chosen to commemorate the immigration

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


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


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


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


republic

Legislature – Jatiya Sangsad

Independence declared

26 March 1971

Area 147,570 km2


Bhutan

Kingdom of Bhutan

འ"ག་%ལ་ཁབ་

Capital & Largest City – Thimphu

Official Language – Dzongkha

Religion – 77.4% Vajrayana Buddhism, 22.6% Hinduism


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


Associated State of New Zealand

4 August 1965

Area 236.7 km2


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


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


Special Territory of Chile

Area 163.6 km2


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


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


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


republic


Establishment – Colchis & Iberia 13th c BC – 580 AD

Area 69,700 km2


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


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


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


Legislature – People’s Consultative Assembly

Formation – Hindu & Buddhist kingdoms – 2nd Century

Area 1,904,569 km2


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


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


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


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


monarchy


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


Formation – Kazakh Khanate: 1465

Area – 2,724,900 km2


Kuwait

State of Kuwait

تیوكلا ةلود

Capital & Largest City – Kuwait City


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


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


republic

Legislature – Joğorqu Keñeş

Independence from the Soviet Union – 14 October 1924

Area 199,951 km2


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


Formation – Kingdom of Lan Xang

1353 – 1707

Area 237,955 km2


Lebanon

Labanese Republic

ةینانبللا ةیروھمجل

Capital & Largest City – Beirut


Local vernacular – Lebanese Arabic

Religion – 61.1% Muslim,33.7% Christianity, 5.2% Druze

Government – Unitary confessionalist parliamentary

republic


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



Kingdom – 31 August 1957

Area 330,803 km2


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


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


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


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


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


monarchy

Monarch – Elizabeth II


Independence from the United Kingdom – 7 May 1856

Area – 268,021 km2


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


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


Oman

Sultanate of Oman

نامع ةنطلس

Capital & Largest City – Muscat


Religion – Islam (Ibadi)

Government – Unitary parliamentary absolute monarchy


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


republic



Kingdom – 14 August 1947

Area – 881,913 km2


Palestine National Authority

Palestine National Authority

ةینیطسلفلا ةطلسلا

Capital & Largest City – Gaza


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


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


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


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


Currency – Tālā (WST)

Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ةیدوعسلٱ ةیبرعلٱ ةكلمملٱ

Capital & Largest City – Riyadh


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


Formation of the modern Republic – Singapore Treaty 6 February 1819

Area – 725.7 km2


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



Establishment – First Kingdom c. 7th century BC

Area – 100,363 km2


Currency – Korean Republic Won

Sri Lanka

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

! ලංකා &ජාතා)*ක සමාජවා. ජනරජය

Capital – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Largest City – Colombo


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



Kingdom – 4 February 1948

Area – 65,610 km2


Syria

Syrian Arab Republic

ةیروسلا ةیبرعلا ةیروھمجلا

Capital & Largest City – Damascus


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


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


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


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


monarchy


Formation – Sukhothai Kingdom 1238 – 1448

Area – 513,120 km2


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


monarchy

Legislature – Legislative Assembly

Independence from British protection – 4 June 1970

Area 748 km2


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


Legislature – Grand National Assembly

Establishment – War of Independence 19 May 1919

Area – 783,356 km2


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


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


Independence from the United Kingdom – 1 October 1978

Area – 26 km2


United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

ةدحتملا ةیبرعلا تاراملإا

Capital – Abu Dhabi

Largest City – Dubai


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


Formation – First imperial dunasty c. 2879 BC

Area – 331,212 km2


Yemen

Republic of Yemen

ةینمیلٱ ةیروھمجلا Motto: “God, Country, Revolution,

Unity”

Capital & Largest City – Sana’a


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


Establishment: North Yemen

30 October 1918

Area 527, 968 km2

Population – 28, 498, 683 (48th)

chosen to commemorate the immigration

Documents