| East Asia encompasses the ancient cultural centers of China, Japan, and the Koreas, as well
as Taiwan. With a written history stretching back more than 4,000 years, this area
is one of the great centers of human civilization.
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The Indian Subcontinent is one of the earliest sites of human civilization, and has had a rich and varied
cultural and political history down through the millennia. Today, it encompasses the
nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan.
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| Southeast Asia includes the mainland countries of Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma (Myanmar),
as well as a number of island nations: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore,
Brunei and East Timor. This is a diverse region of rich and ancient cultures, but
the more recent history of much of this area has been tragic.
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Central Asia's wide-open steppes and jagged mountains have been a cultural crossroads for millennia.
The site of the great Silk Road traffic in former years, these nations are once more
gaining attention for their fossil fuel resources in an energy-hungry world. The countries
that make up this fascinating region are: Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan.
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| The Middle East and Asia Minor have long been a pivot point between the cultures of the Mediterranean world and
those of greater Asia. This region includes Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Yemen,
Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. |