TOWARD A NEW ASIAN ORDER : A WORLD REPORT SPECIAL SECTION : Region of Dynamic Change : 1986-91*

The last few years have been generally good to the disparate nations of the Pacific Rim. The numbers show greater wealth and improved health for most although population growth has been a problem for some.

AUSTRALIA

Government: Federal parliamentary democracy

Area (square miles): 2.96 million

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population (in millions) 15.8 million 17.5 million +10.8% Population growth rate 0.8% 0.8% -- Literacy 98.5% 99% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP**($U.S.) 9,563(1985) 14,900(1990) +55.8% HEALTH: People per doctor 538 174 -67.7% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 9.6 7.7 -19.8% Life expectancy 75 76 --

CHINA

Government: Communist Party-led state

Area (square miles) 3.7 million

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population (in millions) 1.05 billion 1.2 billion +14.3% Population growth rate 1.0% 1.4% -- Literacy 70% 73% -- WEALTH: Per Capita GDP***($U.S.) 252(GDP 1985) 370(1989) +46.9% HEALTH: People per doctor 735 649 -11.7% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 50 33 -34% Life expectancy 64 69 --

HONG KONG

Government: British colony

Area( square miles) 414

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 1.0% 0.7% -- Literacy 75% 77% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 6,005(GDP 1985) 11,000(GDP 1990) +83.2% HEALTH: People per doctor 1,111 949 -14.6% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 9.2 7.4 -19.6% Life expectancy 75 80

INDONESIA

Government: Republic

Area (square miles) 735,268

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 2.1% 1.7% -- Literacy 62% 77% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 479(1985) 490(GDP 1990) +2.3% HEALTH: People per doctor 9,090 6,742 -25.9% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 84 73 -13.1% Life expectancy 55 61

JAPAN

Government: Parliamentary democracy

Area (square miles) 145,856

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 0.7% 0.3% -- Literacy 99% 99.7% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 11,108(1985) 17,100 +54% HEALTH: People per doctor 666 611 -8.3% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 6.2 4.5 -27.5% Life expectancy 77 79

MALAYSIA

Government: Constitutional monarchy

Area (square miles) 127,316

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 2.4% 2.5% -- Literacy 65% 76% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 1,605(1985) 2,460(GDP 1990) +53.3% HEALTH: People per doctor 312 714 +128.9% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 30 29 -3.4% Life expectancy 67 68

NEW ZEALAND

Government: Parliamentary democracy

Area (square miles) 103,736

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 0.8% 0.9% -- Literacy 98% 99% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 7,030(1985) 12,200 (GDP 1990) +73.6% HEALTH: People per doctor 416 469 +12.8% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 12.5 10.6 -15.2% Life expectancy 74 74

NORTH KOREA

Government: Communist state, one-man rule

Area (square miles) 46,540

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 2.3% 1.8% -- Literacy 95% est 99% est -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 960(1985) 1,390 +44.8% HEALTH: People per doctor n/a 370 n/a Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 30 30 0 Life expectancy 65 69

PHILIPPINES

Government: Republic

Area (square miles) 115,831

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 2.5% 2.6% -- Literacy 88% 90% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 549(1985) 700 +27.5% HEALTH: People per doctor 1,136 1,090 -4.1% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 51 54 +5.9% Life expectancy 62 64

SINGAPORE

Government: Republic

Area (square miles) 224

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 1.1% 1.3% -- Literacy 84.2% 90% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 6,807(1985) 12,700(GDP) +86.6% HEALTH: People per doctor 1,000 791 -20.9% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 9.4 6.6 -29.8% Life expectancy 71 75

SOUTH KOREA

Government: Republic

Area (square miles) 38,025

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 1.6% 0.9% -- Literacy 90% 98% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 1,875(1985) 5,600 +198.7% HEALTH: People per doctor 769 1,007 +31% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 30 23 -23.4% Life expectancy 66 71

TAIWAN

Government: One-party presidential regime

Area (square miles) 13,885

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 1.5% 1.1% -- Literacy 94% 93.2% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 3,065(1985) 7,380 +140.8% HEALTH: People per doctor 1,111 913 -17.9% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 8.9 6.2 -30.4% Life expectancy 73 74

THAILAND

Government: Constitutional monarchy

Area (square miles) 198,456

1986 1991 %change PEOPLE: Population growth rate 2.0% 1.75% -- Literacy 82% 70% -- WEALTH: Per capita GNP ($U.S.) 705(1985) 1,400 +98.6% HEALTH: People per doctor 6,289 4,532 -28% Infant mortality per 1,000 live births 48 29 -39.6% Life expectancy 63 65

* Note: In some cases, data was available only for 1985 or 1990

**GNP: Gross National Product

***GDP: Gross Domestic Product

SOURCES: World Factbook; World Almanac; Asia Yearbook