chosen to commemorate the immigration
TRANSCRIPT
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, takes place in May. It celebrates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
Afghanistan
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
ناتسناغفا یملاسا یروھمج
Capital & Largest City – Kabul
Official Language – Pashto, Dari
Ethnic groups – 42% Pashtun, 27% Tajik, 9% Hazara, 9% Uzbek, 4% Aimaq, 3% Turkmen, 2% Baloch
Religion – Islam
Government – Unitary presidential Islamic republic
Legislature – National Assembly
Formation – Hotak Empire
21 April 1709
Area – 652,230 km2
Population – 32,225,560 (43rd)
Currency – Afghani (AFN)
American Samoa
American Samoa
Amerika Sāmoa
Sovereign State – United States
Capital & Largest City – Pago Pago
Official Language – English, Samoan
Ethnic groups – 89% Samoan, 3% Tongan, 3% Multiracial, 2%
Filipino, 3% other
Religion – 98% Christian, 2% other
Government – Devolved presidential constitutional
dependency
Legislature – Fono
Area – 200 km2
Population – 55,191
Currency – US Dollar
Armenia
Republic of Armenia
Հանրապետություն
Capital & Largest City – Yerevan
Official Language – Armenian
Religion – Armenian, Orthodoxy
Government – Unitary parliamentary republic
Legislature – National Assembly
Establishment – Orontid Dynasty 6th century BC
Independence from the Soviet Union – 21 September 1991
Area – 29,743 km2
Population – 2,951,745 (99th)
Currency – Dram (AMD)
Azerbaijan
Republic of Azerbaijan
Azərbaycan Respublikası
Capital & Largest City – Baku
Official Language – Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups – 92% Azerbaijani, 2% Lezgian, 1% Armenian,
Russian, Talysh, 2.4% others
Religion – 97% Islam, 3% Christianity
Government – Unitary dominant-party semi-presidential republic
Legislature – National Assembly
Independence from the Soviet Union – 30 August 1991
Area 86,600 km2
Population – 10, 027,874(90th)
Currency - Manat
Bahrain
Kingdom of Bahrain
نیرحبلا ةكلمم
Capital & Largest City – Manama
Official Language – Arabic, English
Ethnic groups – 50.7% Arab, (46% Bahraini people, 4.7% Other Arabs),
45.5% Asian, 1% European
Religion – Islam
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – National Assembly
Independence from the United Kingdom – 14 August 1971
Area 780 km2
Population – 1, 569, 446 (149th)
Bangladesh
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
গণ#জাত'ী বাংলােদশ
Capital & Largest City – Dhaka
Official Language – Bengali
Ethnic groups – 98% Bengalis
2% Minorities
Religion – 89.5% Islam, 8.5% Hinduism, .6% Buddhism,
.4% Christianity
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Jatiya Sangsad
Independence declared
26 March 1971
Area 147,570 km2
Population – 161,376,708 (8th)
Bhutan
Kingdom of Bhutan
འ"ག་%ལ་ཁབ་
Capital & Largest City – Thimphu
Official Language – Dzongkha
Religion – 77.4% Vajrayana Buddhism, 22.6% Hinduism
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – Parliment
Formation – Unification of Bhutan 1616 – 1634
Area 38,394 km2
Population – 741,700 (165th)
Currency – Ngultrum (BTN)
Brunei
Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace
ملاسلاراد ينورب ارا"ن
Capital & Largest City – Bandar Seri Begawan
Official Language – Malay, English
Ethnic groups – 66% Malays, 10% Chinese, 24% others
Religion – Sunni Islam
Government – Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy
Legislature – Legislative Council
Formation – Creation of the Sultanate – 1368
Independence from the United Kingdom – 1 January 1984
Area 5,765 km2
Population – 442, 400 (168th)
Cambodia
Kingdom of Cambodia
!ពះ$%&ច!កកម* +%
Capital & Largest City – Phnom Penh
Official Language – Khmer, English, French
Ethnic groups – 98% Khmer, 1%Cham, .1% Vietnamese, .1%
Chinese, 1% other
Religion – 98% Buddhism, 1% Islam, .5% Christianity
Government – Unitary dominant-party parliamentary elective
constitutional monarchy
Legislature – Parliament
Formation – Funan Empire 50/69
AD – 550/627 AD
Area 181,035 km2
Population – 15,288,489 (72nd)
China
People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国
Capital – Beijing
Largest City – Shanghai & Chongqing
Official Language – Chinese
Ethnic groups – Majority Han
55 minorities
Religion – 74% non-
religious/Chinese folk religion, 16% Buddhism, 8% Other, 3%
Christianity, .5% Islam
Government – Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republic
Legislature – National People’s
Congress
Formation – 1st pre-imperial dynasty c. 2070 BCE
Area 9,596,961 km2
Population – 1,427,647,786 (1st)
Cook Islands
Cook Islands
Kūki 'Āirani
Capital & Largest City – Avarua
Official Language – English, Cook Islands Maori
Ethnic groups – 78% Maori, 8% Part-Maori, 14% Other
Government – Unitary constitutional monarchy
Legislature – Parliament
Associated State of New Zealand
4 August 1965
Area 236.7 km2
Population – 17,518
Currency – New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus
Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία
Capital & Largest City – Nicosia
Official Language – Greek, Turkish
Ethnic groups – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians,
Maronites
Religion – 89% Church of Cyprus
Government – Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – House of Representatives
Independence from the United Kingdom – 19 February 1959
Area 9,251 km2
Population – 1,189,265 (158th)
Currency – Euro (EUR)
Easter Island
Easter Island
Rapa Nui
Capital & Largest City – Hanga Roa
Official Language – Spanish, Rapa Nui
Government – Municipality
Municipal Council
Provincial Governor – Laura Alarcon Rapu
Alcalde – Pedro Edmunds Paoa
Legislature – National Assembly
Special Territory of Chile
Area 163.6 km2
Population – 7,750
Currency – Peso (CLP)
Fiji
Republic of Fiji
Matanitu Tugalala o Viti
Capital & Largest City – Suva
Official Language – Fijian, English
Ethnic groups – 57% Fijians, 38% Indo-Fijians, 1% Rotumand, 4.5%
other Europeans & Pacific Islanders
Religion – 64% Christianity, 28% Hinduism, 6% Islam, .3% Sikhism
Government – Unitary parliamentary representative
democratic republic
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United
Kingdom – 10 October 1970
Area 18,274 km2
Population – 926, 276 (161st)
French Polynesia
French Polynesia
Polynésie française
Capital – Papeete
Largest City – Fa’a’a
Official Language – French, Tahitian, Austral
Ethnic groups – 66.5% Polynesians, 7% mixed Polynesians, 9% Demis,
12% Europeans, 5% East Asians
Government – Devolved parliamentary dependency
Legislature – Assembly of French Polynesia
Sovereign state of France
Area 4,167 km2
Population – 275,918 (177th)
Currency – CFP Franc (XPF)
Georgia
Georgia
საქართველო
Capital & Largest City – Tbilisi
Official Language – Georgian, Abkhazian
Ethnic groups – 87% Georgians, 6% Azerbaijanis, 5% Armenians, 1%
Russians, 2% other
Religion – 83% Eastern Orthodoxy, 11% Islam, 4% Oriental Orthodoxy,
1% Roman Catholic
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Parliament
Establishment – Colchis & Iberia 13th c BC – 580 AD
Area 69,700 km2
Population – 3,723,464 (129th)
Guam
Guam
Guåhån
Capital – Hagatna
Largest City – Dededo
Official Language – English, Chamorro
Ethnic groups – 37% Chamorro, 26% Filipino, 7% White, 7%
Chuukese, 2% Korean, 2% Other Asian, 2% Chinese, 2% Palauan,
Religion – 75% Catholicism, 18% Protestantism, 1% Buddism
Government – Devolved presidential constitutional
dependency
Legislature – Legislature of Guam
Sovereign State of United States
Area 540 km2
Population – 162,742
Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
Mokupuni o Hawai‘i
Capital & Largest City – Honolulu
Official Language – English
A archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets,
and seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the island of
Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll.
Total Islands – 137
Highest Point – Mauna Kea
13,796 ft
Became a state – 21 August 1959
Area 780 km2
Population – 1,428,446
Currency – US Dollar
India
Republic of India
Bhārat Gaṇarājya
Capital – New Delhi
Largest City – Mumbai
Official Language – Hindi, English
Religion – 80% Hinduism, 14% Islam, 2% Christianity, 2% Sikhism,
1% Buddhism, and others
Government – Federal parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United Kingdom – 15 August 1947
Area 3,287,263 km2 (7th)
Population – 1,352,642,280 (2nd)
Currency – Indian rupee (INR)
Indonesia
Republic of Indonesia
Republik Indonesia
Capital & Largest City – Jakarta
Official Language – Indonesian & Over 700 regional languages
Ethnic groups – Over 300 ethnic groups
Religion – 87% Islam, 10% Christianity, 2% Hinduism, 1%
Buddhism, and others
Government – Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – People’s Consultative Assembly
Formation – Hindu & Buddhist kingdoms – 2nd Century
Area 1,904,569 km2
Population – 267,670,543 (4th)
Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran
ناریا یملاسا یروھمج
Capital & Largest City – Tehran
Official Language – Persian
Ethnic groups – 61% Persian, 16% Azerbaijani, 10% Kurd, 6% Lur, 2%
Turkman, and others
Religion – Islam
Government – Unitary Khomeinist presidential theocratic-
constitutional Islamic republic
Legislature – Upper & Lower House
Establishment – Median Empire c 678 BC
Area 1,648,195 km2
Population – 83,183,741 (17 th)
Iraq
Republic of Iraq
قارعلا ةیروھمج Motto: “God is the Greatest”
Capital & Largest City – Baghdad
Official Language – Arabic – Kirdish, Mandaic, Shabaki, Persian
Other languages – Turkish, Assyrian, Armenian
Religion – 98% Islam (Inc Shia and Sunni), 1% Christianity
Government – Federal parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Council of Representatives
Independence from the United Kingdom – 3 October 1932
Area 437, 072 km2
Population – 38, 433, 600 (36th)
Israel
Israel
לארשי
Capital & Largest City – Jerusalem
Official Language – Hebrew
Ethnic groups – 74% Jewish, 21% Arab, 5% Other
Religion – 74% Judaism, 18% Islam, 2% Christianity, 2% Druze
Government – Unitary parliamentary republic
Legislature – Knesset
Independence declared 14 May 1948
Area 20,770 km2
Population – 9,190,350 (99th)
Currency – New shekel (ILS)
Japan
Japan
日本国
Capital & Largest City – Tokyo
Official Language – Japanese
Ethnic groups – 98% Japanese, 1% Chinese, .4% Korean, 1% Other
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – National Diet
Formation – 11 February 660 BC
Area 377,975 km2
Population – 126,150,000 (11th)
Currency – Japanese Yen (JPY)
Hiragana – にっぽんこく
Jordan
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
ةیمشاھلا ةیندرلأا ةكلمملا
Motto: “God, Country, King”
Capital & Largest City – Amman
Official Language – Arabic
Ethnic groups – 98% Arab, 1% Circassian, Chechens, 1% Armenian
Religion – 95% Islam, 4% Christianity, 1% Druze, Bahá'í
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United Kingdom – 11 April 1921
Area 89, 342 km2
Population – 10, 407, 793 (86th)
Kazakhstan
Republic of Kazakhstan
Қазақстан Республикасы
Capital – Nur-Sultan
Largest City – Almaty
Official Language – Kazakh, Russian
Ethnic groups – 66% Kazakh, 22% Russian, 3% Uzbek, 2% Ukranian, 1% Uyghur, 1% Tatar, 1% German
Religion – 70% Muslims, 26% Christians, 4% Other
Government – Unitary Presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – Parliament
Formation – Kazakh Khanate: 1465
Area – 2,724,900 km2
Population – 18,448,600 (63rd)
Kuwait
State of Kuwait
تیوكلا ةلود
Capital & Largest City – Kuwait City
Official Language – Arabic
Ethnic groups –40.4% Asian, 30.4% Kuwaiti, 27.3% Other Arabs, 1%
African, .4% European, .5% Other
Religion – 74.4% Islam (Official), 18.2% Christianity, 7.5% Other
Government – Unitary constitutional monarchy
Legislature – National Assembly
Independence from the Emirate of Al Hasa – 1752
Area 17, 818 km2
Population – 4, 621, 638 (128th)
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz Republic
Кыргыз Республикасы
Capital & Largest City – Bishkek
Official Language – Kyrgyz, Russian
Ethnic groups – 73% Kyrgyz, 15% Uzbek, 6% Russian, 1% Dungan,
1% Uyghur, 1% Tajik
Religion – 83% Islam, 16% Christianity, 1% Others
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Joğorqu Keñeş
Independence from the Soviet Union – 14 October 1924
Area 199,951 km2
Population – 6,389,500 (110th)
Laos
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
ສາທາລະນະລດ ປະຊາທປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊນລາວ
Capital & Largest City – Vientiane
Official Language – Lao, French
Ethnic groups – 53% Lao, 11% Khmu, 9% Hmong, 3% Phouthai, 3% Tai, 3% Makong, 2% Katang,
2% Lue, 2% Akha, Others
Religion – 66% Buddhism, 31% Tai Folk religion, 2% Christianity, .1%
Islam, Other
Government – Unitary Markist-Leninist One-party socialist
republic
Legislature – National Assembly
Formation – Kingdom of Lan Xang
1353 – 1707
Area 237,955 km2
Population – 7,061,507 (103rd)
Lebanon
Labanese Republic
ةینانبللا ةیروھمجل
Capital & Largest City – Beirut
Official Language – Arabic
Local vernacular – Lebanese Arabic
Religion – 61.1% Muslim,33.7% Christianity, 5.2% Druze
Government – Unitary confessionalist parliamentary
republic
Legislature – Parliament
Establishment – Great Lebanon – 1 September 1920
Constitution – 23 May 1926
Area 10, 452 km2
Population – 6, 859, 408 (112th)
Currency – Lebanese Pound
Malaysia
Malaysia
Malaysia
Capital & Largest City – Kuala Lumpur
Official Language – Malay, English
Ethnic groups – 69% Bumiputera, 23% Malaysian Chinese, 7% Malaysian Indian, 1% Others
Religion – 61% Islam, 20% Buddhism, 9% Christianity, 6%
Hinduism, 1% Chinese folk
Government – Federal parliamentary elective
constitutional monarchy
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United
Kingdom – 31 August 1957
Area 330,803 km2
Population – 32,772,100 (42nd)
Maldives
Republic of Maldives
ޔއރހމޖ ގޖއރހވދ
Capital & Largest City – Malé
Official Language – Dhivehi, English
Ethnic groups – 100% Maldivians
Religion – Islam (Mandated by law)
Government – Unitary presidential republic
Legislature – People’s Majlis
Independence from the United Kingdom – 26 July 1965
Area 298 km2
Population – 392, 473 (175th)
Currency – Maldivian rufiyaa
Midway Atoll
Unincorporated US Territory
Midway Islands
It is near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago about a third of the way from Honolulu to
Tokyo
Official Language – English
Government – United States Minor Outlying Islands
Claimed by U.S. – 28 August 1867
Area – 66 km2
Population : 100 – 200 people live on the atoll which includes staff of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and contract workers. Entry into the
Midway Islands is heavily restricted and requires a special-use permit to visit, often from the US Military or
US Fish & Wildlife Services – mainly given to scientists and
educators.
Mongolia
Mongolia
Монгол Улс
Capital & Largest City – Ulaanbaatar
Official Language – Mongolian
Ethnic groups – 96% Mongols, 4% Kazakhs
Religion – 53% Buddhism, 39% non-religious, 3% Islam, 3% Shamanish, 2% Christianity
Government – Unitary semi-presidential republic
Legislature – State Great Khural
Formation – Xiongnu Empire – formed 209 BC
Area 1,566,000 km2
Population – 3,278,290 (134th)
Myanmar (formerly Burma)
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
ြပညေထာငစ* သမ-တ ြမနမာ0*ငငေတာ
Capital – Naypyidaw
Largest City – Yangon
Official Language – Burmese,
Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan
Ethnic groups – 68% Bamar, 9% Shan, 7% Karen, 4% Rakhine, 2%
Mon, 1% Hindus, 9% Others
Religion – 88% Theravada
Buddhism, 6% Christianity, 4% Islam, 2% Other
Government – Unitary
parliamentary constitutional republic
Legislature –Assembly of the Union
Formation – Pagan Kingdom 23
December 849
Area – 676,578 km2
Population – 53,582,855 (26th)
Nepal
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
स0ीय लोकता9:क गणत: नपाल
Capital & Largest City – Kathmadu
Official Language – Nepali
Ethnic groups – 17% Chhetri, 12% Bahun, 7% Magar, 7% Tharu, 6%
Tamang, 5% Newar, 5% Kami, 4% Muslims, 4% Yadav, 33% Others
Religion – 81% Hinduism, 9% Buddhism, 4% Islam, 3% Kirant, 1%
Christianity, .5% Prakriti
Government – Federal parliamentary republic
Legislature – Federal Parliament
Formation – Kingdom 1769
Area – 147,181 km2
Population – 28,095,714 (49th)
New Zealand
New Zealand
Aotearoa
Capital – Wellington
Largest City – Auckland
Official Language – English, Maori, NZ Sign Language
Ethnic groups – 72 % European, 17% Maori, 15% Asian, 9% Pacific
Peoples, 2% ME/LA/African
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Monarch – Elizabeth II
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United Kingdom – 7 May 1856
Area – 268,021 km2
Population – 4,980,810 (120th)
North Korea
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
조선민주주의인민공화국
Capital & Largest City – Pyongyang
Official Language – Korean
Ethnic groups – 100% Korean
Religion – Buddhism, Confucianism, Korean Shamanism
Government – Unitary one-party republic
Legislature – Supreme People’s Assembly
Formation – First Kingdom c. 7th century BC
Area – 120,540 km2
Population – 25,549,604 (52nd)
Currency – Korean People’s won
Northern Marianas
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas
Capital & Largest City – Saipan
Official Language – English, Chamorro, Carolinian
Ethnic groups – 35% Filipino, 24% Chamorro, 13% Multiracial, 7%
Chinese, 5% Japanese, 5% Carolinian, 4% Korean, 2%
Chuukese, 2% Palauan, 2% White
Government – Devolved Presidential constitutional
dependency
Legislature – Commonwealth Legislature
U.S. Commonwealth Unincorporated and organized U.S.
Territory
Area – 464 km2
Population – 53,883
Oman
Sultanate of Oman
نامع ةنطلس
Capital & Largest City – Muscat
Official Language – Arabic
Religion – Islam (Ibadi)
Government – Unitary parliamentary absolute monarchy
Legislature – Parliament
Establishment
The Azd tribe migration – 130
Al-Julanda - 629
Area 309, 500 km2
Population – 4, 829, 473 (125th)
Currency – Rial
Pakistan
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
ناتسكاپ ہیروہمج یملاسا
Capital – Islamabad
Largest City – Karachi
Official Language – Urdu, English, Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Balochi
Ethnic groups – 45% Punjabis, 15% Pashtuns, 14% Sindhis, 8% Sarakis,
8% Muhajirs, 4% Balochs
Religion – 96% Islam, 2% Hinduism, 2% Christianity
Government – Federal parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United
Kingdom – 14 August 1947
Area – 881,913 km2
Population – 212,228,286 (5th)
Palestine National Authority
Palestine National Authority
ةینیطسلفلا ةطلسلا
Capital & Largest City – Gaza
Official Language – Arabic
Religion – 95% Islam, 4% Christianity, 1% Druze, Bahá'í
Type – Provisional Self-government body
Government – Semi-Presidential with a President and Prime
Minister
Legislature – Legislative Council
Autonomy from Israeli Administration – 13 September 1993
Currency – Egyptian Pound, Israeli new Shekel, and Jordanian Dinar
Population – 5.052 million
Philippines
Republic of the Philippines
Republika ng Pilipinas
Capital – Manila
Largest City – Quezon City
Official Language – Filipino, English, 19 others
Ethnic groups – 33% Visayan, 30% Tagalog, 10% Moro, 10% Ilocano, 6% Bicolano, 3% Kapampangan,
2% Igorot, 2% Pangasinesnse
Religion – Roman Catholicism,
Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism
Government – Unitary presidential
constitutional republic
Legislature – Congress
Independence from Spain – 12 June
1898
Area – 300,000 km2
Population – 100,981,437 (13th)
Qatar
State of Qatar
رطق ةلود
Capital & Largest City – Doha
Official Language – Arabic
Common language - English
Ethnic groups – 11.6% Qatari, 88.4% non-Qatari
Religion – Islam
Government – Hereditary monarchy
Legislature – Consultative Assembly
Establishment – Qatar National Day – 18 December 1878
Area 11, 581 km2
Population – 2, 641, 669 140th)
Currency – Riyal
Rotuma
Rotuma Island
Rotuma
Capital & Largest City – Ahau
Official Language – Rotuman, English, Fijian
Ethnic groups – Rotuman
Government – Dependency of Fiji
Independence from the United Kingdom – as part of Fiji
10 October 1970
Area – 47 km2
Population – 1,594 (149th)
Currency – Fiji dollar (FJD)
Rotuma is a shield volcano made of alkali-olivine basalt and hawaiite, with
many small cones, and reaches 256 metres (840 ft) above sea level at Mount
Suelhof near the center of the island.
Russia
Russian Federation
Российская Федерация
Capital & Largest City – Moscow
Official Language – Russian
Ethnic groups – 81% Russian, 4% Tatar, 1% Ukrainian, 1% Armenian,
1% Bashkir, 1% Chuvash
Religion – 71% Russian Orthodoxy, 15% No religion, 10% Islam, 1%
Roman Catholicism, others
Government – Federal dominant-party semi-presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – Federal Assembly
Formation – Arrival of Rurik 862
Area – 17,098,246 km2
Population – 146,745,098 (9th)
Samoa
Independent State of Samoa
Malo Saʻoloto Tutoʻatasi o Sāmoa
Capital & Largest City – Apia
Official Language – Samoan, English
Ethnic groups – 93% Samoans, 7% Eironesians, .4% European
Religion – Christianity
Government – Unitary dominant-party parliamentary republic
Legislature – Legislative Assembly
Independence from New Zealand – 14 June 1889
Area – 2,842 km2
Population – 195,843
Currency – Tālā (WST)
Saudi Arabia
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
ةیدوعسلٱ ةیبرعلٱ ةكلمملٱ
Capital & Largest City – Riyadh
Official Language – Arabic
Religion – Sunni Islam (Wahhabism)
Government – Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy
Legislature – None
Establishment
Kingdom founded
23 September 1932
Area 2, 149, 690 km2
Population – 34, 218, 169 (40th)
Curency – Saudi Riyal
Singapore
Republic of Singapore
!ஙகப&ர )*யர,
Capital & Largest City – Singapore
Official Language – English, Malay, Chinese, Tamil
Ethnic groups – 74% Chinese, 13% Malay, 9% Indian, 3% other
Religion – 33% Buddhism, 19% Christianity, 19% Irreligious, 14% Islam, 10% Taoism/Sintua, 5%
Hinduism
Government – Unitary dominant-party parliamentary constitutional
republic
Legislature – Parliament
Formation of the modern Republic – Singapore Treaty 6 February 1819
Area – 725.7 km2
Population – 5,638,700 (113th)
South Korea
Republic of Korea
대한민국/大韓民國
Capital & Largest City – Seoul
Official Language – Korean
Ethnic groups – Predominantly Korean
Religion – 57% No religion, 28% Christianity, 16% Korean Buddhism
Government – Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – National Assembly
Establishment – First Kingdom c. 7th century BC
Area – 100,363 km2
Population – 51,709,098 (28th)
Currency – Korean Republic Won
Sri Lanka
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
! ලංකා &ජාතා)*ක සමාජවා. ජනරජය
Capital – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Largest City – Colombo
Official Language – English
Ethnic groups – 75% Sinhalese, 11% Sri Lankan Tamils, 9% Moors, 4%
Indian Tamils
Religion – 70% Buddhism, 13% Hinduism, 10% Islam, 7%
Christianity
Government – Unitary presidential
constitutional republic
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United
Kingdom – 4 February 1948
Area – 65,610 km2
Population – 21,670,000 (57th)
Syria
Syrian Arab Republic
ةیروسلا ةیبرعلا ةیروھمجلا
Capital & Largest City – Damascus
Official Language – Arabic
Ethnic groups – Syrian Arabs, Arameans, Kurds, Turkomans, Assyrians, Circassians, Greeks
Religion – 87% Islam, 10% Christianity, 3% Druzism
Government – Unitary dominant party semi-presidential Ba’athist
republic
Legislature – People’s COuncil
Establishment – Arab Kingdom of Syria – 8 March 1920
Area – 185,180 km2
Population – 17,500,657 (65th)
Taiwan
Republic of China (Taiwan)
中華民國
Capital & Largest City – Taipei
Official Language – Formosan languages, Hakka, Hokkien,
Mandarin, Matsu, Sign language
Ethnic groups – 95% Han Chinese, 2% Malayo-Polynesian, 2% other
Religion – 35% Buddhism, 33% Taoism, 19% Unaffiliated, 4%
Christianity, 9% Other
Government – Unitary semi-
presidential republic
Legislature – Legislative Yuan
Formation – Republic proclaimed
1 January 1912
Area – 36,197 km2
Population – 23,780,452 (53rd)
Tajikistan
Republic of Tajikistan
Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон
Capital & Largest City – Dushanabe
Official Language – Tajik, Russian
Ethnic groups – 84% Tajik, 14% Uzbek, 1% Kyrgyz, .4% Russian
Religion – 98% Islam, 1% Zoroastianism, 1% Christianity, .3%
Atheists & Others
Government – Unitary dominant-party presidential constitutional
republic
Legislature – Supreme Assembly
Formation – Tajik ASSR 27 October 1924
Area – 143,100 km2
Population – 9,275,827 (96th)
Thailand
Kingdom of Thailand
ราชอาณาจกรไทย
Capital & Largest City – Bangkok
Official Language – Thai
Ethnic groups – 86% Thais, 3% Khmer, 2% Malays 9% 68 others
Religion – 94% Buddhism, 4% Islam, 1% Christianity
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – National Assembly
Formation – Sukhothai Kingdom 1238 – 1448
Area – 513,120 km2
Population – 69,428,453 (20th)
Timor-Leste
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
Repúblika Demokrátika Timór-Leste
Capital & Largest City – Dili
Official Language – Tetum, Portuguese
Religion – 98% Roman Catholic, 2% other religionis
Government – Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – National Parliament
Independence from Portugal and Indonesia – 28 November 1975
Area – 15,007 km2
Population – 1,183,643
Currency – United States dollar
Tonga
Kingdom of Tonga
Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga
Capital & Largest City – Nuku’alofa
Official Language – Tongan, English
Ethnic groups – 97% Tongan, 1% Euronesians, 2% Other
Religion – Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga
Government – Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – Legislative Assembly
Independence from British protection – 4 June 1970
Area 748 km2
Population – 100,651 (149th)
Turkey
Republic of Turkey
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
Capital – Ankara
Largest City – Istanbul
Official Language – Turkish
Ethnic groups – Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Laz, Cicassians, Bosniaks
Religion – Secular state
Government – Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Legislature – Grand National Assembly
Establishment – War of Independence 19 May 1919
Area – 783,356 km2
Population – 83,154,997 (18th)
Turkmenistan
Republic of Turkmenistan
Türkmenistan Respublikasy
Capital & Largest City – Ashgabat
Official Language – Turkmen, Russian
Ethnic groups – 79% Turkmen, 9% Uzbek, 3% Russian, 3% Kazakh,
6% Others
Religion – 94% Islam, 6% Christianity
Government – Unitary presidential republic
Legislature – People’s Council
Formation – Khanate of Khiva 1511
Area – 491,210 km2
Population – 5,850,901 (117th)
Currency – Turkmen new Manat
Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Motto – Tuvalu for the Almighty
Capital & Largest City – Funafuti
Official Language – Tuvaluan, English
Ethnic groups – 96% Polynesian, 4% Micronesian
Religion – Christian: Church of Tuvaluan
Government – Unitary non-partisan parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Legislature – Parliament
Independence from the United Kingdom – 1 October 1978
Area – 26 km2
Population – 11,192 (196th)
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
ةدحتملا ةیبرعلا تاراملإا
Capital – Abu Dhabi
Largest City – Dubai
Official Language – Arabic
Ethnic groups – 11.6% Emirati, 59.4% South Asian, 10.2% Egyptian,
6% Filipino, 12.8% Others
Religion – Islam
Government – Federal elective constitutional monarchy
Legislature – Federal National Council
Independence from the United Kingdom and the Trucial States –
1708, 1727, 1761
Area 83, 600 km2
Population – 9, 599, 353 (92nd)
Uzbekistan
Republic of Uzbekistan
Oʻzbekiston Respublikasi
Capital & Largest City – Tashkent
Official Language – Uzbek, Karakalpak, Karakalpakstan
Ethnic groups – 84% Uzbeks, 5% Tajiks, 3% Kazakhs, 2% Russians,
2% Karakalpaks, 2% Tatars
Religion – 89% Muslims, 9% Christians, others
Government – Unitary presidential constitutional secular republic
Legislature – Supreme Assembly
Formation – Emirate of Bukhara proclaimed 1785
Area – 448,978 km2
Population – 33,961,708 (41st)
Vietnam
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam
Capital – Hanoi
Largest City – Ho Chi Minh City
Official Language – Vietnamese
Ethnic groups – 86% Vietnamese, 53 Minorities
Religion – 73% Fold or Irreligious, 12% Buddhism, 8% Christianity, 5%
Caodaism, 1% Hoahaoism
Government – Unitary Marxist-Leninst one-party socialist republic
Legislature – National Assembly
Formation – First imperial dunasty c. 2879 BC
Area – 331,212 km2
Population – 95,545,962 (15th)
Yemen
Republic of Yemen
ةینمیلٱ ةیروھمجلا Motto: “God, Country, Revolution,
Unity”
Capital & Largest City – Sana’a
Official Language – Arabic
Ethnic groups – 92.8% Arab, 3.7% Somalis, 1.1% Afro-Arab, 1% Indo-
Pakistani, 1.4% Other
Religion – Islam
Government – Unitary Presidential Constitutional republic
Legislature – Parliament
Establishment: North Yemen
30 October 1918
Area 527, 968 km2
Population – 28, 498, 683 (48th)