Countries in Asia to Live, Work or Start a Business

Do you want to migrate to a new country to live and work? If YES, here is a list of countries in Asia plus 1000+ jobs and business opportunities.

Asia is the largest and most populous continent on planet earth, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa.

Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometers (17,212,000 sq mi), about 30 percent of Earth’s total land area and 8.7 percent of the Earth’s total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the seat of many of the first civilizations.

Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population, but also dense and large settlements, as well as vast barely populated regions. Its 4.5 billion people (as of June 2019) constitute roughly 60 percent of the world’s population.

Asia varies greatly across and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups, cultures, environments, economics, historical ties and government systems. It also has a mix of many different climates ranging from the equatorial south via the hot desert in the Middle East, temperate areas in the east and the continental center to vast subarctic and polar areas in Siberia. These are the countries that can be found in the continent of Asia.

Countries in Asia to Live, Work or Start a Business

  1. Afghanistan
  • Official Currency: Afghani (Afs) (AFN)
  • Major Language: Pashto. Dari
  • Other Languages Spoken: Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, and Nuristani.
  • Population: 32,225,560 (2019)
  • Capital: Kabul
  • Major Cities: Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz and Jalalabad.

Agricultural production is the backbone of Afghanistan’s economy. The country is known for producing pomegranates, grapes, apricots, melons, and several other fresh and dry fruits. It is also known as the world’s largest producer of opium. As much as 16 percent or more of the nation’s economy is derived from the cultivation and sale of opium.

Afghanistan’s nominal GDP was $21.7 billion in 2018, or $72.9 billion by purchasing power parity (PPP). Its GDP per capita is $2,024 (PPP). Despite having $1 trillion or more in mineral deposits, it remains one of the world’s least developed countries.

The country imports over $7 billion worth of goods but exports only $784 million, mainly fruits and nuts. It has $2.8 billion in external debt. This is indeed a good reason an investor should consider investing in the country.

  1. Azerbaijan
  • Official Currency: Azerbaijani Manat
  • Major Language: Azerbaijani
  • Other Languages Spoken: Russian, Armenian and English
  • Population: 9,981,457 (2019)
  • Capital: Baku
  • Major Cities: Ganja, Sumqayit

Oil and gas is a thriving industry in the country. Two-thirds of Azerbaijan is rich in oil and natural gas. In 2008, Azerbaijan was cited as one of the top 10 reformers by the World Bank’s Doing Business Report. Azerbaijan led the world as the top reformer in 2007/08, with improvements on seven out of 10 indicators of regulatory reform.

Azerbaijan started operating a one-stop shop in January 2008 that halved the time, cost and number of procedures to start a business. Business registrations increased by 40 percent in the first six months.

Azerbaijan also eliminated the minimum loan cutoff of $1,100, more than doubling the number of borrowers covered by the credit registry. Also, taxpayers can now file forms and pay their taxes online. Azerbaijan’s extensive reforms moved it far up the ranks, from 97 to 33 in the overall ease of doing business.

  1. Bahrain
  • Official Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)
  • Major Language: Arabic and English
  • Other Languages Spoken: Persian, Malayalam, Tamil, Bangla and Hindi
  • Population: 1,425,171 (2016)
  • Capital: Manama
  • Major Cities: Al Hidd and Muharraq

The oil and gas industry in the most thriving industry in the country. Petroleum is Bahrain’s most exported product, accounting for 60 percent of export receipts, 70 percent of government revenues, and 11 percent of GDP. According to a January 2006 report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Bahrain has the fastest-growing economy in the Arab world.

Bahrain also has the freest economy in the Middle East and is twelfth-freest overall in the world based on the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom published by the Heritage Foundation / Wall Street Journal. The fact stated above is a good reason why an investor should consider investing the Bahrain

  1. Bangladesh
  • Official Currency: Bangladeshi taka (৳) (BDT)
  • Major Language: Bengali
  • Other Languages Spoken: Garo, Manipuri, Kokborok and Rakhine.
  • Population: 162,951,560 (2016)
  • Capital: Dhaka
  • Major Cities: Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet

Transport is a major sector of the economy. Aviation has grown rapidly, and includes the flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and other privately owned airlines. Bangladesh has a number of airports: three international and several domestic and STOL (short takeoff and landing) airports. The busiest, Shahjalal International Airport connects Dhaka with major destinations.

A major reason you should consider investing in the country is that Bangladesh has the world’s 39th largest economy in terms of market exchange rates and 29th largest in terms of purchasing power parity, which ranks second in South Asia after India.

Bangladesh is also one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and one of the fastest growing middle-income countries. The country has a market-based mixed economy. A developing nation, Bangladesh is one of the Next Eleven emerging markets. According to the IMF, its per-capita income was US$1,888 in 2018, with a GDP of $314 billion. Bangladesh has the second-highest foreign-exchange reserve in South Asia (after India).

  1. Brunei
  • Official Currency: Brunei dollar (BND)
  • Major Language: Malay and English
  • Other Languages Spoken: Brunei, Kedayan, Belait, Chinese, Murut, Dusun Brunei Bisaya
  • Population: 423,196 (2016)
  • Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
  • Major Cities: Sengkurong, Gadong B and Berakas A

The oil and gas industry is the most thriving industry in Brunei. Statistics shows that crude oil and natural gas production account for about 90 percent of its GDP. About 167,000 barrels (26,600 m3) of oil are produced every day, making Brunei the fourth-largest producer of oil in Southeast Asia.

It also produces approximately 25.3 million cubic metres (890×106 cu ft) of liquified natural gas per day, making Brunei the ninth-largest exporter of the substance in the world. Brunei’s small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Brunei.

  1. Cambodia
  • Official Currency: Riel (KHR)
  • Major Languages: Khmer
  • Other Languages Spoken:  English and French
  • Population: 15,288,489 (2019)
  • Capital: Phnom Penh
  • Major Cities: Ta Khmau, Serei Saophoan and Battambang

Tourism was Cambodia’s fastest growing industry, with arrivals increasing from 219,000 in 1997 to over 2 million in 2007. In 2004, inflation was at 1.7 percent and exports at $1.6 billion US$. In 2017, Cambodia’s per capita income was $4,022 in PPP and $1,309 in nominal per capita. Cambodia graduated from the status of a Least Developed Country to a Lower Middle Income country in the same year 2016.

Based on the Economist, IMF, annual average GDP growth for the period 2001–2010 was 7.7 percent making it one of the world’s top ten countries with the highest annual average GDP growth. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Cambodia.

  1. China
  • Official Currency: Renminbi (yuan; ¥) (CNY)
  • Major Language: Standard Mandarin (Standard Chinese)
  • Other Languages Spoken: Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan and Zhuang
  • Population: 1,403,500,365 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Beijing
  • Major Cities: Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangzhou

The e-commerce industry no doubt is one of the most thriving industries in China. China is the world’s largest e-commerce market, amounting to 42 percent of the global market by 2016 and is expected to account for 55 percent of global e-commerce retail sales in 2019 (more than three times as large as the US market).

China’s e-commerce market had online sales of more than $1 trillion in 2018, according to PWC and is expected to be just under $2 trillion in 2019.

China’s e-commerce industry took off in 2009, marked by the growth of internet giants Tencent Alibaba – purveyors of products such as WeChat and Tmall that have become ubiquitous in contemporary Chinese life. Tencent’s WeChat Pay and Alibaba’s Ali Pay have helped China become a world leader in mobile payments, which amounted to about $30 trillion in China in 2017 and more than $40 trillion in 2018.

Since economic liberalization began in 1978, China has been among the world’s fastest-growing economies, relying largely on investment- and export-led growth. According to the IMF, China’s annual average GDP growth between 2001 and 2010 was 10.5 percent.

In the years immediately following the financial crisis of 2007, China’s economic growth rate was equivalent to all of the G7 countries’ growth combined. Its high productivity, low labor costs and relatively good infrastructure have made it a global leader in manufacturing. The above stated fact is a good reason why an investor should consider investing in China.

  1. East Timor
  • Official Currency: United States Dollar (USD)
  • Major Language: Portuguese Tetum
  • Other Languages Spoken: Atauru, Baikeno, Bekais, Bunak, Fataluku, Galoli, Habun
  • Population: 1,167,242 (2015 Census)
  • Capital: Dili
  • Major Cities: Oecusse, Liquiçá and Manatuto

The oil and gas industry is the most thriving industry in the country. East Timor is labelled by the International Monetary Fund as the “most oil-dependent economy in the world”. The Petroleum Fund pays for nearly all of the government’s annual budget, which has increased from $70 million in 2004 to $1.3 billion in 2011, with a $1.8 billion proposal for 2012.

East-Timor’s income from oil and gas stands to significantly increase after its announcement to cancel a controversial agreement with Australia, which has given Australia half of the income from oil and gas since 2006.

East Timor has a market economy that used to depend upon exports of a few commodities such as coffee, marble, petroleum, and sandalwood. East Timor’s economy grew by about 10 percent in 2011 and at a similar rate in 2012. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in East Timor.

  1. India
  • Official Currency: Indian rupee (INR)
  • Major Language: Hindi
  • Other Languages Spoken: English
  • Population: 1,324,171,354 (2016)
  • Capital: New Delhi
  • Major Cities: Mumbai

The telecommunication industry in unarguably the most thriving industry in India. India’s telecommunication industry, the world’s fastest-growing, added 227 million subscribers during the period 2010–11, and after the third quarter of 2017, India surpassed the US to become the second largest smartphone market in the world after China.

According to a 2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report, India’s GDP at purchasing power parity could overtake that of the United States by 2045. During the next four decades, Indian GDP is expected to grow at an annualized average of 8 percent, making it potentially the world’s fastest-growing major economy until 2050.

The report highlights key growth factors: a young and rapidly growing working-age population; growth in the manufacturing sector because of rising education and engineering skill levels; and sustained growth of the consumer market driven by a rapidly growing middle-class. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in India.

  1. Indonesia
  • Official Currency: Indonesian rupiah (Rp) (IDR)
  • Major Language: Indonesian
  • Population: 261,115,456 (2016)
  • Capital: Jakarta
  • Major Cities: Surabaya, Bekasi and Bandung

The trade industry is the most thriving industry in Indonesia. Palm oil and coal briquettes are the main exports, with petroleum gas, crude petroleum, rubber and cars making up the majority of other exports. Imports mostly consist of refined and crude petroleum, with telephones, petroleum gas, vehicle parts and wheat covering the majority of additional imports.

Indonesia has a mixed economy in which both the private sector and government play vital roles. The country has the largest economy in Southeast Asia, is a member of the G20, and is classified as a newly industrialized country. As of 2018, it is the world’s 16th largest economy by nominal GDP and 7th in terms of GDP at PPP, estimated to be US$1.074 trillion and US$3.481 trillion respectively. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Indonesia.

  1. Iran
  • Official Currency: Rial (ریال) (IRR)
  • Major Language: Persian
  • Other Languages Spoken: Azerbaijani, Qashqai, Turkmen, Kurdish, Gilak and Mazanderani
  • Population: 82,531,700 (2018 census)
  • Capital: Tehran
  • Major Cities: Mashhad, Isfahan and Karaj

The oil and gas industry is the most thriving industry in Iran. In 2006, about 45 percent of the government’s budget came from oil and natural gas revenues, and 31 percent came from taxes and fees. As of 2007, Iran earned $70 billion in foreign-exchange reserves, mostly (80 percent) from crude oil exports.

In 2017, GDP was $427.7 billion ($1.631 trillion at PPP), or $20,000 at PPP per capita. Iran is ranked as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Iran.

  1. Iraq
  • Official Currency: Iraqi dinar (IQD)
  • Major Language: Mesopotamian Arabic and Kurdish
  • Other Languages Spoken: Mandaic, Shabaki, Armenian, Circassian and Persian
  • Population: 37,202,572 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Baghdad
  • Major Cities: Basra, Mosul and Karbala

The oil and gas industry no doubt is the most thriving industry in Iraq. Iraq’s economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95 percent of foreign exchange earnings. The lack of development in other sectors has resulted in 18 percent–30 percent unemployed and a per capita GDP of $4,000.

In February 2011, Citigroup included Iraq in a group of countries which it described as ‘Global Growth Generators’, that it argued will enjoy significant economic growth in the future. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Iraq.

  1. Israel
  • Official Currency: New shekel (₪‎) (ILS)
  • Major Language: Hebrew
  • Other Languages Spoken: Arabic, English, Russian and Amharic
  • Population: 9,083,840 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Jerusalem
  • Major Cities: Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beersheba and Nazareth

The science and technology industry alongside the agriculture industry are some of the thriving industries in Israel. Israel’s development of cutting-edge technologies in software, communications and the life sciences have evoked comparisons with Silicon Valley.

Israel ranks 5th in the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation Index, and is 1st in the world in expenditure on research and development as a percentage of GDP. Israel boasts 140 scientists, technicians, and engineers per 10,000 employees, the highest number in the world (in comparison, the same is 85 for the U.S.).

The country is ranked 16th in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report and 54th on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index. Israel was also ranked 5th in the world by share of people in high-skilled employment. Israel has the second-largest number of startup companies in the world after the United States, and the third-largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies after the U.S. and China.

Intel and Microsoft built their first overseas research and development facilities in Israel, and other high-tech multi-national corporations, such as IBM, Google, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Facebook and Motorola have opened research and development centers in the country. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Israel.

  1. Japan
  • Official Currency: Yen (¥) (JPY)
  • Major Language: Japanese
  • Other Languages Spoken:
  • Population: 126,317,000 (January 2019 census)
  • Capital: Tokyo
  • Major Cities: Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya

The production industry is a very thriving industry in Japan. Japan has a large industrial capacity, and is home to some of the largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronics, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemical substances, textiles, and processed foods.

Japan is the third largest automobile producer in the world, and is home to Toyota, the world’s largest automobile company. The Japanese consumer electronics industry, once considered the strongest in the world. Brands such as Fujifilm, Canon, Sony, Nintendo, Panasonic, Toyota, Nissan and Honda are internationally famous.

Japan is the third largest national economy in the world, after the United States and China, in terms of nominal GDP, and the fourth largest national economy in the world, after the United States, China and India, in terms of purchasing power parity. Japan ranks 34th of 190 countries in the 2018 ease of doing business index and has one of the smallest tax revenues of the developed world. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Japan.

  1. Jordan
  • Official Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken:
  • Population: 10,407,793
  • Capital: Amman
  • Major Cities: Irbid, Zarqa and Al Quwaysimah

The tourism sector is considered a cornerstone of the economy and is a large source of employment, hard currency, and economic growth. In 2010, there were 8 million visitors to Jordan. The majority of tourists coming to Jordan are from European and Arab countries.

Jordan is ranked as having the 35th best infrastructure in the world, one of the highest rankings in the developing world, according to the 2010 World Economic Forum’s Index of Economic Competitiveness. This high infrastructural development is necessitated by its role as a transit country for goods and services to Palestine and Iraq. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Jordan.

  1. Kazakhstan
  • Official Currency: Tenge (₸) (KZT)
  • Major Language: Kazakh
  • Other Languages Spoken: Russian
  • Population: 18.459 million (2019)
  • Capital: Nur-Sultan
  • Major Cities: Almaty, Shymkent, Karaganda

The services industry is no doubt the most thriving industry in Kazakhstan. As of 2014, foreign investors had placed a total of $211.5 billion in Kazakhstan. According to the US State Department, Kazakhstan is widely considered to have the best investment climate in the region.

In 2002, the country became the first in the former Soviet Union to receive an investment-grade credit rating from an international credit rating agency. Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays a more significant role in the national economy than in most other former Soviet republics.

  1. Kuwait
  • Official Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: English and French
  • Population: 4,621,638 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Kuwait City
  • Major Cities: Al Asimah, Jahra and Mubarak Al-Kabeer

Petroleum industry in Kuwait is the most thriving industry; Kuwait has a petroleum-based economy, and petroleum is the main export product. Despite its relatively small territory, Kuwait has proven crude oil reserves of 104 billion barrels, estimated to be 10 percent of the world’s reserves. Petroleum accounts for half of GDP and 90 percent of government income.

The Kuwaiti dinar is the highest-valued unit of currency in the world. According to the World Bank, Kuwait is the seventh richest country in the world per capita. Kuwait is the second richest GCC country per capita (after Qatar). This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Kuwait.

  1. Kyrgyzstan
  • Official Currency: Som (c) (KGS)
  • Major Language: Kyrgyz and Russian
  • Other Languages Spoken: Uzbek, English, French and German
  • Population: 6,389,500 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Bishkek
  • Major Cities: Osh, Jalal-Abad and Karakol

Agriculture is an important sector of the economy in Kyrgyzstan. By the early 1990s, the private agricultural sector provided between one-third and one-half of some harvests. In 2002, agriculture accounted for 35.6 percent of GDP and about half of employment.

Kyrgyzstan’s terrain is mountainous, which accommodates livestock raising, so the resulting wool, meat and dairy products are major commodities. Main crops include wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, cotton, tobacco, vegetables, and fruit.

The government has reduced expenditures, ended most price subsidies and introduced a value-added tax. Overall, the government appears committed to the transition to a market economy. Through economic stabilization and reform, the government seeks to establish a pattern of long-term consistent growth. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Kyrgyzstan.

  1. Laos
  • Official Currency: Kip (₭) (LAK)
  • Major Language: Lao
  • Other Languages Spoken: French, Hmong, and Khmu
  • Population: 6,758,353
  • Capital: Vientiane
  • Major Cities: Pakxe, Savannakhet and Luang Prabang

Tourism is the fastest-growing industry in the country. The tourism sector has grown rapidly, from 80,000 international visitors in 1990, to 1.876 million in 2010. Tourism is expected to contribute US$679.1 million to the gross national product in 2010, rising to US$1.5857 billion by 2020.

The economy receives development aid from the IMF, ADB, and other international sources; and also, foreign direct investment for development of the society, industry, hydropower and mining (most notably of copper and gold). This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Laos.

  1. Lebanon
  • Official Currency: Lebanese pound (LBP)
  • Major Language: Arabic, English and French
  • Other Languages Spoken:  Lebanese Arabic
  • Population: 6,006,668 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Beirut
  • Major Cities: Tripoli, Tyre and Sidon

The agriculture industry is the most thriving industry in Lebanon. The agricultural sector employs 12 percent of the total workforce. Agriculture contributed to 5.9 percent of the country’s GDP in 2011. Lebanon’s proportion of cultivable land is the highest in the Arab world, Major produce includes apples, peaches, oranges, and lemons.

Lebanon’s constitution states that ‘the economic system is free and ensures private initiative and the right to private property’. Lebanon’s economy follows a laissez-faire model. Most of the economy is dollarized, and the country has no restrictions on the movement of capital across its borders. The Lebanese government’s intervention in foreign trade is minimal. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Lebanon.

  1. Malaysia
  • Official Currency: Ringgit (RM) (MYR)
  • Major Language: Malay
  • Other Languages Spoken: English and Chinese
  • Population: 32,772,100 (2019 August Estimate)
  • Capital: Kuala Lumpur
  • Major Cities: Seberang Perai, Kajang and George Town, Penang

The export and import industries are the most thriving in the country. Malaysia is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources, and petroleum is a major export. Malaysia has once been the largest producer of tin, rubber and palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country’s economy, although Malaysia’s economic structure has been moving away from it. Malaysia remains one of the world’s largest producers of palm oil.

Malaysia is a relatively open state-oriented and newly industrialized market economy. It has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5 per cent annually from 1957 to 2005. Malaysia’s economy in 2014–2015 was one of the most competitive in Asia, ranking 6th in Asia and 20th in the world, higher than countries like Australia, France and South Korea.

In 2014, Malaysia’s economy grew 6 percent, the second highest growth in ASEAN behind the Philippines’ growth of 6.1 percent. The economy of Malaysia in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) in April 2019 was estimated to be $999.397 billion, the third largest in ASEAN and the 25th largest in the world. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Malaysia.

  1. Maldives
  • Official Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR)
  • Major Language: Dhivehi
  • Other Languages Spoken: English
  • Population: 392,473 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Malé
  • Major Cities: Addu City, Fuvahmulah and Kulhudhuffushi

The Tourism industry is the most thriving industry in the country. Tourism accounts for 28 percent of the GDP and more than 60 percent of the Maldives’ foreign exchange receipts. Over 90 percent of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.

The development of tourism fostered the overall growth of the country’s economy. It created direct and indirect employment and income generation opportunities in other related industries.

The Maldivian government began a largely successful economic reform programme in the 1980s, initiated by lifting import quotas and giving more opportunities to the private sector. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Maldives.

  1. Mongolia
  • Official Currency: Tögrög (MNT)
  • Major Language: Mongolian
  • Other Languages Spoken: English, Russian, Korean, Oirat and Buryat
  • Population: 3,256,176 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Ulaanbaatar
  • Major Cities: Erdenet, Darkhan and Choibalsan

Minerals represent more than 80 percent of Mongolia’s exports, a proportion expected to eventually rise to 95 percent. Fiscal revenues from mining represented 21 percent of government income in 2010 and rose to 24 percent in 2018. Mining is continuing to rise as a major industry of Mongolia as evidenced by the number of Chinese, Russian and Canadian firms starting mining businesses in Mongolia.

Mongolia was never listed among the emerging market countries until February 2011 when Citigroup analysts determined Mongolia to be one of the “global growth generating” countries, which are countries with the most promising growth prospects for 2010–2050. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Mongolia.

  1. Myanmar
  • Official Currency: Kyat (K) (MMK)
  • Major Language: Burmese
  • Other Languages Spoken: Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan
  • Population: 53,582,855 (2017 census)
  • Capital: Naypyidaw
  • Major Cities: Yangon (Rangoon), Mandalay and Bago

The Agriculture industry is the most thriving industry in Myanmar. The major agricultural product is rice, which covers about 60 percent of the country’s total cultivated land area. Rice accounts for 97 percent of total food grain production by weight.

Through collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute, 52 modern rice varieties were released in the country between 1966 and 1997, helping increase national rice production to 14 million tons in 1987 and to 19 million tons in 1996.

The lack of an educated workforce skilled in modern technology hinders Myanmar’s economy, although recent reforms and developments carried out by the new government, in collaboration with foreign countries and organizations, aim to make this a thing of the past.

In recent years, both China and India have attempted to strengthen ties with the government for economic benefit. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Myanmar.

  1. Nepal
  • Official Currency: Nepalese rupee Rs (Nepali: रू) (NPR)
  • Major Language: Nepali
  • Other Languages Spoken: Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Nepal Bhasa
  • Population: 28,982,771 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Kathmandu
  • Major Cities: Pokhara, Lalitpur and Bharatpur

Agriculture employs 76 percent of the workforce, services 18 percent and manufacturing and craft-based industry 6 percent. In 2018/19, agriculture accounted for 27.59 percent, services 57.81 percent, and industry 14.6 percent of Nepal’s GDP. While agriculture and industry are contracting, the contribution by the service sector is increasing.

Nepal’s economic growth continues to be adversely affected by the political uncertainty. Nevertheless, real GDP growth was estimated to increase to almost 5 percent for 2011–2012. This is an improvement from the 3.5 percent GDP growth in 2010–2011 and would be the second-highest growth rate in the post-conflict era. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Nepal.

  1. North Korea
  • Official Currency: Korean People’s won (₩) (KPW)
  • Major Language: Korean
  • Other Languages Spoken: None
  • Population: 25,368,620 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Pyongyang
  • Major Cities: Hamhung, Chongjin and Nampo

Industry and services employ 65 percent of North Korea’s 12.6 million labor force. Major industries include machine building, military equipment, chemicals, mining, metallurgy, textiles, food processing and tourism.

North Korea has the structural profile of a relatively industrialized country where nearly half of the Gross Domestic Product is generated by industry and human development. Purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP is estimated at $40 billion, with a very low per capita value of $1,800. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in North Korea.

  1. Oman
  • Official Currency: Rial (OMR)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: English, Baluchi (Southern Baluchi), Urdu
  • Population: 4,424,762 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Muscat
  • Major Cities: Seeb, Salalah and Bawshar

By regional standards, Oman has a relatively diversified economy, but remains dependent on oil exports. Tourism is the fastest-growing industry in Oman. Other sources of income, agriculture and industry, are small in comparison and account for less than 1 percent of the country’s exports, but diversification is seen as a priority by the government.

A free-trade agreement with the United States that took effect 1 January 2009, eliminated tariff barriers on all consumer and industrial products, and also provided strong protection for foreign businesses investing in Oman. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Oman.

  1. Pakistan
  • Official Currency: Pakistani rupee (₨) (PKR)
  • Major Language: Urdu
  • Other Languages Spoken: Arabic, English
  • Population: 212,742,631 (2017 census)
  • Capital: Islamabad
  • Major Cities: Karachi, Qasba Gujrat and Lahore

The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural to a strong service base. Agriculture as of 2015 accounts for only 20.9 percent of the GDP. The services sector has 58.8 percent share in GDP and has emerged as the main driver of economic growth.

Pakistan is considered a developing country and is one of the Next Eleven, a group of eleven countries that, along with the BRICs, have a high potential to become the world’s largest economies in the 21st century. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Pakistan.

  1. Papua New Guinea
  • Official Currency: Papua New Guinean kina (PGK)
  • Major Language: English
  • Other Languages Spoken: Hiri, Motu, and Tok Pisin
  • Population: 8,084,999 (2016 census)
  • Capital: Port Moresby
  • Major Cities: Lae, Arawa and Mount Hagen

Agriculture, for subsistence and cash crops, provides a livelihood for 85 percent of the population and continues to provide some 30 percent of GDP. Mineral deposits, including gold, oil, and copper, account for 72 percent of export earnings. Oil palm production has grown steadily over recent years (largely from estates and with extensive out grower output), with palm oil now the main agricultural export.

By 2012, PNG had enjoyed a decade of positive economic growth, at over 6 percent since 2007, even during the Global Financial Crisis years of 2008/9. PNG’s Real GDP growth rate as at 2011 was 8.9 percent, and 9.2 percent for 2012, according to the Asian Development Bank.

This economic growth has been primarily attributed to strong commodity prices, particularly mineral but also agricultural, with the high demand for mineral products largely sustained even during the crisis by the buoyant Asian markets. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Papua New Guinea

  1. Philippines
  • Official Currency: Peso (₱) (PHP)
  • Major Language: Filipino
  • Other Languages Spoken: English
  • Population: 100,981,437 (2015 census)
  • Capital: Manila
  • Major Cities: Quezon City,

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry is the most thriving industry in Philippines. The industry is composed of eight sub-sectors, namely, knowledge process outsourcing and back offices, animation, call centers, software development, game development, engineering design, and medical transcription.

The IT-BPO industry plays a major role in the country’s growth and development. The Philippines has recently eclipsed India as the main center of BPO services in the world. The Philippine economy is the 34th largest in the world, with an estimated 2018 gross domestic product (nominal) of $371.8 billion.

Goldman Sachs includes the country in its list of the “Next Eleven” economies. HSBC also projects the Philippine economy to become the 16th largest economy in the world, 5th largest economy in Asia and the largest economy in the South East Asian region by 2050. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Philippines.

  1. Qatar
  • Official Currency: Riyal (QAR)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: English, Persian, Baluchi, Brahui, Hindi, Malayalam
  • Population: 2,641,669 (2017 estimate)
  • Capital: Doha
  • Major Cities: Al Shamal, Al Khor and Al-Shahaniya

The oil and gas industry is no doubt the most thriving industry is Qatar. Before the discovery of oil, the economy of the Qatari region focused on fishing and pearl hunting. The discovery transformed the state’s economy. Now, the country has a high standard of living for its legal citizens. As of 2012, Qatar has proven oil reserves of 15 billion barrels and gas fields that account for more than 13 percent of the global resource.

With no income tax, Qatar (along with Bahrain) is one of the countries with the lowest tax rates in the world. The unemployment rate in June 2013 was 0.1 percent. Corporate law mandates that Qatari nationals must hold 51 percent of any venture in the Emirate. As of 2016, Qatar has the fourth highest GDP per capita in the world, according to the International Monetary Fund.

According to the study published by the Washington-based Institute of International Finance, Qatar’s per capita GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) was $106,000 (QR387,000) in 2012, helping the country retain its ranking as the world’s wealthiest nation. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Qatar.

  1. Saudi Arabia
  • Official Currency: Saudi riyal (SR) (SAR)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: Najdi, Hejazi, Gulf, Bedawi, Bareqi, etc.
  • Population: 33,000,000 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Riyadh
  • Major Cities: Jeddah, Mecca and Madinah

The oil and gas industry is one of the most thriving industries in Saudi Arabia. The oil industry constitutes about 45 percent of Saudi Arabia’s nominal gross domestic product, compared with 40 percent from the private sector. Saudi Arabia officially has about 260 billion barrels (4.1×1010 m3) of oil reserves, comprising about one-fifth of the world’s proven total petroleum reserves.

As of October 2018, Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Middle East and the 18th largest in the world. Saudi Arabia has the world’s second-largest proven petroleum reserves and the country is the largest exporter of petroleum. It also has the fifth-largest proven natural gas reserves. Saudi Arabia is also considered an “energy superpower”. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Saudi Arabia.

  1. Singapore
  • Official Currency: Singapore dollar (S$) (SGD)
  • Major Language: English
  • Other Languages Spoken: Malay, Chinese (Mandarin) and Tamil
  • Population: 5,638,700 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Singapore
  • Major Cities: Pulau Ujong, Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa

The economy is diversified, with its top contributors—financial services, manufacturing, oil-refining. Its main exports are refined petroleum, integrated circuits and computers which constituted 27 percent of the country’s GDP in 2010, and includes significant electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences sectors. In 2006, Singapore produced about 10 percent of the world’s foundry wafer output.

The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most innovative, most competitive, most dynamic and most business-friendly. The 2015 Index of Economic Freedom ranks Singapore as the second freest economy in the world and the Ease of doing business index has also ranked Singapore as the easiest place to do business for the past decade. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Singapore.

  1. South Korea
  • Official Currency: Korean Republic won (₩) (KRW)
  • Major Language: Korean
  • Other Languages Spoken: English, Mandarin and Japanese
  • Population: 51,709,098 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Seoul
  • Major Cities: Suwon, Ulsan and Pohang

Ever since the industrialization of South Korea’s economy, South Korea has placed its focus on technology-based corporations, which has been supported by infrastructure developments by the government. South Korean corporations Samsung and LG were ranked first and third largest mobile phone companies in the world in the first quarter of 2012, respectively.

South Korea’s mixed economy ranks 11th nominal and 13th purchasing power parity GDP in the world, identifying it as one of the G-20 major economies. It is a developed country with a high-income economy and is the most industrialized member country of the OECD. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in South Korea.

  1. Sri Lanka
  • Official Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
  • Major Language: Sinhala and Tamil
  • Other Languages Spoken: English, Dutch and Portuguese Creole
  • Population: 21,670,000 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
  • Major Cities: Colombo, Kaduwela and Maharagama

The country’s main economic sectors are tourism, tea export, clothing, rice production, and other agricultural products. In addition to these economic sectors, overseas employment, especially in the Middle East, contributes substantially in foreign exchange. As of 2010, the service sector makes up 60 percent of GDP, the industrial sector 28 percent, and the agriculture sector 12 percent. The private sector accounts for 85 percent of the economy.

According to the International Monetary Fund, Sri Lanka’s GDP in terms of purchasing power parity is second only to the Maldives in the South Asian region in terms of per capita income. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Siri Lanka.

  1. Syria
  • Official Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: English and French
  • Population: 18,528,105 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Damascus
  • Major Cities: Aleppo, Lattakia, Raqqa and Kamishly

In 2010, Syria remained dependent on its oil and agriculture sectors. The oil sector provided about 40 percent of export earnings. Proven offshore expeditions have indicated that large sums of oil exist on the Mediterranean Sea floor between Syria and Cyprus.

For now, Syria is not a good destination for investors due to the fact that the Syrian economy has contracted 60 percent and the Syrian pound has lost 80 percent of its value, with the economy becoming part state-owned and part war economy. At the outset of the ongoing Syrian Civil War, Syria was classified by the World Bank as a “lower middle income country.

  1. Taiwan
  • Official Currency:
  • Major Language: Formosan languages
  • Other Languages Spoken: Hakka, Hokkien, Mandarin and Matsu
  • Population: 23,780,452 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Taipei
  • Major Cities: New Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung

The export and import industry is the most thriving industry in Taiwan. Taiwan’s total trade in 2010 reached an all-time high of US$526.04 billion, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance. Both exports and imports for the year reached record levels, totaling US$274.64 billion and US$251.4 billion, respectively.

The quick industrialization and rapid growth of Taiwan during the latter half of the 20th century has been called the “Taiwan Miracle”. Taiwan is one of the “Four Asian Tigers” alongside Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Taiwan.

  1. Tajikistan
  • Official Currency: Somoni (TJS)
  • Major Language: Tajik
  • Other Languages Spoken: Russian
  • Population: 9,275,827 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Dushanbe
  • Major Cities: Khujand, Kulob and Qurghonteppa

The primary sources of income in Tajikistan are aluminium production, cotton growing and remittances from migrant workers. Cotton accounts for 60 percent of agricultural output, supporting 75 percent of the rural population, and using 45 percent of irrigated arable land. The aluminium industry is represented by the state-owned Tajik Aluminum Company – the biggest aluminium plant in Central Asia and one of the biggest in the world.

Tajikistan’s economy grew substantially after the war. The GDP of Tajikistan expanded at an average rate of 9.6 percent over the period of 2000–2007 according to the World Bank data. This improved Tajikistan’s position among other Central Asian countries (namely Turkmenia and Uzbekistan), which seem to have degraded economically ever since. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Tajikistan.

  1. Thailand
  • Official Currency: Baht (฿) (THB)
  • Major Language: Thai
  • Other Languages Spoken: Isan, Kam, Mueang Pak, and Tai
  • Population: 68,863,514 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Bangkok

The economy of Thailand is heavily export-dependent, with exports accounting for more than two-thirds of gross domestic product (GDP). Thailand exports over US$105 billion worth of goods and services annually. Major exports include cars, computers, electrical appliances, rice, textiles and footwear, fishery products, rubber, and jewelry.

Thailand is an emerging economy and is considered a newly industrialized country. Thailand had a 2017 GDP of US$1.236 trillion (on a purchasing power parity basis). Thailand is the 2nd largest economy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.

Thailand ranks midway in the wealth spread in Southeast Asia as it is the 4th richest nation according to GDP per capita, after Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Thailand.

  1. Turkmenistan
  • Official Currency: Turkmen new manat (TMT)
  • Major Language: Turkmen
  • Other Languages Spoken: Russian
  • Population: 5,662,544 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Ashgabat
  • Major Cities: Türkmenabat, Daşoguz and Mary

A big part of the oil produced in Turkmenistan is refined in Turkmenbashy and Seidi refineries. Also, oil is exported by tankers through the Caspian Sea to Europe via canals. As of May 2011, the Galkynysh Gas Field has the second-largest volume of gas in the world, after the South Pars field in the Persian Gulf.

Reserves at the Galkynysh Gas Field are estimated at around 21.2 trillion cubic metres. Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its economy. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in the country.

  1. United Arab Emirates
  • Official Currency:
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: English
  • Population: 9,599,353 (2018 estimate)
  • Capital: Abu Dhabi
  • Major Cities: Dubai, Sharjah City and Al Ain

Tourism acts as a growth sector for the entire UAE economy. Dubai is the top tourism destination in the Middle East. According to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, Dubai is the fifth most popular tourism destination in the world. Dubai holds up to 66 percent share of the UAE’s tourism economy, with Abu Dhabi having 16 percent and Sharjah 10 percent. Dubai welcomed 10 million tourists in 2013.

UAE has the second largest economy in the GCC (after Saudi Arabia), with a gross domestic product of $377 billion (1.38 trillion AED) in 2012. Since independence in 1971, UAE’s economy has grown by nearly 231 times to 1.45 trillion AED in 2013. The non-oil trade has grown to 1.2 trillion AED, a growth by around 28 times from 1981 to 2012.

UAE is ranked as the 26th best nation in the world for doing business based on its economy and regulatory environment, ranked by the Doing Business 2017 Report published by the World Bank Group. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in United Arab Emirate.

  1. Uzbekistan
  • Official Currency: Uzbek som (UZS)
  • Major Language: Uzbek
  • Other Languages Spoken: Russian, and Karakalpak (in Karakalpakstan)
  • Population: 32,768,725 (2019 estimate)
  • Capital: Tashkent

Uzbekistan has the fourth-largest gold deposits in the world. The country mines 80 tons of gold annually, seventh in the world. Uzbekistan’s copper deposits rank tenth in the world and its uranium deposits twelfth. The country’s uranium production ranks seventh globally.

The Uzbek national gas company, Uzbekneftegas, ranks 11th in the world in natural gas production with an annual output of 60 to 70 billion cubic meters (2.1–2.5 trillion cubic feet). The country has significant untapped reserves of oil and gas: there are 194 deposits of hydrocarbons in Uzbekistan, including 98 condensate and natural gas deposits and 96 gas condensate deposits.

The country’s economy has shown robust growth, rising by 4 percent per year between 1998 and 2003 and accelerating thereafter to 7 percent–8 percent per year. According to IMF estimates, the GDP in 2008 will be almost double its value in 1995 (in constant prices). Since 2003 annual inflation rates averaged less than 10 percent. These are indeed good reasons why an investor should consider investing in Uzbekistan.

  1. Vietnam
  • Official Currency: đồng (₫) (VND)
  • Major Language: Vietnamese
  • Population: 94,569,072 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Hanoi
  • Major Cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hà Nội and Hải Phòng

As a result of several land reform measures, Vietnam has become a major exporter of agricultural products. It is now the world’s largest producer of cashew nuts, with a one-third global share; the largest producer of black pepper, accounting for one-third of the world’s market; and the second-largest rice exporter in the world after Thailand since the 1990s.

According to a December 2005 forecast by Goldman Sachs, the Vietnamese economy will become the world’s 21st-largest by 2025, with an estimated nominal GDP of $436 billion and a nominal GDP per capita of $4,357. This is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Vietnam.

  1. Yemen
  • Official Currency: Yemeni rial (YER)
  • Major Language: Arabic
  • Other Languages Spoken: English
  • Population: 27,584,213 (2016 estimate)
  • Capital: Sana’a
  • Major Cities: Al Hudaydah, Taiz and Aden

Services are the largest economic sector (61.4 percent of GDP), followed by the industrial sector (30.9 percent), and agriculture (7.7 percent). Of these, petroleum production represents around 25 percent of GDP and 63 percent of the government’s revenue.

Currently, there is war and instability in Yemen hence this is not a good time for investors to consider investing in the country. But the fact that Yemen as of 2013 had a GDP (PPP) of US$61.63 billion, with an income per capita of $2,500 is indeed a good reason why an investor should consider investing in Yemen in the nearest future.