buddhist monks. Many people have died, many are homeless, and others have been held in prison because of their political beliefs. It is difficult for foreigners to enter the country, even if they are trying to help development.In October 2010, the country had the first elections in 20 years. The previous leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, (who was detained because of her political beliefs) was finally released. She asked the people to have a “peaceful revolution”. Now the country is considered to be democratic. The new government began meeting in January 2011.The PhilippinesOfficial Name: The Republic of the PhilippinesHead of State: President Benigno S. Aquino III Capital City: Manila Other major cities: Quezon City, Caloocan, Davoa CityLanguage(s): Filipino, English, Spanish Currency: Peso (43 PHP = $1 USD)Religion: Christianity (90%), IslamLand area: 299,764 km2Population: 94,013,200Bordering Countries: noneTourist Attractions: Islands and beaches, trekking in Banaue and Rice Terraces, Cordillera Mountains Recent history: During the 1800s, the Philippines were a Spanish colony. In 1898, the Spanish-American War began in Cuba and moved to the Philippines. The president claimed independence from Spain at that time and created the First Philippine Republic. Because of the war at that time, the islands were given from Spain to the United States. The United States did not recognize the First Philippine Republic and wanted to keep control, which caused the Philippine-American War. America was in control until World War II (1941) when the Japanese Empire invaded the islands. This was a very difficult time and many war crimes were committed. The allies (China, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and others) came to the Philippines and stopped the Japanese. About 1 million Philippine people died during this time. The Philippines finally got its independence on July 4, 1946. They had many problems at that time because they were trying to recover from the war. In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected president. He served a second term as president, but was not allowed to serve a third. He declared martial law, which means that he took control by himself without permission from the government. Because of the other problems in the country at the time, he was able to keep control until 1983. There was another election in 1986 and Marcos won, but many people were not happy about this and he eventually had to leave the country. Corazon Aquino was recognized as president.After 1986, the country had problems with national debt, government corruption, people who wanted to take control and problems with different religions. The economy is now improving and the Philippines is growing and developing. SingaporeOfficial Name: The Republic of SingaporeHead of State: President Tony Tan Keng YamHead of Government: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Capital City: Singapore Other major cities: noneLanguage(s): English, Malay, Mandarin, TamilCurrency: Singapore Dollar (1.3 SGD = $1 USD)Religion: Buddhism (33%), Christianity, Islam, Taoism, HinduismLand area: 694 km2Population: 5,183,700Bordering countries: Malaysia and IndonesiaTourist Attractions: Asian Civilizations Museum, Little India, Singapore Zoo/ night safariRecent history:In 1819, Thomas Raffles arrived in Singapore to develop a trading post with the British East India Company. Five years later, the entire island became a British colony. When Raffles first arrived in Singapore, there were only 1,000 people there. After 50 years, there were more than 100,000 people because of immigration.During World War II (1941-1945), Singapore was invaded by the Japanese Empire. They did not want to give up their land, so they fought the Battle of Singapore. The British were defeated and the Japanese took the land in February 1942. The Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, called this “the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history.” There was also a massacre of ethnic Chinese in Singapore, during which time 5,000 to 25,000 were killed. The Japanese were on the island until the war ended in 1945 and Britain took back the land. Singapore had their first elections in 1955. The leaders wanted complete control but the British would not allow it. The new leader convinced Britain to let Singapore control their own government, but Britain was in control of defense and foreign affairs. In 1963, Singapore declared independence from Britain. They joined the new Federation of Malaysia, but soon after decided to leave the group. In 1965, the country became the Republic of Singapore.In 1967, Singapore helped to create the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It now has a very strong economy and is a very important country for trade, health care, and education in the region. ThailandOfficial Name: The Kingdom of ThailandHead of State: His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej Head of Government: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Capital City: BangkokOther major cities: Nakhon, Muneang, TambonLanguage: Thai Currency: Baht (31 TBH = $1 USD)Religion: Theravada Buddhism (95%), Islam, ChristianityLand area: 513,120 km2Population: 66,720,153Bordering countries: Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and MalaysiaTourist Attractions: Beaches and islands, trekking in Pai, Kao Sok National Park, PhuketRecent history: Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia which has never been colonized by another country. There have been many good rulers during the past 400 years which have been strong enough to prevent the French or British from taking control of the country. There has been some land that was traded back and forth between Thailand and Cambodia, and they lost some of the land in the south to Malaysia. In 1932, there was a revolution because the people wanted to have a constitution and end the centuries of having an absolute monarchy. A few years later during World War II, the Japanese Empire demanded to move their military across Thailand. This caused fighting between the Japanese and Thai armies, but shortly after the fighting stopped and the soldiers were allowed to cross the country. Because of this, Japan helped Thailand get some land back from France and Britain. Thailand joined the war against the United States and the United Kingdom in 1942 to help Japan. After the war, Thailand once again became a friend of the United States.The 1997 Constitution was the first to be written by people who were elected, rather than people who were chosen by the leader. This set up a more honest system of government and allows the people better representation. The 2001 election was considered to be the most open and corruption free election in Thai history. Even though things seemed to be going well, the military still came in and took control of the government. There were many different leaders over the next several years because of scandals and corruption. In April 2010, there were protests by the “Red Shirt” group who opposed the government. During this time, 87 people died and 1,378 were injured. The army was shooting the crowds and using bombs. Since the most recent election on July 3, 2011, the fighting has stopped within the government. There has been some fighting though with their neighbors, Cambodia, because both sides want to take control of Preah Vihear Temple on the border. VietnamOfficial Name: The Socialist Republic of VietnamHead of State: President Nguyen Minh Triet Head of Government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung Capital City: Ha NoiOther major cities: Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Can ThoLanguage: Vietnamese Currency: Dong (21,000 VND = $1 USD)Religion: Buddhism (85%), ChristianityLand area: 331,698 km2Population: 90,549,390Bordering countries: China, Laos and CambodiaTourist Attractions: Halong Bay, beach at Nha Trang, historic town of Hoi An, Phong Nha CaveRecent history:Vietnam was a part of French Indochina after 1985. The French made a lot of political and cultural changes to the Vietnamese, including religion and trade. They were in control until World War II (1941-1945) when the Japanese Empire invaded the country. Life was very difficult during this time, and approximately 2 million Vietnamese died because there was not enough food. During the war, a communist group developed who wanted to get independence from France and Japan. At the end of the war in 1945, the group (called Viet Minh) took control of Hanoi and claimed independence. The French tried to return, but this time the Vietnamese fought back. This was called the First Indochina War and it lasted until 1954. The Vietnamese communist leader, Ho Chi Minh, made negotiations with France to stop the fighting, and the country became divided between the north and south. Soon after, many northern Vietnamese moved south because they were afraid of the communist government. In the north, guerrilla fighters tried to take control of the government. Many people were killed or did not have enough food. The south also had many problems. The leaders there banned communism and supported the Catholic religion. Many people died during this time, and the United States stopped supporting the South Vietnam. Several military groups tried to take control, but they were all very short and unstable. That allowed the North Vietnamese to move in. The United States military began to help the south to keep the communists out. In 1965, there were 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam. North Vietnam used a route called the Ho Chi Minh Trail (which passed through Laos and Cambodia) to get to South Vietnam. The United States bombed parts of Laos and Cambodia to stop the spread of communism. In 1973, America sent soldiers back home because so many were dying and the rest of the world did not like the war and what was happening to Vietnam. Some fighting continued, and the North Vietnamese took control of parts of the south. In 1976, the north and south came together to become the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.In 1978, the Vietnamese military invaded Cambodia to stop the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge had caused genocide in Cambodia but had also attacked many villages on the Vietnam border. They stayed in Cambodia until 1989.AfricaList of Countries in AfricaAlgeriaAngolaBeninBotswanaBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadComorosDemocratic Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoCote d’IvoireDjiboutiEgyptEquatorial GuineaEritreaEthiopiaGabonThe GambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea- BissauKenyaLesothoLiberiaLibyaMadagascarMalawiMaliMauritaniaMauritiusMoroccoMozambiqueNamibiaNigerNigeriaRwandaSao Tome and PrincipeSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSudanSwazilandTanzaniaTogoTunisiaUgandaZambiaZimbabwe**Some countries may be listed in multiple regions because they are at the border of two geographical or cultural areas.**General Information about AfricaAfrica is the second largest continent with the second largest population, after Asia. Most scientists believe that the earliest humans came from this area, particularly in eastern Africa near Ethiopia. They have found evidence of human life from approximately 200,000 years ago. During the 1800-1900s, many European countries colonized parts of Africa. Since African countries have gained their independence, there have been problems with instability, corruption, violence and authoritarian leaders. Most countries in Africa now have a presidential system of government. Population: 1,022,234,000 (about 14.72% of the world’s total population)Area: 30,221,532 km2 (20.4% of the world’s total land area)Languages: There are approximately 2000 different languages spoken in Africa. It is the most multilingual continent in the world.Religions: Islam and Christianity are two major religions, but there are also many traditional African religions.Climate: Africa is situated on the equator and is the only continent to stretch from both the northern temperate climate to the southern temperate climate. It is the hottest continent on Earth. There are many different climates including tropical and subarctic areas, jungles and deserts. Largest Country: AlgeriaSmallest Country: SeychellesEconomy: Even though Africa has many natural resources, it is still the poorest and least developed continent in the world. This could be because of the many diseases (including malaria and HIV/AIDS), government corruption and illiteracy that make it difficult for people to improve their standard of living.List of Countries in AsiaAfghanistanArmeniaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBhutan BruneiCambodiaChinaCyprusGeorgiaIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelJapanJordanKazakhstanKorea, NorthKorea, SouthKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLebanonMalaysiaMaldivesMongoliaMyanmarNepalOmanPakistanThe PhilippinesQatarRussiaSaudi ArabiaSingaporeSri LankaSyriaTaiwan (territory of China)TajikistanThailandTimor LesteTurkeyTurkmenistanUnited Arab EmiratesUzbekistanVietnamYemen**Some countries may be listed in multiple regions because they are at the border of two geographical or cultural areas.**General Information about AsiaAsia is the world’s largest and most populated continent. Because Asia is so large, there are many different cultures, ethnic groups, climates and historical records. There are several mountain ranges on the continent, especially in the east. The top 10 tallest mountains in the world are located in Asia. Population: 3,879,000,000 (about 60% of the world’s total population)Area: 44,579,000 km2 (30% of the world’s total land area)Languages: Most countries in Asia have more than one language. For example, Indonesia has approximately 600 spoken languages and there are about 800 in India.Religions: There are many different religions and philosophical beliefs in Asia. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity are popular religions. Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism and Sikhism and Animism are also practiced in some regions.Climate: Because Asia is so large, there are many different climates. Some of the hottest and coldest places in the world are located there. The north and the mountains in the east are very cold. The south is tropical and there are monsoons during much of the year.Largest Country: RussiaSmallest Country: MaldivesEconomy: Asia has the second largest gross domestic product (GDP) after Europe. The largest economies are in China, Japan, India, South Korea and Indonesia. There are many mineral-rich countries in western Asia. East and Southeast Asia are important for manufacturing.AntarcticaGeneral Information about AntarcticaAntarctica is the world’s southernmost continent, located around the South Pole. About 98% of the continent is covered in a layer of ice that is about 1.6 kilometers thick. There are no people who live in Antarctica permanently, only researchers and scientists who go there to study. Only plants and animals which are able to survive in the extremely cold weather live on the continent. Population: There are no permanent residents, but approximately 1,000 people are there doing research in the winter and 5,000 in the summer. Most people only stay there for 1 year.Area: 14,000,000 km2 (the world’s 5th largest continent)Languages: English, French, Russian, Norwegian and Spanish speaking countries have large research stations in Antarctica.Religions: There is a Christian church which was built by the Russian explorers. The continent has no religion and people are free to practice their own religion. Climate: This is the coldest, driest and windiest continent. It is considered to be a desert because it has very little rainfall. The temperature has reached -89 degrees Celsius.Economy: There is very small economy in Antarctica because many countries have agreed to protect the environment and to not fight over the resources. There are few resources and they would be difficult to collect because of the cold temperature. The main industry is fishing.Australia and OceaniaList of Countries in Australia and OceaniaAustraliaEast TimorFijiKiribatiMarshall IslandsFederated States of MicronesiaNauruNew ZealandPalauPapua New GuineaSamoaSolomon IslandsTongaTuvaluVanuatuGeneral Information about Australia and OceaniaOceania is a group of approximately 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, including Australia and New Zealand. Population: 35,670,000Area: 8,563,716 km2 Languages: English is most common, but there 28 other official languages on the islands. Religions: Christianity is the largest religion in the area, but some believe in animism or claim to have no religion.Climate: Much of Oceania is tropical or subtropical. The weather varies in Australia, but the seasons are opposite from America or Europe because the whole continent is south of the equator.Largest Country: AustraliaEconomy: Australia and New Zealand have very strong economies and many of the small islands depend on trade with these countries. Many people in this region work in the tourism industry.EuropeList of Countries in EuropeAlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustriaBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyKosovoLatviaLiechensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUkraineUnited Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)Vatican City**Some countries may be listed in multiple regions because they are at the border of two geographical or cultural areas.**General Information about EuropeEurope is the birthplace of “Western” culture. This region has been very important for international affairs and economy for centuries. It was one of the leaders of colonialism during the 1700-1900s, when many countries in Europe took control of weaker countries on other continents (many in Africa and Asia). The leading political organization in Europe is the European Union, which includes 27 countries. These members are able to trade, travel and share a common currency, the euro.Population: 731,000,000Area: 10,180,000 km2 Languages: Many of the European languages are called “Romance” languages, which come from the Latin languages. Another group of languages is called “Germanic” and they have many similarities amongst themselves. The third group is known as “Slavic”. There are about 230 languages spoken in Europe.Religions: The largest religion is Christianity, followed by Islam. Others include Judaism and Hinduism. Many people in Europe claim to have no religion or they are not practicing. Climate: Europe is mostly in the temperate climate zone. There are 4 seasons with different temperatures depending on the country. There is a wind that blows across parts of Europe which causes the weather to be a little bit warmer than other countries at the same latitude.(for example, Italy is a little bit warmer than New York).Largest Country: RussiaSmallest Country: Vatican CityEconomy: Europe is considered to have the largest economy and be the richest of all the continents. Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and Italy are some of the world’s strongest economies. List of Countries in the Middle East and North AfricaThe Middle East:AfghanistanAzerbaijanBahrainIranIraqJordanIsraelKuwaitLebanonOmanPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesQatarSaudi ArabiaSudanSyriaTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesYemenNorth Africa: AlgeriaEgypt LibyaMoroccoSomaliaTunisia**Some countries may be listed in multiple regions because they are at the border of two geographical or cultural areas.**General Information about the Middle East and North AfricaThis region stretches from the northern part of Africa and across to western Asia. During ancient times, this area was a major center for world affairs. Nowadays, the Middle East is an economically, politically, culturally and religiously sensitive region. There are many different options about where the borders are for this area and what exactly the Middle East is. Population and Area: It is very difficult to determine a population or area for this region because there are various ideas about which countries are included. Languages: Arabic, Persian and Turkish are the 3 most common languages. There are many other spoken by the different ethnic groups. English and French are common second languages. Religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam are believed to have begun in this area. Religion has been the cause of a lot of the instability in this area for centuries. Climate: This area is mostly hot and arid and very dry. There are many deserts covering the region Largest Country: AlgeriaSmallest Country: BahrainEconomy: Many countries around the Persian Gulf have large amounts of crude oil, which help to bring money to the region. Countries in this part of the world are either very wealthy (Qatar or Saudi Arabia) or very poor (such as Yemen). Tourism is undeveloped in the region. North America, Central America and the CaribbeanList of Countries in North America, Central America and the CaribbeanNorth America:CanadaMexicoThe United States of AmericaCentral America:BelizeCosta RicaEl SalvadorGuatemalaHondurasNicaraguaPanamaThe Caribbean: Antigua and BarbadosBahamasBarbadosCubaDominicaDominican RepublicGrenadaHaitiJamaicaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesTrinidad and Tobago**Some countries may be listed in multiple regions because they are at the border of two geographical or cultural areas.**General Information about North America, Central America and the CaribbeanNorth America is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Central America stretches between Mexico and Columbia (South America). The Caribbean island group is located in the Caribbean Sea. When many people say America, they are thinking about the United States. Actually any country in North, Central or South America would be an American.Population: 529 million (4th largest following Asia, Africa and Europe)Area: 24,709,000 (about 16.5% of the world’s total land area)Languages: English and Spanish are the most common, but French is also spoken. Many of the islands have their own indigenous languages.Religions: Christianity is the most popular religion in the region. The highest percentage of Christianity is in Mexico (97%). Many fewer people claim to have no religion, practice Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism.Climate: Because the region begins very far north and reaches to the area around the equator, there are many different climates. Many places are cool and humid.Largest Country: CanadaSmallest Country: Saint Kitts and NevisEconomy: Canada and the United States are the wealthiest and most developed countries in the region. There is a lot of diversity between the economies of different countries. Some are developed, while others have little money and a poor standard of living.List of Countries in South AmericaArgentinaBoliviaBrazilChileColombiaEcuadorGuyanaParaguayPeruSurinameUruguayVenezuela**Some countries may be listed in multiple regions because they are at the border of two geographical or cultural areas.**General Information about South AmericaSouth America is a continent in the southern hemisphere, located between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Music and dancing are very popular in this region. Many people also enjoy watching and playing sports, especially football (American soccer).Population: 385,724,554Area: 17,840,000 km2Languages: Spanish and Portuguese are the two most common languages. More countries have Spanish as an official language, put Brazil is large and has a very large population of Portuguese speakers. Dutch, English and French are less common.Religions: Christianity is the most common religion in South America. Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and some local religions may also be practiced.Climate: Most of the continent is wet and hot all year. There are mountains in the southern part of the continent and the weather can be very cold. There is also a desert, where weather can be very hot and dry.Largest Country: BrazilSmallest Country: SurinameEconomy: Many economies have grown in the last 20 years. Some of the biggest exports are natural resources. Tourism is also very important. There is a huge difference between people who have money and those who don’t. Several countries in South America are known for having slums and difficult living conditions.Provides general information, maps, statistics and quizzes for a wide variety of topics. Association of Southeast Asian NationsProvides information about the member states, structure and current news regarding the organization. The British Broadcasting CompanyOffers news, sports, weather and travel information from around the world. The CIA World FactbookThe United States Central Intelligence Agency provides up-to-date information about history, people, governments, etc from around the world. MonsterOffers educational resources for children, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, games and homework help. Famous WondersProvides list of top cities and tourists attractions in the world, including lists of wonders in each region of the world. ForbesProvides business, financial and technological information, as well as news about the world’s top business leaders. Fun-Interesting FactsHas funny, cool, weird, stupid, and random facts about many different topics. GeographiaOffers information and news articles about countries and regions of the world. InfopleaseHas calendars, historical articles and many research materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias and quizzes. The History ChannelProvides information about world history, people and events with articles, videos and television shows. Lonely PlanetA travel site for people who are planning a vacation, want to research countries, or offer information to help other travelers. TimeProvides information about important people, business, science, technology, politics and other topics from around the world. The Travel ChannelOffers articles, pictures and videos about vacation destinations and helps tourist to make travel plans. UnimapsHas information about maps and flags from around the world. The United NationsThe official site of the organization provides information about member countries, organization news and policies, human rights and development. WikipediaA website used to research any topic, articles can be written and shared by anyone so this might not always be accurate, but a good source for quick information. Provinces of CambodiaBanteay Meanchay-Population: 678,033Area: 6,679 km2Battambang- Population: 1,036,523Area: 11,702 km2Kampong Cham-Population: 1,680,694Area: 9,799 km2Kampong Chhnang-Population: 472,616Area: 5,521 km2Kampong Som-Population: 199,902Area: 868 km2Kampong Speu-Population: 716,517Area: 7,017 km2Kampong Thom-Population: 708,398Area: 13,814 km2Kampot-Population: 585,110Area: 4,873 km2Kandal-Population: 1,265,805Area: 3,568 km2Kep-Population: 40,208Area: 336 km2Koh Kong-Population: 139,722Area: 11,160 km2Kratie-Population: 318,523Area: 11,094 km2Mondulkiri-Population: 60,811Area: 14,288 km2Oddar Meanchay-Population: 185,443Area: 6,158 km2Pailin-Population: 70,482Area: 803 km2Preah Vihear-Population: 170,852Area: 13,788 km2Prey Veng-Population: 947,357Area: 4,883 km2Pursat-Population: 397,107Area: 12,692 km2Ratanakiri-Population: 149,997Area: 10,782 km2Siem Reap-Population: 896,309Area: 10,299 km2Stung Treng-Population: 111,734Area: 11,092 km2Svay Rieng-Population: 482,785Area: 2,966 km2Takeo-Population: 843,931Area: 3,563 km2Members of the United NationsAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColumbiaComorosCongoCosta RicaCote D’IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic People’s Republic of KoreaDemocratic Republic of the CongoDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIran (Islamic Republic of)IraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMicronesia (Federated States of)MonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRepublic of KoreaRepublic of MoldovaRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyrian Arab RepublicTajikistanThailandThe Former Yugoslav Republic of MacedoniaTimor-LesteTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUnited Republic of TanzaniaUnited States of AmericaUruguay UzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)VietnamYemenZambiaZimbabwe5 Most Popular Countries for Tourism1. FranceCapital City: ParisAnnual Visitors: 76.8 million2. The United States of AmericaCapital City: Washington, D.C.Annual Visitors: 59.75 million3. ChinaCapital City: Beijing Annual Visitors: 55.67 million4. SpainCapital City: MadridAnnual Visitors: 52.68 million5. ItalyCapital City: RomeAnnual Visitors: 43.63 million10 Richest People in the World1. Carlos Slim Helu and familyNationality: MexicanAge: 71 years oldNet worth: $74 billionSource of income: telecommunication2. Bill GatesNationality: AmericanAge: 56 years oldNet worth: $56 billionSource of income: Microsoft3. Warren BuffetNationality: AmericanAge: 81 years oldNet worth: $50 billionSource of income: Berkshire Hathaway company, insurance4. Bernard ArnaultNationality: FrenchAge: 62 years oldNet worth: $41 billionSource of income: Louis Vuitton (LVMH)5. Larry EllisonNationality: AmericanAge: 67 years oldNet worth: $39.5 billionSource of income: Oracle, software10 Richest People in the World6. Lakshmi MittalNationality: IndianAge: 61 years oldNet worth: $31.1 billionSource of income: Steel7. Amancio OrtegaNationality: SpanishAge: 75 years oldNet worth: $31 billionSource of income: Zara stores8. Eike BatistaNationality: BrazilianAge: 55 years oldNet worth: $30 billionSource of income: mining, oil9. Mukesh AmbaniNationality: IndianAge: 54 years oldNet worth: $27 billionSource of income: petrochemicals, oil and gas10. Christy Walton and familyNationality: AmericanAge: 57 years oldNet worth: $26.5 billionSource of income: Walmart stores7 Natural Wonders of the WorldThese wonders of the world have been created by nature, and are amazing to see. Many people visit these sites every year admire their beauty and the power of nature. It is important to protect these sites so that future generations can also enjoy them. The Grand CanyonArizona, United StatesDescription: The canyon is 446km long, 6-29km wide and over 1.83 km deep. It was created by the Colorado River. Scientists estimate that this took 2 billion years for the rock to be carved. People can enjoy hiking, rafting, and running there.The Great Barrier ReefQueensland, AustraliaDescription: This is the world’s largest coral reef system. It is made up of about 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands that cover 554,260 km2. The reef can be seen from space and is sometimes called the largest organism in the world. The Harbor of Rio De JaneiroBrazil, South AmericaDescription: This is one of the most beautiful natural harbors. There are mountains located near the city and a world famous statue of Jesus overlooking the city of Rio. Mount EverestNepal/China, AsiaDescription: Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. It is about 8,848 meters above sea level. Many people have tried to climb up the mountain, but 200 people have died. In 1953, Edmund Hillary (from New Zealand) was the first person to reach the top.7 Natural Wonders of the WorldAuroras (northern and southern)Alaska/Canada and AntarcticaDescription: Auroras are sometimes called the northern and southern lights. These can be seen at the poles, usually at night. They can be seen best during certain times during the year. Some people call these “the dance of the spirits”. Paracutin VolcanoMexico, North AmericaDescription: This cone shaped volcano was born in 1943 and continued to grow from the ash and lava that it created. It had eruptions during 9 years, but it is impossible for this volcano to ever have another eruption. Victoria FallsZambia/Zimbabwe, Southern AfricaDescription: This waterfall is 108 meters tall and 1.7 km wide. It is located on the Zambezi River. The most water flows during the wet season, from October to April. This is one of the major tourist attractions in southern Africa. ................
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