This comprehensive and systematic survey of all the countries of East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands - from Afghanistan to Vietnam - presents statistics, directory material and informative essays on topics relating to contemporary and historical events in the region as a whole. Introductory essays analyze issues of contemporary and historical interest. These essays include: "Population in Asia and the Pacific" by Michael Williams, "The Religions of Asia" by Geoffrey Parrinder, "Current Economic Trends in Asia and the Pacific" by Chris Edwards, "Towards the 'Pacific Century': Integration and Disintegration in the Pacific Basin" by Dean Forbes and "Global Warming and the Implications for Asia and the Pacific" by Mike Hulme. Details of national and international organizations, together with research institutes concerned with the Far East and Australasia are discussed. Each country is covered by an individual chapter containing all the latests facts, statistics and directory information, including government, the constitution, diplomatic representation, religion, the media, finance, trade and industry, and defence. The major countries, islands and territories covered include: Afghanistan, Australian dependencies in the Indian Ocean, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, People's Republic of China and Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, The Pacific Islands (including Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Hawaii, Guam, Western Samoa), Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam. The book should be of interest to academic and public libraries, government departments, embassies, international organizations, news offices and business libraries worldwide.