Southeast Asian countries. Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is a major world economic center, known to most for its popular tourist destinations. This vast region is very diverse in terms of ethnic composition of the population, culture and religion. All this eventually affected the general life, is of great interest to tourists from all over the world.

The countries of Southeast Asia is a generalized definition referring to a number of states concentrated south of China, east of India And north of australia. Despite this, usually the map of southeast Asia includes 11 states.

From the middle of the last century to the present, this part of the world is actively developing and playing a huge role in the global economy. The population of southeast Asia is about 600 million people, the most populous state is Indonesia, and the most populous island is Java.

The length of the region from north to south is 3.2 thousand kilometers, and from west to east - 5.6. The countries of Southeast Asia are:

Sometimes this list includes some other territories controlled by states that are part of Asia, but in general, by location, they are not from among the countries of the southeast. Most often these are islands and territories controlled by China, India, Australia and Oceania, these include:

  • (China).
  • (China).
  • (Australia).
  • (China).
  • Nicobar Islands (India).
  • islands (India).
  • Ryukyu Islands (Japan).

According to various sources, about 40% of the world's population lives in the countries of Southeast Asia, many have united in the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. Thus, in 2019, almost half of the world's GDP is produced here. Economic characteristics recent years have been marked by high development in the region in many areas.

Tourism sector

The end of the war between the US and Vietnam had a positive impact on the popularization of resorts in the late 60s. They are still actively developing today, especially since the citizens of our country can go to most of these states by a simplified visa regime and many do not require a visa at all. The countries of Southeast Asia, due to the tropical climate, are suitable for a beach holiday all year round.

Yet in some parts of this gigantic peninsula, the climate is different time year is different, so it will be useful to study the maps beforehand. In the middle and second half of winter, it is better to go to India to the island or to Vietnam, since at this time of the year there is no constant rainfall inherent in the tropical climate. Still suitable for recreation Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

  • south of China;
  • Indonesia;
  • Malaysia;
  • pacific islands.

Most popular destinations among our tourists are Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Peoples and cultures

Racial and ethnic composition Southeast Asia is very heterogeneous. This also applies to religion: the eastern part of the archipelago is mostly inhabited by followers of Buddhism, and there are also Confucians - in view of a large number Chinese immigrants from southern provinces There are about 20 million of them here in China. These countries include Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and a number of other states. It is also not uncommon to meet Hindus and Christians. In the western part of Southeast Asia, Islam is predominantly practiced, it is this religion that ranks first in terms of the number of followers.

The ethnic composition of the region is represented by the following peoples:

And in this list - just not most of all ethnic groups and subgroups, there are also representatives of the peoples of Europe. By and large, the culture of the southeast is a mixture of Indian and Chinese cultures.

The Spaniards and the Portuguese, who colonized the islands in these places, had a great influence on the population. Played a huge role and Arab culture There are about 240 million people practicing Islam here. Over the centuries, common traditions have developed here, almost everywhere in all these countries people eat using Chinese chopsticks, they are very fond of tea.

Yet there are amazing cultural characteristics that will interest any foreigner. One of the most superstitious peoples in the archipelago are the Vietnamese.. For example, it is customary for them to hang mirrors on the outside of the entrance: if a dragon comes, he will immediately run away, frightened by his own reflection. There is still a bad sign to meet a woman in the morning, leaving the house. Or it is considered bad form to lay out cutlery on the table for one person. It is also not customary to touch a person’s shoulder or head, as they believe that good spirits are nearby, and touching them can scare them away.

Demography

In the countries of Southeast Asia for last years the birth rate has declined, yet this part of the world ranks second in terms of population reproduction.

The inhabitants here are settled very heterogeneously, the most densely populated place is the island of Java: density per 1 square kilometer is 930 people. All are settled on the Indochina peninsula, which occupies the eastern part of Southeast Asia, and on the western Malay Archipelago, consisting of many large and small islands. The population prefers to live in deltas numerous rivers, the highlands are less populated, and woodlands practically deserted.

Most of all people live outside the cities, the rest settle in developed centers, more often the capitals of states, the lion's share of the economy of which is replenished due to the tourist flow.

Thus, almost all of these cities have a population of over 1 million, yet most of the population lives outside of them and is engaged in agriculture.

Economy

Looking at the map, the countries of Southeast Asia can be conditionally divided into 2 camps. The first one includes the following:

  • Laos;
  • Cambodia;
  • Vietnam.

In the post-war period, these countries chose the socialist path of development, when, in fact, the territorial division in order to strengthen national sovereignty. Back in the 1980s, these countries had practically no manufacturing industry, the local population was mainly engaged in agricultural production. According to UN statistics of those years, these states had a low level of development, per capita income usually did not exceed $500 a year.

The second camp includes the following countries:

  • Indonesia;
  • Malaysia;
  • Singapore;
  • Philippines;
  • Thailand;
  • Brunei.

The countries from this list united in the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) and took the path of a market economy. As a result, the socialist camp achieved less success, although initially the chances for all these countries were almost equal. The income per person per year ranged from 500 to 3 thousand dollars.

Most developed countries of those in ASEAN today are Brunei and Singapore, per capita account for about 20 thousand dollars. Such indicators were achieved due to the fact that Singapore has a well-developed industry, and Brunei acts as an exporter of petroleum products. Several factors helped the emerging ASEAN:

  • Export.
  • Industry.
  • Foreign investments.
  • Creation of corporations with a flexible viable system.
  • Reforms.

The ASEAN countries began to develop successfully due to the presence of a large amount of natural resources, in addition, they are constantly engaged in the export of their goods. Even in the countries of Southeast Asia, components are made for various household appliances, electronics and other equipment. Thailand also exports cars.

In countries following the path of socialism, the restructuring of the system began to take place in the late 1980s and produced visible results in just a few years. Vietnam is engaged in oil refining, natural gas production, iron ore, and more. Foreign capital poured into this country from Singapore, a number of European countries. Thailand invested in Laos, and at the end of the 20th century, both states were also able to join ASEAN.

Southeast Asia is a sub-region of Asia with an area of ​​5 million km2. About 600 million people live in this region. The map of Southeast Asia is different, but basically it includes 11 countries located between China, India and Australia.

Geologically, the countries of Southeast Asia are located in one of the most volcanic regions of the planet. But this is compensated by the tropical climate, diverse nature, which captures with its diversity and the number of exotic plants and animals.

Southeast Asia is an important part of the global trading system. The economies of the countries of the region are heavily dependent on agriculture, with manufacturing and services constantly evolving, displacing the agricultural market. Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia, while Singapore and Brunei are the countries with the richest developed economies. At the same time, tourism is a key factor in the development of the countries of the region.

The population of Southeast Asia is about 600 million people, and more than 1/5 of them live on the island of Java (Indonesia), the most densely populated island in the world. Indonesia is considered the most densely populated country, with a population of 230 million people. About 30 million people in the region are Chinese immigrants living in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

The peoples of Southeast Asia are diverse. Basically, you can meet Malays, Lao, Thais, Vietnamese, Semangs, Burmese, Filipinos, Indonesians, Javanese, as well as many other less numerous peoples.

The main religion of Southeast Asia is Islam, with about 240 million followers. Buddhism is practiced in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Singapore and Vietnam. Confucianism is also found in Singapore and Vietnam. And in some territories you can meet Protestants and Catholics.

The culture of Southeast Asia is mainly a mixture of Indian and Chinese. And in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese cultures also have an influence. All these regions had, first of all, an impact on the culture of food. In all countries it is customary to eat with chopsticks, the cult of tea is widespread, which can be found in any corner of the region.

The peculiarities of the culture of this or that country of the region can be traced on the example of painting or music, which differs slightly, but still differs in each ethnic group.

In Oceania, as well as in the territory to the west of it, an interesting mixture of British and American English has developed. The Americans appeared in this region in 1898, and the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico passed into the possession of the United States. And besides, America declared the Philippines its sovereign. Later annexed Hawaii. The Philippines gained independence in 1946, but the influence of American English in the region is very significant.

British influence in this region began in the 17th century. Regards, Captain Cook. After 50 years, the London Missionary Society sent its missionaries to the islands of Oceania. Growth British colonization in Southeast Asia, the activities of the East India Company contributed, which created its representative offices in Penang, Singapore, and Malacca. In these regions, English was already used in administration, litigation and other areas. Since 1845 The publishing house of the daily English-language newspaper The Street Times began.

The English language rapidly and inexorably took the leading role in British territories in South East Asia. In 1842, Hong Kong, in 1860, Kowloon passed British control. The introduction of the British educational system in the region strengthened the position of the English language. In schools, the teaching core was the British. Without English, professional growth and career advancement was impossible; it also became the language of the press and literature. Since the beginning of the XIX century. English was taught in higher educational institutions. But in Southeast Asia, a single version of the English language has not yet formed. The reason for this was the formation of Singapore and Malaysia, both historically and politically, went in different ways. As for Hong Kong and papua new guinea, these regions were characterized by a unique sociolinguistic situation.

Singapore. English is a means of international communication along with Chinese, Malay and Tamil. It remains the language of administration and legal proceedings, education and the media.

Malaysia. In Malaysia, after independence in 1957, Malay became the official language, and the importance of English declined. Education is conducted in Malay, English is a compulsory discipline. However, in interethnic and international communication, English is used.

Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, English was of limited use. Chinese Cantonese is the native language of more than 98 people in Hong Kong. Both languages ​​are official language but Chinese enjoys great popularity.

Philippines. In Southeast Asia, the migration of the Chinese population (which started earlier) and the subsequent European colonization led to the further spread of the Chinese language (since the colonial and local elite preferred ethnic Chinese as administrators) and the beginning of the penetration of European languages ​​​​(English, Spanish, Dutch) - languages, spoken by the colonialists. The variegated linguistic picture in the region was supplemented by the fact that the Malay language - the lingua franca of the region - served as an intermediary in interethnic trade relations long before the start of European colonization. Thus, the multilinguistic environment of the region, which included European languages, was formed in the 16th-18th centuries. R. Zorc estimates that the citizens of the Philippines speak 156 languages ​​and 500 local dialects belonging to the eastern branch of the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages. The difference between them is not as significant as between European languages.

The Philippines gained independence from the United States only in 1946, with the signing of the Manila Treaty. Unlike many colonies and dependent territories who gained independence from the mother countries and hurried to forget everything that was brought to their culture by the mother countries, the Philippines retained the status of English as one of the state languages(along with Spanish), assigned to him, part 3 of Art. XIV Constitution of the Philippines 1935 .

Since the development of English as a first language is practically not typical for the inhabitants of the Philippines, and it is little used by the main (poorest) segments of the population at the household level, but is one of the official languages ​​of the country, the emergence of a separate version of the English language used by the Filipinos is inevitable - Pinoy English (Pinoy English).

Papua New Guinea. In 1884 it became a British protectorate. In 1975 it gained independence. Half of the inhabitants speak one of the varieties of pidgin English (Tok Pisin dialect).

On the island of New Guinea, researchers count 300, 500, 700 and even 1000 different languages. And it is safe to say that any of these numbers is inaccurate. The number of languages ​​of New Guinea, as new tribes are discovered, is constantly increasing. Most languages ​​are united by a kind of "chain connection"; they "imperceptibly pass one into the other."

On not large area Papua New Guinea has a rare abundance of different Papuan languages. Their total number cannot be precisely defined and can be roughly estimated at several hundred. At the same time, there is not a single language that would be spoken by more than 100 thousand people, and many of them are spoken by less than 100 people. Further, only relatively few of these languages ​​are genetically close enough that mutual understanding is possible between speakers; the vast majority of them, if they are related genetically (which has not yet been proven), are quite far apart in terms of phonetics, grammar and vocabulary. In addition, there are several dozen Melanesian languages, relatively closely related, but not mutually intelligible.

Hence, the emergence of intertribal intermediary languages, which are used in the areas of administration, education, culture, trade, etc., is quite natural. They function at the following three main levels:

  • 1. "Nearest" languages, i.e. languages ​​of direct (contact) intertribal communication of closely living tribes. So, for example, three tribes are settled in the Maikel region - Kamano (12 thousand), Yate (20 thousand) and Usuruf (600 people). Almost all Usuruf are trilingual, i.e. the Kamano and Yate languages ​​act as a means of intertribal communication for them.
  • 2. Zonal languages, i.e. areal languages ​​that serve as intermediary languages ​​for a fairly large area. Their emergence is usually associated with economic needs (language of trade, etc.), an example of which is the so-called insular kiwai in the former Western District of Papua. Interestingly, Melanesian languages ​​(Mapam, Graged, Yabem, Vedau, Dobe, Suau, Kuanua, Motu) are more often zonal languages ​​than Papuan. Apparently, this is due to the fact that the Melanesian tribes are settled in the coastal strip and are more developed in socio-economic terms.
  • 3. Common languages: police motu (police motu), although it would probably be correct to call it administrative motu (self-name - "hiri motu"), and Melanesian pidgin (melanesian pidgin), sometimes called neomelanesian (neomelanesian), but more famous in Lately like "tok-pisin". The first of these languages ​​is spoken exclusively in Papua. It originated from the Melanesian language Motu, which is spoken by about 10 thousand people in the vicinity of Port Moresby, as its pidginized version.

It is interesting to compare the statistical data on the spread of the English language, TP and HM (these data refer to 1966 and refer only to adults - over 10 years old) [ 2 ]. Among the indigenous population, then 13.26% spoke English, TP - 36.46, HM - 8.13%. Among the non-indigenous (about 50 thousand; according to 1970 estimates, approximately the same number), 97.18% speak English, 66.81% of TP, and 8.31% of HM. This means, firstly, that at present, according to the most rough estimate, the percentage of TS proficiency among the native population is approaching 80-90 (compare the above data on the growth in the absolute number of TS speakers), since neither general population, nor the level of English and XM proficiency did not change significantly. Secondly, this means that for the majority of non-indigenous residents of the country, TA is the language of communication along with English; apparently, the number of such bilingual Europeans (besides them, Papua New Guinea inhabited by the Japanese, Chinese, etc.) must inevitably grow in connection with the policy of strengthening the state apparatus with local personnel, pursued by the government of Michael Somare.

However, English still occupies a very strong position as the language of education. On this basis, for two decades now, with varying success, he has been competing with local languages- HM and TP. English as the language of the school was imposed by the Australian authorities; it is, in fact, the only language of secondary vocational and higher education. The Australian communists from the very beginning considered it necessary initial education on mother tongue; Progressive Australian Papuan scholars led by S. Wurm and A. Kapell, who proposed - if teaching in their native language turns out to be appropriate - use lingue franche, including XM and TP, have taken the same position and are still taking it. The government of Michael Somare also set out to introduce TP as the language of instruction in schools.

From the above data, it is obvious that TP has a real chance of becoming in the very near future common language Papua New Guinea, perhaps - the national language.

So, at the moment there is a noticeable political, economic and cultural consolidation of the various peoples of Papua New Guinea. Despite strong separatist and tribalist tendencies, things are clearly moving towards the creation of a New Guinean nation. And this puts the problem of the national language on the agenda. English and TP can claim this role.

TP is a real language of communication, widespread among the population, perceived as "their own" language, i.e. associated with the emerging national identity of the inhabitants of Papua New Guinea. For many, this is the language of secondary education, the language of the press and radio. However, it has not yet been codified; its norms as a language of literature and writing have not been established. On the other hand, outside of New Guinea, there are practically no people who know TP, not to mention any literature in this language, which means that there can be no question of any international communication (except for the close TP pidgin New Hebrides and some other pidgins of Oceania).

English is the language of the colonizers, little known to the indigenous population, unpopular. However, it is the language of higher education, the language of the intelligentsia and international communication. One should hardly think that he will give up all these positions in the near future. Therefore, one can apparently agree with the assessment of Wurm, who points out: “On a political level, there is a possibility that a pidgin can become a serious candidate for national languages future independent Papua New Guinea, although English is to be expected to remain the official language in areas such as higher education, supreme administration and relations with the outside world.

Southeast Asia from A to Z: population, countries, cities and resorts. Map of Southeast Asia, photo and video. Descriptions and opinions of tourists.

  • Tours for May Worldwide
  • Hot tours Worldwide

And so it happened: in the South East Asia then they go to see the amazing nature, touch the thousand-year-old cultures, sunbathe on tropical beaches, and finally, have a good time with varying degrees of severity (yes, we are talking about Pattaya permissiveness). In general, with any wishes for relaxation (except, perhaps, "skiing" and "ice" hotels) - welcome here!

There are practically no countries in Southeast Asia where tourism would not be developed. Rather, it is more or less massive. For example, if Thailand can be safely called an "all-Union health resort" - perhaps only a principled stay-at-home has not been here, then Brunei and Myanmar are countries that are more closed, chamber, "for those who understand." But first things first. Why is it worth going to the expanses of Southeast Asia?

Let's start with the main subject of interest for vacationers of all ages and nationalities - the sea, sun and beaches. There is more than enough of this in the region, and the available recreational resources can boast of consistently high quality - from a "combed" beach to pleasant hotel trifles, such as a morning orchid in the toilet. In general, we think, the reason for the popularity of a good half of the "yuvash" resorts is a sincere desire local population to please an overseas guest.

A look at Southeast Asia

Secondly, people go to the Southeast Asian expanses in order to be surprised. rare animals and active volcanoes, sometimes dumbfounding traditions of local peoples (which is worth at least two weeks of fun in honor of a deceased relative!) and the vagaries of local grocery stores (we are talking about sauce from rotten fish intestines) - in a word, all those riches that Asia has in store for the inquisitive in its bins.

Last but not least, Southeast Asia is popular due to the fact that its territory hosts a truly extraordinary collection of ancient treasures and cultural heritage. What are at least breathtaking Buddhist monuments - from the Myanmar Shwedagon Pagoda to the Lao "footprint of the Buddha".

Finally, enthusiastic athletes from all over the world rush to the local underwater and surface beauties. For example, Vietnamese diving has been unanimously recognized for several years as one of the best in the world in terms of price-quality ratio, and surfing in Malaysia is becoming more and more popular every season - thanks to the efforts of the eastern monsoon, which gives beautiful waves to the “boarders”.

It occupies the Indochina peninsula, the Malay Archipelago and Philippine Islands. These are 10 countries (Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, East Timor) with a population of over 410.6 million people, which is 13.4% of the Asian population.

Routes from Europe and the Middle East to East Asia and Australia pass through. Highest value on air routes have the airports of Singapore and Bangkok, and on sea ​​routes- Straits of Malacca. There is a project to build a canal across the isthmus connecting the Malay Peninsula to the mainland.

By state system is a republic and a monarchy (Brunei, Cambodia, Thailand).

2. The natural resource potential of the South

Southeast Asia is located in the subequatorial and equatorial climatic zones. There is a lot of heat and moisture, fertile soils. This region of Asia is better than others provided with forest resources; significant areas are occupied by wet rainforests. Iron, black, red, rosewood trees with hard, water-repellent wood, as well as camphor, sandalwood and a number of other species containing essential oils and resins, are in great demand on the world market.

Rich region and minerals. From Myanmar to Indonesia stretches part of the world's largest tin-tungsten belt. In addition, there are significant deposits of bauxite, copper, lead, manganese, gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones. In the bowels of the Philippines there are deposits of chromites of world importance. Of the fuel resources is coal (Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia), significant reserves of oil and gas are in Indonesia, Myanmar, Brunei, Vietnam.

3. The population of South.

characterized by significant natural population growth. And although in recent years its level has decreased significantly, the countries belong to the second type of population reproduction. Racial, ethnic and religious composition population motley. Representatives of the Caucasoid, Mongoloids and Australoids, as well as their descendants, live here. There are more than 20 million Chinese immigrants (huaqiao) in Southeast Asia.

The distribution of the population is rather uneven. On the Indochina Peninsula and the Malay Archipelago, the population is concentrated in the deltas and valleys of the Irrawaddy, Menam, Mekong, Hongha, Java and Luzon islands. In Java average density The population is 930 people / sq. km. Mountainous areas, covered with forests, almost deserted.

The level of urbanization is quite low, the main share of urban residents is concentrated in the capitals, except for the capitals of Brunei, Cambodia and Laos, they are millionaire cities. More than half of the population is employed in agriculture.

4. general characteristics South-East Asia

The region of Southeast Asia is heterogeneous and does not constitute a group of countries that are characterized by certain general trends in the socio-economic and political development. In the post-war period, in the course of the formation and strengthening of national sovereignty, the countries of the region were divided into two main groups. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia chose the path of socialist development, and the rest - representatives of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN), which included Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and since 1984 - Brunei, took the path of development market relations. All countries of Southeast Asia started at about the same level. However, the former socialist countries of Asia were unable to achieve such impressive results as neighboring countries members of ASEAN.

The economies of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the 1980s had an agrarian orientation and were characterized by an almost complete absence of a manufacturing industry. According to the UN classification, in the late 80s they belonged to the group of countries with a low per capita income - less than 500 dollars. per year, and Laos and Cambodia are included in the group of least developed countries.

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand are among the countries with an average per capita income - from 500 to 3000 dollars. in year.

Singapore and Brunei- states with a high level of per capita income, over 20 thousand dollars. in year. True, success in the economic development of these countries was achieved due to various factors: Singapore is a state with a developed industry, and Brunei is a petroleum-exporting country that receives a significant part of GDP due to oil production and export (up to 60% in 1995).

The economic success of the ASEAN countries was achieved due to four factors:
1) export industrial development strategy;
2) attraction of foreign capital;
3) state regulation;
4) creation of viable national corporations.

The countries of the region have a strong export base, they are well endowed with natural resources, which form the basis of their economic development. That is why they have become the largest, and sometimes monopoly, exporters of certain goods.

A decisive role in shaping the industrial and export specialization of the ASEAN countries is played by TNCs (mainly American and Japanese), which first penetrated into the light industry, and now have created a base for the production of export components for consumer electronics and telecommunications equipment. Among market economies, Malaysia has become the world's third largest semiconductor producer. Thailand has become an important center for the production of integrated circuits. The same countries are major manufacturers and exporters of cars. The chemical industry and metallurgy are also developing. The penetration of TNCs into developing countries is explained by the active movement to these countries of labour-, energy- and material-intensive, environmentally hazardous industries, as well as cheap labor.

The restructuring of the economic system in Vietnam and Laos began in 1988, and already after 3-4 years noticeable results were achieved. Vietnam is sometimes referred to as the second "Kuwait". The end of the XX century. he became one of the medium oil producers. With the participation of foreign capital, oil and gas, iron ore, and bauxite extraction are being developed in these countries, oil refineries, enterprises for the production of nitrogen fertilizers, natural rubber, tea, coffee, and pharmaceutical factories are being built. One of the priority directions of economic development is the creation of free economic zones. The main investors in the Vietnamese economy are Taiwan, Singapore, France, Germany, the economy of Laos is Thailand. At the end of the XX century. both countries became members of ASEAN.

The influence of the colonial past of the country of the region is still felt today. Southeast Asia continues to act in MSUPU as an important supplier of agricultural raw materials. The basis of agriculture - the main sphere of the economy - is subtropical agriculture. An important feature of the equatorial belt is the plantation economy, founded by the colonialists. Plantations are beneficial not only economically, but also ecologically (they mimic the conditions of the equatorial forest). The countries of Southeast Asia are the largest rice-growing area in the world. Legumes, corn, sweet potato, cassava are cultivated everywhere. The region has long been known for growing spices (red and black pepper, ginger, vanilla, cloves), which are exported. The ASEAN zone provides almost 40% of the world's production of natural rubber, 60% of copra, 90% of yarn (manila hemp fiber), more than 50% of coconuts, 30% of palm oil and rice. The weak development of animal husbandry is compensated by summer and sea fishing.

One of the centers of world drug production is the "golden triangle". It covers the territory of northeastern Myanmar, northern Thailand and northern Laos and covers an area of ​​about 400 thousand square kilometers. In the mid 50s of the XX century. production of raw opium here amounted to 50% of the world. Now regional bodies and the UN are trying to solve the drug problem in the area by giving the population the opportunity to replace the opium poppy with other equally profitable crops.

Singapore is an island city-state with an area of ​​about 620 km2 and a population of 3 million people. Representatives of many peoples of the world live here, speaking English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. The country became independent in 1965. During the independence, Singapore has turned from a colonial city into a financial, trade, communication and industrial center of world importance. Sea port Singapore is the second in the world after Rotterdam in terms of total cargo turnover. More than 3,000 branches of TNCs are located in the city. Therefore, the cost of 1 square meter of land in financial center Singapore has reached 60 thousand US dollars.