East Asia & Pacific

• Cambodia
• China
• Indonesia
• Korea
• Lao PDR
• Malaysia
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Papua New Guinea

• Philippines
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Viet Nam

• Pacific Island Countries

East Asia and Pacific (EAP) is among the world’s fastest growing, most dynamic regions.

Over the past three decades, sustained economic growth has lifted a billion people out of poverty, transforming economies and lives. An estimated 24 million people moved out of poverty just in 2024 and 2025. However, the region’s next chapter will require more than growth alone, as many countries have reached upper-middle-income status and aspire to become high-income economies.

The region faces a new challenge: by 2035, 320 million young people will enter the workforce, but only 110 million jobs will be created. Bridging that gap will be one of the region's most pressing development challenges.

EAP countries will need to raise productivity, strengthen human capital, achieve energy security and seize opportunities in digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI)—all with a view to creating more and better jobs. At the same time, they must build resilience to changing weather patterns and adapt to rapid changes in demographics and the global economy.

The World Bank Group works with governments, businesses, and communities across the region to help countries address immediate development needs while laying the foundation for long-term growth. It backs investments in job-rich sectors such as sustainable energy, tourism, water and agriculture, health, value-added manufacturing as well as digital and AI. It also helps countries create conditions that mobilize private capital through policy reform, market creation, risk mitigation, and partnerships, working strategically with governments, financial institutions, and investors.

(Last Updated: September 2026)