A decade into 'The Asian Century' The Diplomat looks back over the past 10 years, and draws on leading commentators and analysts from around the world to look ahead at what the next decade might have in store for the region's politics, security and culture.
Map current as of January 1, 2010
Click on a country or territory to bring up key data and expert briefings on the decade ahead.
Press Freedom Score (2009)
source: Reporters Without Borders
- - 0 – 10 (Free)
- - 11 – 30 (Some restrictions)
- - 31 – 50 (Significant restrictions)
- - 50 and over (Not free)
- - no data
Environmental Performance Index Score
source: Yale University
- - 80 and above
- - 70-79
- - 60-69
- - Less than 60
- - no data
GDP per capita (latest available year)
source: CIA Factbook
- - $20,000 +
- - $7,500 – $19,999
- - $2,500 – $7,499
- - Less than $2,500
- - no data
Average Life Expectancy (latest available year)
source: CIA Factbook
- - Over 75 years
- - 70 – 75 years
- - 65 – 70 years
- - Less than 65 years
- - no data
Total annual expenditure (latest available year)
source: Nationmaster
- - More than $15 billion
- - $2 billion – $14.99 billion
- - $100 million - $1.99 billion
- - Less than $100 million
- - no data
Internet users per 100 people
source: International Telecommunications Union
- - More than 45
- - 21 - 44
- - 10 – 20
- - Less than 10
- - no data
Will be undersea, say Toshi Yoshihara and James R. Holmes, and will have big political repercussions for the entire Asia-Pacific region.
Unlikely, says US scholar Robert Sutter, who argues that no other power in the Asia-Pacific is ready--or willing--to step into US shoes.
and won’t be anytime soon, according to Minxin Pei, who says its political and economic situation is more precarious than it looks.
South Asia commentator Sumit Ganguly thinks so, but warns woeful infrastructure and grinding poverty could still hold it back.
The Diplomat speaks with IISS-Asia head Tim Huxley about ASEAN’s successes, failures and the prospects for a regional community by 2015.
The Diplomat looks back over the past decade in the Asia-Pacific and selects the 10 events most critical to the region’s future...
The Asia-Pacific is set for big changes by 2020, says John Lee. But don’t be surprised if geopolitically it looks much as it does now.
