ASEAN COUNTRIES

ASEAN COUNTRIES
Establishment
ASEAN or The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original Member Countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999.
Objectives of the ASEAN Nations
The aims and purposes of the ASEAN Association are (i) to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian nations, (ii) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. In 1995, the ASEAN Heads of States and Government re-affirmed that “Cooperative peace and shared prosperity shall be the fundamental goals of ASEAN.” To learn more about the ASEAN countries, here are the list of the countries in this association.
1. Brunei Darussalam


The Sultanate of Brunei`s influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the developing world. 
Brunei is located in Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia. The climate is tropical which is hot, humid, and rainy. The country lies on a flat coastal plain which rises to mountains in east and hilly lowland in west.
Brunei is well-known for its natural resources, which are petroleum, natural gas, and timber. The population of Brunei is only about 372,361. The nationality is Bruneian. The ethnic groups found in Brunei are Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, and others 12%. The major religion taken in Brunei is Muslimism. Others like Buddhist and Christians can also be found a few. The main languages spoken are Malay, English and Chinese. The currency of Brunei is Bruneian dollar (BND).
The conventional long form of the country is Negara Brunei Darussalam. The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan. The country is divided into four main districts as Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong.
1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection. The government is the Sultan and Prime Minister Sir Hassanal Bolkiah. The monarch is both the chief of state and head of government.
Tourists attractions in Brunei also include the capital city. Bandar Seri Begawan is a neat, clean, modern city with wide roads and overstated public buildings. Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is one of the most impressive modern mosques in the East. It was built in 1958. Another famous place is Jerudong Park which is a huge complex with a polo stadium, luxurious stables, a golf course and trapshooting and croquet facilities. Batang Duri is also an Iban longhouse on the Temburong River, about 40km southeast of the capital city. Other places such as Pantai Seri Kenangan, Peradayan Forest Reserve, Wasai Kandal, The Bukit Shabbandar Forest Park, Tutong and Belait.
2. Cambodia


Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose Angkor Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire ushering in a long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodia placed the country under French protection; it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia became independent within the French Union in 1949 and fully independent in 1953. After a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, enforced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, led to a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy and the final elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for