Other Southeast Asian

Myanmar

• South of China on Bay of Bengal

• Also known as Burma

• Gained independence from GB in 1948

• Capital is Yangon or Rangoon

• Buddhism

• Many small farming villages

• Harsh military rule

• Poor human rights record

• Country is isolated, economy is hurting

• Natural resources: oil, timber, metals, jade gems

Thailand

• Once known as Siam

• Southwest of Malaysia

• Capital Bangkok (Near a river, crowded, & modern)

Cambodia

• Capital Phnom Penh

• Located in Mekong River Valley

• 20 years of war, terror, devastation

• Today with help from UN stable, elected government

• Farming has improved

• Still many hidden land mines

• Collectivization drive – rounding up people who are believed to have been in collusion with the former regime

• Government instituted executions, forced labor, famine combined to kill 3 million people during Pol Pot’s reign

Pg. 185 black global studies book

Pg. 175 in black global book

Laos

• Landlocked with mountains

• Poor & underdeveloped

• Few roads, no railroads, & limited electricity

• Government increasing economic freedoms

• Farming (mainly subsistence)

Malaysia

• Rubber

• Most people live on Peninsula

• Capital Kuala Lumpur

• Ethnically diverse

• Bahasa Malay main language

• Islam & Buddhism main religions

• Constitutional monarchy

• King’s duties are largely ceremonial & local rulers take turns being king

• Prime minister & elected legislature hold real power

• Palm oil, electronics, oil & timber

Singapore

• Tiny island

• On a major shipping route

• Rich, industrial center, foreign banks, high tech firms

• Crime rates low, orderly, clean, modern

• Government controls politics & media (movies are banned & satellite dishes)

Brunei

• Island shares with Malaysia & Indonesia

• Ruled by sultan

• Wealthy from oil & gas deposits

• Citizens do not pay taxes & get free health care

• By 2020 oil will run out so government is trying to diversify

Indonesia

• Rubber

• Capital Jakarta

• World’s largest archipelago (with 13,500 islands)

• Largest Muslim population

• Main island is Java

• Government has been moving people to less populated areas

• Rubber, oil, gas, timber, rice, clothing, electronic

• Tourism

• High unemployment

• Some fighting & terrorism

MYTHS

Pg. 163 black global studies book

East Timor

• On small island of Timor

• 1999 declared independence from Indonesia

• UN had to send in troops to restore peace

• Coffee is exported

Philippines

• 7,000 islands

• Largest populated island is Luzon – capital Manila

• Almost all Filipinos are ethnic Malays

• Copper, metals, oil, tropical wood

• Coconuts, sugarcane, rice, corn

• Clothing & electronics

• Roman Catholic with some Muslims