USAID operates in 21 countries in Asia, from Kazakhstan in the west and north to Indonesia in the east and south. In recent years, this vast and diverse region has experienced vibrant economic growth and significant advances in poverty reduction. Today, many countries in Asia are well on their way to becoming developed economies; others, meanwhile, struggle to provide basic services and opportunities to their citizens.
Ensuring that economic growth is equitable and sustainable remains a challenge throughout Asia. Despite its strong economic growth, the Asia region is home to approximately two-thirds of the world’s poor. While literacy rates have improved in the region overall, a large gender gap remains, particularly in South Asia, where literacy and enrollment rates for girls remain low. Rapid industrialization associated with economic growth is straining the region’s environmental systems. Urban air pollution levels in the region are among the highest in the world, and the consumption of natural resources is occurring at an unsustainable rate.
Countries in Asia also face unpredictable challenges in the areas of health, natural disasters, and conflict. In Asia—as in many parts of the world—HIV/AIDS is destroying communities and bankrupting social systems. In addition, health systems in the Asia region struggle with the growing global threats of avian influenza, tuberculosis and malaria. Frequent natural disasters—such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan—strain the region’s already limited resources. In addition, isolated but ongoing conflicts continue to jeopardize peace, stability and development in the region.
Finally, although respect for political rights and civil liberties has improved in the region overall since 1990, many countries in Asia continue to restrict these rights. Weak governance in parts of Asia contributes to instability that feeds extremism.
