Book excerpt: East and Southeast Asia is a vast and complex region. Its countries have a bewildering array of histories, demographics, economic structures, cultural backgrounds, and global marketing potential. This Handbook unravels the mystery. Each chapter is written by a country specialist and provides a thorough and up-to-date analysis of one of the ESEA countries. Each author follows a consistent model and covers geography and natural resources, the political system, the economic system, the social system, and the marketing environment. Complete chapters are devoted to: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China and Hong Kong, East Timor, Indonesia, Japan, Korea (North and South), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Not just a review of current conditions, the Handbook offers prognoses for future marketing and commercial activity in each country. This definitive resource is generously illustrated with maps, figures, and tables, and includes comprehensive references and source materials for each country. It is an essential reference for students, researchers, and practitioners in the global economy.