Vietnam: How many parts does Southeast Asia consist of? How many countries are there in Southeast Asia?

Main Content

• How many parts does Southeast Asia consist of?
• How many countries are there in Southeast Asia?
• What are the purposes of ASEAN?
• What are the operational principles of ASEAN and its member states?

How many parts does Southeast Asia consist of?

Southeast Asia is located in the southeast of Asia, is the junction between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and serves as a bridge between the Eurasian continent and the Australian continent. Southeast Asia consists of a complex system of peninsulas, islands, and archipelagos interwoven between seas and bays.

Southeast Asia is an important geographical region, where many major cultures intersect.

So what parts does Southeast Asia consist of?

Southeast Asia consists of 02 parts: mainland and island:

The mainland part of Southeast Asia is called the Central Indian Peninsula, The mainland part of Southeast Asia is called the Central India Peninsula because it is located between China and India. The islands are collectively known as the Malay Archipelago with over a thousand large and small islands.

The mainland part of Southeast Asia includes the following countries: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and western Malaysia.

How many countries are there in Southeast Asia?

Southeast Asia comprises 11 countries, including:

Brunei

Cambodia

East Timor

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Of these, 10 countries are official members of the ASEAN and the remaining country is an observer of this organization (East Timor).

What are the purposes of ASEAN?

Under Article 1 of the 2007 ASEAN Charter, the purposes of ASEAN are clearly stated as follows:

- To maintain and enhance peace, security, and stability and further strengthen peace-oriented values in the region;

- To enhance regional resilience by promoting greater political, security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation;

- To preserve Southeast Asia as a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone and free of all other weapons of mass destruction;

- To ensure that the peoples and Member States of ASEAN live in peace with the world at large in a just, democratic and harmonious environment;

- To create a single market and production base which is stable, prosperous, highly competitive and economically integrated with effective facilitation for trade and investment in which there is free flow of goods, services and investment; facilitated movement of business persons, professionals, talents and labour; and freer flow of capital;

- To alleviate poverty and narrow the development gap within ASEAN through mutual assistance and cooperation;

- To strengthen democracy, enhance good governance and the rule of law, and to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, with due regard to the rights and responsibilities of the Member States of ASEAN;

- To respond effectively, by the principle of comprehensive security, to all forms of threats, transnational crimes and transboundary challenges;

- To promote sustainable development to ensure the protection of the region’s environment, the sustainability of its natural resources, the preservation of its cultural heritage and the high quality of life of its peoples;

- To develop human resources through closer cooperation in education and life-long learning, and in science and technology, for the empowerment of the peoples of ASEAN and the strengthening of the ASEAN Community;

- To enhance the well-being and livelihood of the peoples of ASEAN by providing them with equitable access to opportunities for human development, social welfare, and justice;

- To strengthen cooperation in building a safe, secure, and drug-free environment for the people of ASEAN;

- To promote a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sectors of society are encouraged to participate in, and benefit from, the process of ASEAN integration and community building;

- To promote an ASEAN identity through the fostering of greater awareness of the diverse culture and heritage of the region; and

- To maintain the centrality and proactive role of ASEAN as the primary driving force in its relations and cooperation with its external partners in a regional architecture that is open, transparent, and inclusive.

What are the operational principles of ASEAN and its member states?

In Article 2 of the 2007 ASEAN Charter, ASEAN and its Member States shall act by the following principles:

- respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all ASEAN Member States;

- shared commitment and collective responsibility in enhancing regional peace, security and prosperity;

- renunciation of aggression and of the threat or use of force or other actions in any manner inconsistent with international law;

- reliance on peaceful settlement of disputes;

- non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN Member States;

- respect for the right of every Member State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion and coercion;

- enhanced consultations on matters seriously affecting the common interest of ASEAN;

- adherence to the rule of law, good governance, the principles of democracy and constitutional government;

- respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the promotion of social justice;

- upholding the United Nations Charter and international law, including international humanitarian law, subscribed to by ASEAN Member States;

- abstention from participation in any policy or activity, including the use of its territory, pursued by any ASEAN Member State or non-ASEAN State or any non-State actor, which threatens the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political and economic stability of ASEAN Member States;

- respect for the different cultures, languages, and religions of the peoples of ASEAN, while emphasizing their common values in the spirit of unity in diversity;

- the centrality of ASEAN in external political, economic, social and cultural relations while remaining actively engaged, outward-looking, inclusive, and non-discriminatory; and

- adherence to multilateral trade rules and ASEAN’s rules-based regimes for effective implementation of economic commitments and progressive reduction towards elimination of all barriers to regional economic integration, in a market-driven economy.