Web viewThe president claimed independence from Spain at that time and created the First Philippine...

Introduction

This 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 Teacher

Peam Chikang High School2010-2012

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General World Information

There 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 Nations

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General Information

Southeast 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.


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Flags of Member Nations

Indonesia

Malaysia

The Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Brunei

Vietnam

Laos

Myanmar

Cambodia

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Overview

ESTABLISHMENT

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 PURPOSES

As set out in the ASEAN Declaration, the aims and purposes of ASEAN are:

1. 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;

2. 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;

3. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields;

4. To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres;

5. 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;

6. To promote Southeast Asian studies; and7. To 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 themselves.

Information from:http://www.aseansec.org/about_ASEAN.html

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http://www.aseansec.org/about_ASEAN.html

Brunei Darussalam

Official Name: State of Brunei Darussalem or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace

Head of State: His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin

Head of Government : Prime Minister Hassanal Bolkiah

Capital City: Bandar Seri Begawan

Other major cities: Sengkurong, Gadong, Berakas

Language(s): Malay, English

Currency: Bruneian Dollar (1.3 BND = $1 USD)

Religion: Islam (66%), Buddhism, Christianity

Land area: 5,765 km2

Population: 401,890

Bordering country: Malaysia

Tourist Attractions: Royal Regalia Museum, Omar, Ali, Saifuddien and Mosque, Ulu

Temburong National Park

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Recent 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.

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Cambodia

Official Name: The Kingdom of Cambodia

Head of State: His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni

Head of Government: Prime Minister Hun Sen

Capital City: Phnom Penh

Other major cities: Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang, Kampong Cham

Language: Khmer

Currency: Riel (4100 riel = $1 USD)

Religion: Theravada Buddhism (97%), Islam, Christianity

Land area: 181, 035 km2

Population: 14 million

Bordering countries: Vietnam, Thailand and Laos

Tourist Attractions: Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, National Museum, Royal Palace, Killing

Fields, Beaches, Eco-Tourism

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Recent 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.

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Indonesia

Official Name: Republic of Indonesia

Head of State: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Capital City: Jakarta

Other major cities: Surabaya, Bandung, Bali

Language: Indonesian

Currency: Rupiah (9,075 IDR = $1 USD)

Religion: Islam (87%), Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism

Land area: 1,919,440 km2

Population: 437,424,363

Bordering countries: Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia

Tourist Attractions: Beach resorts of Bali and Lombok, crater lakes in Kelimutu and

Danua Toba, monument to Buddha in Borobudur

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Recent 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

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Laos

Official Name: Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Head of State: President Choummaly Sayasone

Head of Government: Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong

Capital City: Vientiane

Other major cities: Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse

Language: Lao

Currency: Kip (7,965 LAK = $1 USD)

Religion: Theravada Buddhism (67%), Christianity, Islam


Population: 6.8 million

Bordering countries: Burma, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand

Tourist Attractions: Luang Prabang, temples in Vientiane, trekking and visiting hill tribes

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Recent 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.

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Malaysia

Official Name: Malaysia

Head of State: Mazan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu

Head of Government: Najib Razak

Capital City: Kuala Lumpur

Other major cities: Subang Jaya, Klang, Johor Bahru

Language(s): Malay, English, Chinese, Tamil

Currency: Ringgit (3.16 MYR = $1 USD)

Religion: Islam (61%), Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism



Bordering countries: Thailand, Brunei, and Indonesia

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Tourist Attractions: Islands groups of Pulau Langkawi and Palau Perhentian, night

market in Kota Bharu, and tea plantations in Cameron Highlands

Recent 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.

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Myanmar (Burma)

Official Name: Republic of the Union of

Myanmar

Head of State: President Thein Sein

Capital City: Nay Pyi Taw

Other major cities: Rangoon, Mandalay,

Mawlamyine

Language: Burmese

Currency: Kyat (6.14 MK = $1 USD)

Religion: Buddhism (89%), Christianity,

Islam



Bordering countries: China, Laos,

Thailand, Bangladesh, and India

Tourist Attractions: Buddhist temples in

Bagan, Inle Lake, the old city of

Mandalay, trekking

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Recent 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.

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The Philippines

Official Name:

The Republic of the Philippines

Head of State:

President Benigno S. Aquino III

Capital City: Manila

Other major cities: Quezon City,

Caloocan, Davoa City

Language(s): Filipino, English, Spanish

Currency: Peso (43 PHP = $1 USD)

Religion: Christianity (90%), Islam



Bordering Countries: none

Tourist Attractions: Islands and

beaches, trekking in Banaue and

Rice Terraces, Cordillera

Mountains

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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.

Singapore21

Official Name: The Republic of Singapore

Head of State: President Tony Tan Keng Yam

Head of Government: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Capital City: Singapore

Other major cities: none

Language(s): English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil

Currency: Singapore Dollar (1.3 SGD = $1 USD)

Religion: Buddhism (33%), Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism

Land area: 694 km2


Bordering countries: Malaysia and Indonesia

Tourist Attractions: Asian Civilizations Museum, Little India, Singapore Zoo/ night safari

Recent history:

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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.

Thailand

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Official Name: The Kingdom of Thailand

Head of State: His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Head of Government: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Capital City: Bangkok

Other major cities: Nakhon, Muneang, Tambon

Language: Thai

Currency: Baht (31 TBH = $1 USD)

Religion: Theravada Buddhism (95%), Islam, Christianity



Bordering countries: Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia

Tourist Attractions: Beaches and islands, trekking in Pai, Kao Sok National Park, Phuket

Recent history:

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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.

Vietnam25

Official Name: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Head of State: President Nguyen Minh Triet

Head of Government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung

Capital City: Ha Noi

Other major cities: Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Can Tho

Language: Vietnamese

Currency: Dong (21,000 VND = $1 USD)

Religion: Buddhism (85%), Christianity



Bordering countries: China, Laos and Cambodia

Tourist Attractions: Halong Bay, beach at Nha Trang, historic town of Hoi An, Phong

Nha Cave

Recent history:

26

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.

27

Africa

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List of Countries in Africa

Algeria

Angola

Benin

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

Cote d’Ivoire

Djibouti

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Gabon

The Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea- Bissau

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mauritania

Mauritius

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Rwanda

Sao Tome and Principe

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Somalia

South Africa

South Sudan

Sudan

Swaziland

Tanzania

Togo

Tunisia

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

**Some countries may be listed in multiple

regions because they are at the border of two

geographical or cultural areas.**

29

General Information about Africa

Africa 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: Algeria

Smallest Country: Seychelles

Economy: 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.

30

List of Countries in Asia

Afghanistan

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Brunei

Cambodia

China

Cyprus

Georgia

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Korea, North

Korea, South

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Lebanon

Malaysia

Maldives

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nepal

Oman

Pakistan

The Philippines

Qatar

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Syria

Taiwan (territory of China)

Tajikistan

Thailand

Timor Leste

Turkey

Turkmenistan

United Arab Emirates

Uzbekistan

Vietnam

Yemen




32

General Information about Asia

Asia 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: Russia

Smallest Country: Maldives

Economy: 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.

33

Antarctica

34

General Information about Antarctica

Antarctica 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.

35

Australia and Oceania

36

List of Countries in Australia and Oceania

Australia

East Timor

Fiji

Kiribati

Marshall Islands

Federated States of

Micronesia

Nauru

New Zealand

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Samoa

Solomon Islands

Tonga

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

General Information about Australia and Oceania

Oceania is a group of approximately 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, including

Australia and New Zealand.


Area: 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: Australia

Economy: 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.

37

Europe

38

List of Countries in Europe

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Austria

Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Kosovo

Latvia

Liechenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macedonia

Malta

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom (England,

Scotland, Wales, Northern

Ireland)

Vatican City




39

General Information about Europe

Europe 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.


Area: 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: Russia

Smallest Country: Vatican City

Economy: 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.

40

List of Countries in the Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East:

Afghanistan

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Iran

Iraq

Jordan

Israel

Kuwait

Lebanon

Oman

Pakistan

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Sudan

Syria

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

North Africa:

Algeria

Egypt

Libya

Morocco

Somalia

Tunisia




42

General Information about the Middle East and North Africa

This 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: Algeria

Smallest Country: Bahrain

Economy: 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.

43

North America, Central America and the Caribbean

44

List of Countries in North America, Central America and the Caribbean

North America:

Canada

Mexico

The United States of America

Central America:

Belize

Costa Rica

El Salvador

Guatemala

Honduras

Nicaragua

Panama

The Caribbean:

Antigua and Barbados

Bahamas

Barbados

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Grenada

Haiti

Jamaica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago




45

General Information about North America, Central America and the Caribbean

North 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: Canada

Smallest Country: Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy: 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.

46

List of Countries in South America

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Guyana

Paraguay

Peru

Suriname

Uruguay

Venezuela




48

General Information about South America

South 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).


Area: 17,840,000 km2

Languages: 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: Brazil

Smallest Country: Suriname

Economy: 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.

49

ReferencesAbout.com

Provides general information, maps, statistics and quizzes for a wide variety of topics.

http://geography.about.com/

ASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian NationsProvides information about the member states, structure and current news regarding the

organization.

http://www.aseansec.org/index2008.html

The British Broadcasting Company

Offers news, sports, weather and travel information from around the world.

http://www.bbc.com

The CIA World Factbook

The United States Central Intelligence Agency provides up-to-date information about

history, people, governments, etc from around the world.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Fact Monster

Offers educational resources for children, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, games

and homework help.

http://www.factmonster.com/

Famous Wonders

Provides list of top cities and tourists attractions in the world, including lists of wonders in

each region of the world.

http://famouswonders.com/

Forbes

Provides business, financial and technological information, as well as news about the

world’s top business leaders.

http://www.forbes.com/

Fun-Interesting Facts

Has funny, cool, weird, stupid, and random facts about many different topics.

http://www.fun-interesting-facts.com/

Geographia

50

http://www.fun-interesting-facts.com/

http://www.forbes.com/

http://famouswonders.com/

http://www.factmonster.com/

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

http://www.bbc.com/

http://www.aseansec.org/index2008.html

http://geography.about.com/

Offers information and news articles about countries and regions of the world.

http://www.geographia.com/

Infoplease

Has calendars, historical articles and many research materials, including dictionaries,

encyclopedias and quizzes.

http://www.infoplease.com/

The History Channel

Provides information about world history, people and events with articles, videos and

television shows.

http://www.history.com/

Lonely Planet

A travel site for people who are planning a vacation, want to research countries, or offer

information to help other travelers.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/

Time

Provides information about important people, business, science, technology, politics and

other topics from around the world.

http://www.time.com/time/

The Travel Channel

Offers articles, pictures and videos about vacation destinations and helps tourist to make

travel plans.

http://www.travelchannel.com/

Unimaps

Has information about maps and flags from around the world.

http://www.unimaps.com/

The United Nations

The official site of the organization provides information about member countries,

organization news and policies, human rights and development.

http://www.un.org/en/

Wikipedia

A 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.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

51

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.un.org/en/

http://www.unimaps.com/

http://www.travelchannel.com/

http://www.time.com/time/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/

http://www.history.com/

http://www.infoplease.com/

http://www.geographia.com/

Provinces of Cambodia

Banteay Meanchay-Population: 678,033Area: 6,679 km2

Battambang- Population: 1,036,523Area: 11,702 km2

Kampong Cham-Population: 1,680,694Area: 9,799 km2

Kampong Chhnang-Population: 472,616Area: 5,521 km2

Kampong Som-Population: 199,902Area: 868 km2

Kampong Speu-Population: 716,517Area: 7,017 km2

Kampong Thom-Population: 708,398Area: 13,814 km2

Kampot-Population: 585,110Area: 4,873 km2

Kandal-Population: 1,265,805Area: 3,568 km2

Kep-Population: 40,208Area: 336 km2

Koh Kong-Population: 139,722Area: 11,160 km2

Kratie-Population: 318,523Area: 11,094 km2

Mondulkiri-Population: 60,811Area: 14,288 km2

Oddar Meanchay-Population: 185,443Area: 6,158 km2

Pailin-Population: 70,482Area: 803 km2

Preah Vihear-Population: 170,852Area: 13,788 km2

Prey Veng-Population: 947,357Area: 4,883 km2

Pursat-Population: 397,107Area: 12,692 km2

Ratanakiri-Population: 149,997Area: 10,782 km2

Siem Reap-Population: 896,309Area: 10,299 km2

Stung Treng-Population: 111,734Area: 11,092 km2

Svay Rieng-Population: 482,785Area: 2,966 km2

Takeo-Population: 843,931Area: 3,563 km2

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Members of the United Nations

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and

Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and

Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Central African

Republic Chad Chile China Columbia Comoros Congo

Costa Rica Cote D’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic People’s

Republic of Korea Democratic

Republic of the Congo

Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People’s

Democratic Republic

Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia

(Federated States of)

Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco

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Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Kitts and

Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines

Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and

Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab

Republic Tajikistan Thailand

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Timor-Leste

Togo Tonga Trinidad and

Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab

Emirates United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Republic of Tanzania

United States of America

Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela

(Bolivarian Republic of)

Vietnam Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

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5 Most Popular Countries for Tourism

1. FranceCapital City: ParisAnnual Visitors: 76.8 million

2. The United States of AmericaCapital City: Washington, D.C.Annual Visitors: 59.75 million

3. ChinaCapital City: Beijing Annual Visitors: 55.67 million

4. SpainCapital City: MadridAnnual Visitors: 52.68 million

5. ItalyCapital City: RomeAnnual Visitors: 43.63 million

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10 Richest People in the World

1. Carlos Slim Helu and familyNationality: MexicanAge: 71 years oldNet worth: $74 billionSource of income: telecommunication

2. Bill GatesNationality: AmericanAge: 56 years oldNet worth: $56 billionSource of income: Microsoft

3. Warren BuffetNationality: AmericanAge: 81 years oldNet worth: $50 billionSource of income: Berkshire Hathaway company, insurance

4. 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, software

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10 Richest People in the World

6. Lakshmi MittalNationality: IndianAge: 61 years oldNet worth: $31.1 billionSource of income: Steel

7. Amancio OrtegaNationality: SpanishAge: 75 years oldNet worth: $31 billionSource of income: Zara stores

8. Eike BatistaNationality: BrazilianAge: 55 years oldNet worth: $30 billionSource of income: mining, oil

9. Mukesh AmbaniNationality: IndianAge: 54 years oldNet worth: $27 billionSource of income: petrochemicals, oil and gas

10. Christy Walton and familyNationality: AmericanAge: 57 years oldNet worth: $26.5 billionSource of income: Walmart stores

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7 Natural Wonders of the World

These 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.

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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 World

Auroras (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.

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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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