Chapter 1: The rise of Asia
Key points
The pace and scale of Asia’s rise have been nothing short of staggering.
In a region rich in cultural, social, political and economic diversity, peoples’ lives have been transformed just as the globe has been transformed.
Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty, parts of the region have experienced a halving in their infant mortality rates and decades have been added to life expectancy.
Nearly all the high-performing economies in Asia deliberately set out to support prosperity by reforming their policy and institutional settings.
Many economies within the region have invested heavily in their people and created a climate that has supported capital investments.
With the benefit of a good education, growing shares of young people have found jobs as they have reached prime working age.
Open global trading systems and infrastructure to reduce transport costs have driven regional and global integration.
More broadly, a global system of rules has allowed for greater stability and spurred increasing levels of interdependence.
Country profiles
