In a majority of the economies reporting for 2019, less than 10% of employed people were living in extreme poverty

The proportion of the employed population living in extreme poverty (i.e., “the working poor”) in 2019 was less than 10.0% in 20 of the 26 economies with available data, as shown in the figure on the right. Those economies with a share of the working poor to total population at 0.5% or less were Mongolia with 0.1%; Fiji with 0.2%; Armenia, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Sri Lanka with 0.3% each; and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with 0.5%. The share of the employed population living in extreme poverty as a percentage of the total population exceeded 15.0% in five economies. The highest shares of the working poor as a percentage of total population in 2019 were observed in Afghanistan (40.1%), Papua New Guinea (21.8%), Timor-Leste (21.8%), Uzbekistan (19.7%), and Solomon Islands (17.7%)

From 2000 to 2019, the share of the working poor as a percentage of the total population fell in all 26 reporting economies. The largest declines occurred in Cambodia (62.0 percentage points), Nepal (42.2 percentage points), and Tajikistan (41.9 percentage points).

Undernourishment declined in more than three-quarters of economies from 2001 to 2018

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, more than 820 million people in the world went hungry in 2018, highlighting the difficulty in achieving the SDG target of eradicating hunger by 2030 (FAO 2019).¹ Furthermore, economic downturns disproportionally undermine food security and nutrition where income inequality is prevalent, especially in low-income economies. This does not bode well for the many economies of the Asia and Pacific region suffering economic shocks caused by measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the region’s 37 economies with available data, 28 reported a decline in the prevalence of undernourishment from 2001 to 2018 (see figure on the right). The largest reductions during the review period occurred in Armenia and Myanmar with 23.6 percentage points each, and in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with 21.2 percentage points.

In 2018, the prevalence of undernourishment was below 10.0% in 25 of the 37 reporting economies, a significant improvement from only 15 of 37 in 2001. The prevalence of undernourishment in 2018 was at a rate of 2.5% or less in Australia; Azerbaijan; Brunei Darussalam; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Kazakhstan; the PRC; the Republic of Korea; New Zealand; and Samoa. The highest rates of undernourishment in 2018 were observed in Timor-Leste (30.9%), Afghanistan (29.9%), and Mongolia (21.3%).

¹Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2019. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World. Rome.

The prevalence of stunting remains an issue in more than half of the reporting economies

In many economies across Asia and the Pacific, poor food security and severe malnutrition have resulted in millions of children being stunted (i.e., too short for their age). In the most recent year for which data were available, the prevalence of stunting in children below the age of 5 years exceeded 20% in 17 of the 29 developing ADB member economies reporting on the indicator. The highest rates were found in Timor-Leste (51.7%), Papua New Guinea (49.5%), and Afghanistan (38.2%) as shown in the figure on the right.

Comparing 2010–2018 to 2000–2009, the prevalence of stunting in children below the age of 5 years fell in 25 of the 29 developing member economies with available data. An increase was observed in three economies during the review period: Papua New Guinea (up 5.6 percentage points), Malaysia (up 3.5 percentage points), and Vanuatu (up 3.2 percentage points). The prevalence of stunting in children below the age of 5 years remained steady in the Republic of Korea from 2003 to 2010, posted at less than 2.5% for both years.

Economies of Asia and the Pacific have shown strong progress in reducing the under-5 mortality rate

The under-5 mortality rate in Asia and the Pacific declined from 66 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 30 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018, as the under-5 mortality rate fell in 45 of the 47 reporting economies during the review period. This compares with world averages of 76 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 and 39 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018.

By subregion, South Asia reported the largest decline with a reduction of 50 deaths per 1,000 live births from 2000 to 2018. It was followed by Central and West Asia (44), East Asia (25), Southeast Asia (22), and the Pacific (17) as outlined in the figure on the right. Among the developed economies, the average decline during the review period was two fewer deaths per 1,000 live births.

By economy, the largest reductions in under-5 mortality rates occurred in Timor-Leste (69 fewer deaths per 1,000 live births), Cambodia (68), Afghanistan (63), the Lao PDR (62), and Azerbaijan (60) as shown in Table 1.3.1.

Participation rates in pre-primary education, which are already below 50% for both boys and girls in more than one-fifth of reporting economies, may decline as COVID-19 containment measures restrict access to early childhood education

Early childhood education can lead to improved access to economic opportunities and better income prospects. However, measures to contain COVID-19 are exacerbating challenges to early childhood education in developing economies throughout Asia and the Pacific, which could translate into losses in lifetime opportunities and earnings (Panth and Xu 2020).

In 2018 (or the most recent year for which data were available), 100% participation rates of girls in pre-primary education were observed in the Cook Islands; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Malaysia; and Niue. For boys, participation rates of 100% were observed in Pakistan, Palau, Thailand, and Viet Nam (see figure on the right). Only 13 of the 35 economies with available data had at least 90% of both boys and girls participating in organized learning one year before the official entrance age to primary school.

The pre-primary education participation rate for girls lagged behind that of boys in 14 of the 35 reporting economies, with the biggest gaps found in Palau (18.7 percentage points), Pakistan (12.7 percentage points), and the Federated States of Micronesia (9.7 percentage points) as demonstrated in Table 1.4.1.

Participation rates below 50% for both boys and girls were found in eight reporting economies in 2018 (or the most recent year for which data were available): Armenia (45.8% for boys and 49.5% for girls), Bangladesh (36.6% and 36.7%), Bhutan (33.9% and 35.4%), Cambodia (42.4% and 43.6%), Samoa (34.3% and 41.9%), Tajikistan (13.4% and 11.6%), Timor-Leste (43.0% and 42.3%), and Uzbekistan (37.0% and 36.5%).

In over 80% of the region’s economies, more than 90% of primary school teachers received the minimum organized training for teaching at the relevant level in 2018

Teachers play a key role in ensuring the quality of children’s education. They should therefore receive adequate and relevant training to ensure they can have the appropriate beneficial impact.

As shown in in the figure on the right, the percentage of primary school teachers receiving the minimum organized pedagogical training—both pre-service and in-service training—required to teach at the relevant level exceeded 90% in 18 of the 22 economies reporting for 2018 (or the most recent year for which data were available). In 2000 (or the earliest year for which data were available), only nine of 22 economies with available data met the 90% threshold.

Comparing 2010–2018 to 2000–2009, 14 of the 22 reporting economies from across Asia and the Pacific increased the percentage of primary school teachers receiving the minimum organized training (Table 1.4.2). The largest increases were observed in Nepal (81.9 percentage points), the Kyrgyz Republic (43.4 percentage points), and Myanmar (32.6 percentage points). The largest declines during the review period were noted in Kiribati (–21.2 percentage points), Mongolia (–6.7 percentage points), and Bangladesh (–3.0 percentage points).

In more than one-third of the region’s economies, at least 20% of women aged 20–24 years old were married or in a union before the age of 18

Early-age marriage or union can limit the education and employment prospects of a girl or young woman, compromising her overall well- being and the health of her offspring (World Bank 2017). The percentage of women aged 20–24 years who were married or in a union before the age of 18 exceeded 20% in 11 of the 30 economies of Asia and the Pacific with available data (Table 1.5.1).

More than a quarter of women aged 20–24 years were married or in a union before the age of 18 in Bangladesh (58.6%), Nepal (39.5%), the Lao PDR (32.7%), Afghanistan (28.3%), India (27.3%), Papua New Guinea (27.3%), and Bhutan (25.8%) as demonstrated in the figure on the right.

Economies in Asia and the Pacific suffer from lack of adequate women’s representation in national parliaments

The empowerment of women and their representation in political and economic decision- making can strengthen sustainable development and benefit societies at large. While no economy within Asia and the Pacific achieved gender parity for representation in national parliament in 2019, 16 of the 42 reporting economies had female representation of 20.0% or more (see figure on the right). The regional leaders in this respect were New Zealand (40.0%), Timor-Leste (40.0%), Nepal (32.7%), and Australia (30.0%).

Nine economies failed to meet a minimum threshold of 10.0% of seats in the national parliament held by women (Table 1.5.2). Furthermore, a UN assessment of local governance across Asia and the Pacific showed that female participation at the local level is far below gender parity levels, which implies that fewer women will continue into higher elected offices (ADB and UN Women 2018).¹

¹Asian Development Bank (ADB) and United Nations (UN) Women. 2018. Gender Equality and the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific: Baseline and Pathways for Transformative Change by 2030. Bangkok.

The share of the population benefiting from safely managed drinking water services exceeded 90% in just under one-third of reporting Asia and the Pacific economies in 2017

Sadly, millions of people die every year from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (UN 2020b). The provision of safe water, sanitation, and waste management within hygienic conditions is essential for preventing the spread of disease and for protecting human health during all infectious disease outbreaks, including COVID-19. Measures that can improve water safety include protecting the source water; treating water at the point of distribution, collection, or consumption; and ensuring that treated water is safely stored at home in regularly cleaned and covered containers (WHO 2020).

In 2017, only 8 of the 25 economies with available data had more than 90% of the population using safely managed drinking water services (Table 1.6.1). Meanwhile, the proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services was below 50% in nine economies (see figure on the right).

Since 2000, 21 of the 24 reporting economies expanded the provision of safely managed drinking water services. The largest increases during the review period were observed in Armenia (56.9 percentage points), Kazakhstan (32.0 percentage points), and Turkmenistan (28.0 percentage points).

For those economies with data disaggregated by location for 2017, use of safely managed drinking water services was higher in urban areas than in rural areas for 9 of 10 economies. The biggest discrepancies were observed in Uzbekistan (urban coverage 55.0 percentage points higher than rural coverage), Cambodia (urban coverage 39.9 percentage points higher), and the Kyrgyz Republic (urban coverage 39.6 percentage points higher). The exception was Bangladesh, where people in rural areas had greater access to safely managed drinking water services than those in urban areas (by a differential of 16.9 percentage points).

From 2000 to 2017, nearly 80% of reporting economies expanded their coverage of safely managed sanitation services

The spread of many infectious diseases, including COVID-19, can be impeded by safely managing sanitation services and applying good hygiene practices and waste management. Sanitation services and workers are essential for operational support during the COVID-19 pandemic (WHO 2020).

Among the 14 economies of Asia and the Pacific with data available for 2017, the proportion of the population accessing safely managed sanitation services was below 50% in four reporting economies: Samoa (48.5%), Armenia (48.2%), Georgia (27.2%), and Tuvalu (6.3%) (see figure on the right). Conversely, this share exceeded 90% in another four reporting economies: Singapore (100.0%); the Republic of Korea (99.9%); Japan (98.8%); and Hong Kong, China (91.8%).

From 2000 to 2017, the proportion of the population benefiting from safely managed sanitation services increased in 11 of the 14 reporting economies, while declining in two and remaining unchanged in one (Singapore’s sanitation coverage was 100.0% in both 2000 and 2017.) The largest increases during the review period were in the PRC (45.5 percentage points), the Lao PDR (36.2 percentage points), and the Republic of Korea (14.0 percentage points).

Among the five economies with data disaggregated by location, three had a higher share of the population using safely managed sanitation services in urban areas, while two had a higher share in rural areas. The PRC posted the biggest difference in sanitation services coverage in favor of urban areas (27.6 percentage points), while Samoa had the biggest difference in favor of rural areas (13.2 percentage points).

The number of economies providing at least 95% of the population with access to electricity has almost doubled in 18 years.

The development of sustainable communities that have enhanced resilience to climate change and other environmental hazards depends largely on the provision of universal access to energy, improved energy efficiency, and the increased use of renewable energy.

Across Asia and the Pacific, the proportion of the population with access to electricity exceeded 95% in 36 of the 47 economies with data available for 2018 (or another recent year), compared with only 20 of 47 economies in 2000 (or another recent year) as outlined in Table 1.7.1. In 2000, 12 regional economies were providing electricity to less than 50% of the population. There were zero economies with electricity coverage of less than 50% in 2018.

From 2000 to 2018, the largest gains in expanding access to electricity as a share of the population occurred in Afghanistan (75.7 percentage points), Cambodia (75.0 percentage points), and Bhutan (68.9 percentage points) as shown in the figure on the right.

Since 2000, the share of the population with access to clean fuels and technology has risen or held steady at a high level (95%) in more than 80% of economies in Asia and the Pacific

In 2018, 13 of the 47 economies with available data reported that more than 90.0% of the population were already relying on clean fuels and technology for cooking, heating, and lighting—up only marginally from 10 economies in 2000. The share of the population relying on clean energy was below 50.0% in 19 economies in 2018 (see figure on the right).

Comparing 2018 with 2000, 30 of the 47 reporting economies increased the proportion of the population with access to clean fuels and technolog, 11 economies maintained the same proportion and six economies posted a decline. The largest increases in access to clean energy from 2000 to 2018 occurred in Indonesia (74.0 percentage points), Viet Nam (51.0 percentage points), and the Marshall Islands (50.0 percentage points).

Unemployment, especially among those aged 15–24 years, will continue to be a challenge in many of the region’s economies

Employment provides individuals with income. As inequality persists and unemployment spikes due to strategies to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it is increasingly difficult for many people to build better lives through their work (ILO 2020).

In 2019 (or the most recent year for which data were available), Kazakhstan was alone among 39 reporting economies in having a higher unemployment rate for those aged 25 years and older than for those aged 15–24 years (see figure on the right). In Samoa, the unemployment rate for those aged 15–24 years was 21.9 percentage points higher than for those aged 25 years and older. In Georgia, the gap was 20.4 percentage points and in India it was 20.1 percentage points. A total of 16 economies had a gap in the unemployment rate between the two age groups that exceeded 10 percentage points.

Among the population aged 15 years and older, 26 of the 41 economies reporting for 2019 (or the most recent year for which data were available) posted a higher unemployment rate for men than for women (Table 1.8.2). The largest gender gaps in favor of women were all found in the Pacific: Tuvalu (11.6 percentage points), Samoa (10.7 percentage points), and the Federated States of Micronesia (8.5 percentage points). The largest gender gaps in favor for men were in Kiribati (6.2 percentage points), Turkmenistan (3.0 percentage points), and Georgia (2.6 percentage points).

Manufacturing value-added per capita has increased in more than 80% of reporting economies since 2000

The share of manufacturing value-added as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) reflects two factors: manufacturing’s significance in an economy, and the economy’s level of industrialization. An expanding manufacturing sector can support job growth and an economy’s overall development.

An increase in manufacturing value-added per capita was observed in 37 of the 46 developing economies with data available for 2000 and 2019 (see figure on the right). The biggest gains in manufacturing value-added (in constant 2015 United States dollars) occurred in the Republic of Korea ($4,732 per capita); Taipei,China ($4,726 per capita); and Singapore ($3,272 per capita). The largest declines during the review period occurred in Australia ($1,160 per capita), Brunei Darussalam ($1,059 per capita), and New Zealand ($409 per capita).

As a share of GDP in 2019, manufacturing value-added was highest in Turkmenistan (45.0%); Taipei,China (31.6%); the PRC (28.8%); the Republic of Korea (27.5%), and Thailand (26.7%) as outlined in Table 1.9.2. Manufacturing value-added as a share of GDP was 1.0% or less in Palau (1.0%); Hong Kong, China (0.9%); the Marshall Islands (0.8%); Tuvalu (0.7%); and Timor-Leste (0.5%).

CO₂ emissions per unit of manufacturing value-added fell in more than two-thirds of reporting economies

The adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes can reduce CO₂ emissions while promoting efficiency in the use of resources. From 2000 to 2017, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit of manufacturing value-added declined in 21 of the 30 economies with available data (see figure on the right).

During the review period, a decline of 1.0 kilogram (kg) or more of CO₂ equivalent per unit of manufacturing value-added (in constant 2010 United States dollars) was observed in Myanmar (1.9 kg of CO₂ equivalent), Azerbaijan (1.7 kg), Uzbekistan (1.7 kg), and Armenia (1.6 kg). An increase of 1.0 kg or more of CO₂ equivalent per unit of manufacturing value-added (in constant 2010 United States dollars) occurred in Nepal (1.5 kg of CO₂ equivalent); Hong Kong, China (1.3 kg); and Tajikistan (1.0 kg).

In 2017, the economies with the highest levels of CO₂ emissions per unit of manufacturing value-added were Nepal (2.7 kg of CO₂ equivalent); Kazakhstan (2.7 kg); and Hong Kong, China (2.1 kg). The lowest levels of CO₂ emissions per unit of manufacturing value-added were observed in Sri Lanka and Turkmenistan (0.1 kg each).

Growth in household expenditure (or income per capita) among the bottom 40% of the population rose in nearly all economies for which data are available; in most cases, this growth was on par with growth in household expenditure (or income per capita) among the general population

During the most recent 5-year period for which data were available, household expenditure or income per capita rose for the bottom 40% of the total population in 14 of the 15 developing member economies with available data (see figure on the right). These gains are at risk of being reversed by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Across Asia and the Pacific, migrant workers, both domestic and international, have been forced to leave their jobs and return home as part of pandemic containment measures. The timing of their return to employment is uncertain in many cases (ADB 2020).

Economies with the highest level of household expenditure growth among the bottom 40% of the population include the PRC and Malaysia at 8.0% each. Kazakhstan was the only economy not to experience growth in household expenditure among the bottom 40% of the population during the most recent 5-year period for which data were available.

Of the 15 reporting economies, average annual growth rates in household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40% outpaced growth rates for the total population in six economies during the review period. Growth in household expenditure was the same for both population groups in five economies, and expenditure growth among the entire population outpaced that among the bottom 40% in four economies.

The largest differences in household expenditure or income per capita growth rates in favor of the bottom 40% of the population, occurred in Georgia, Malaysia, and the Philippines at 2.0 percentage points each. The economies in which growth in household expenditure or income per capita lagged behind growth for the total population were Armenia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In all four cases, the gap was 1 percentage point.

Air pollution in urban areas exceeds WHO- recommended maximum levels in more than 90% of the region’s economies

The combustion of fossil fuels for industry, transportation, and power generation, as well as household activities such as heating, cooking, and lighting, are the primary sources of particulate matter. Particulate matter with a diameter equal to or less than 2.5 microns (PM_2.5) is the most commonly used pollutant in studies on the health effects of exposure to air pollution (WHO 2018).

The annual mean of the daily concentrations of PM_2.5 in urban areas exceeded 10 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³)—the maximum value recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO 2018)—in 39 of the 43 economies of Asia and the Pacific reporting for 2016 (Table 1.11.1). The four economies that fell below this threshold, and their respective annual means, were Brunei Darussalam (5.8 µg/m³), New Zealand (5.8 µg/m³), Australia (7.3 µg/m³), and Maldives (7.7 µg/m³). The highest annual means of daily concentrations of PM_2.5 in urban areas were observed in Nepal (99.5 µg/m³), India (68.0 µg/m³), and Afghanistan (59.9 µg/m³).

In nine of the region’s 10 most populous economies, air pollution levels in urban areas exceeded the economy’s overall level of air pollution (see figure on the right). The only exception was Myanmar, where the annual mean of daily concentrations of PM_2.5 in urban areas (34.6 µg/m³) was slightly below the economy’s overall level (34.7 µg/m³). Among the region’s most populous economies, the highest annual means of daily concentrations of PM_2.5 in urban areas in 2016 were found in India (68.0 µg/m³), Bangladesh (58.6 µg/m³), Pakistan (56.2 µg/m³), and the PRC (51.0 µg/m³).

Less than one-fifth of the region’s economies have reduced their domestic material consumption on a per capita basis

Domestic material consumption measures the total amount of material directly used in production processes within an economy. As shown in the figure on the right, the region’s economies with the highest levels of domestic material consumption per capita in 2017 were Australia (37.9 metric tons per capita), Mongolia (34.5 metric tons), and Singapore (32.6 metric tons). The lowest levels of domestic material consumption per capita were observed in Tuvalu (1.1 metric tons per capita), Palau (1.2 metric tons), and Afghanistan (1.9 metric tons).

In terms of aggregate domestic material consumption in 2017, the region’s most populous economy, the PRC, accounted for 35.2 billion metric tons or just under two-thirds of the region’s total. The next highest levels were observed in India (7.4 billion metric tons), Indonesia (2.0 billion metric tons), and Viet Nam (1.4 billion metric tons).

From 2000 to 2017, reductions in domestic material consumption per capita were realized in seven of 44 economies, led by Singapore (–33.8 metric tons per capita), Australia (–7.6 metric tons), Fiji and Papua New Guinea (–3.6 metric tons each), and Japan (–3.4 metric tons). During the review period, the largest increases in domestic material consumption per capita occurred in the PRC (15.8 metric tons per capita), Mongolia (14.1 metric tons), and Tonga (13.5 metric tons).

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, only five economies of Asia and the Pacific had national disaster risk reduction strategies fully aligned with international standards identified in the Sendai Framework

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015–2030 assigns primary responsibility for reducing disaster risk to the state (central government), which in turn should share responsibility with provincial and/or local governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders (UNDRR 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how systemic risk can precipitate a crisis of global magnitude. In such times of crisis, not everyone is affected equally as the elderly, people living with disabilities, workers in the informal economy, and the impoverished and marginalized are usually the most vulnerable. The Sendai Framework prioritizes prevention to help governments substantially reduce risk and minimize the loss of lives, livelihoods, and health caused by disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic (UNDRR 2019).

The figure on the right shows the result of self-assessments conducted by 21 economies of Asia and the Pacific on the alignment of their national disaster risk reduction strategies with the Sendai Framework. In 2019 (or the most recent year for which data were available) five economies reported comprehensive alignment with the framework by achieving a score of 1.0. These economies were Georgia, Japan, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea, and Tajikistan. Another 13 economies had a score of 0.5 or higher, reflecting moderate alignment with the framework or better.

While a few Pacific economies have taken bold actions to protect vital marine resources, most regional economies protect less than 10% of their total marine areas, with more than half protecting less than 1%

Seas and oceans cover nearly 70% of the planet’s surface and play a critical role in the provision of vital ecosystems and in our planet’s overall health. Their deterioration through overexploitation, pollution, and the impacts of climate change threatens human existence (UN 2020c).

The figure on the right shows that the proportion of protected marine area to total marine area exceeded 99.0% in Palau (99.4%) and the Cook Islands (99.2%) in 2018. However, after those two marine protection leaders, the drop-off was significant: the next highest shares of protected area to total marine resources were observed in Australia (40.4%), New Zealand (29.8%), and Kiribati (11.8%).

The SDG target of extending protection to 10% of total marine area by 2020 had been met by only five of the 37 reporting economies as of 2018. Of even greater concern, 21 economies reported that protection had been extended to less than 1% of their respective total marine area by 2018.

While deforestation remains a critical issue, many of the region’s economies are making efforts to retain or expand forested areas

Forests cover nearly one-third of the earth’s surface and are home to irreplaceable biodiversity. Their absorption and storage of massive amounts of CO₂ is crucial in the fight against climate change (UN-REDD 2020).

Forest area covered more than 50% of total land in 18 of the 48 economies of Asia and the Pacific with data available for 2019 (see figure on the right), but the percentage of forested land as a share of an economy’s total land varied widely across the region—from 92.0% in the Federated States of Micronesia to 1.3% in Kazakhstan (not including the tiny island economy of Nauru, which has no forested areas).

By subregion, the average share of forested land as a percentage of total land was highest in the Pacific (77.9%) and lowest in Central and West Asia (4.0%). Other subregions posted average proportions of forested land to total land as follows: Southeast Asia (48.0%), South Asia (25.3%), and East Asia (21.7%). For the developed ADB member economies, the average share of forested land to total land was 20.3%.

From 2000 to 2019, 21 of the 48 reporting economies managed to increase their amount of forested land as a percentage of total land, while 9 economies reported no change, and 18 posted a decline. The biggest increases in the share of forested land occurred in Viet Nam (9.0 percentage points), Fiji (6.9 percentage points), and the PRC (4.4 percentage points). The biggest decreases occurred in Cambodia (–14.5 percentage points), Myanmar (–9.2 percentage points), and Indonesia (–4.7 percentage points).

From 2000 to 2019, the risk of extinction across groups of species increased in all 48 reporting economies

The Red List Index is a composite measure representing aggregate survival probability (the inverse of extinction risk) for all birds, mammals, amphibians, corals, and cycads occurring within an economy, weighted by the fraction of each species’ distribution occurring within that economy. Index values can range from 0.0 (indicating all species are categorized as “extinct”) to 1.0 (indicating all species are categorized as “least concern”).

In 2019, only 24 of 48 economies had a score of 0.8 or higher on the Red List Index, down from 37 economies in 2000 (see figure on the right). The highest Red List Index scores in 2019 were observed in Tajikistan (0.99), the Kyrgyz Republic (0.98), Turkmenistan (0.98), and Uzbekistan (0.97). Six economies scored lower than 0.7 in 2019: India (0.68), the Philippines (0.68), Fiji (0.67), Vanuatu (0.66), New Zealand (0.62), and Sri Lanka (0.57).

Moreover, from 2000 to 2019, all 48 reporting economies recorded a decline in their Red List Index score, indicating greater extinction risk. The largest declines during the review period were noted in Palau (down from 0.91 in 2000 to 0.73 in 2019), New Zealand (0.71 to 0.62), and Pakistan (0.94 to 0.86).

The incidence of intentional homicide has declined in about 80% of Asia and Pacific economies

Effective, transparent, and accountable institutions are needed at all levels to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, including the reduction of intentional homicides. Comparing 2010–2018 with 2000–2009, the number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 people fell in 31 of the 39 economies with available data (see figure on the right). The largest declines in the intentional homicide rate during the review period occurred in Kazakhstan (–10.5), Mongolia (–7.7), and the Kyrgyz Republic (–6.5). The largest increases were observed in Tuvalu (18.6), Kiribati (4.0), Afghanistan (2.7), and Papua New Guinea (1.8).

In 2018 (or the most recent year for which data were available), the lowest rates of intentional homicide per 100,000 people were in Singapore (0.2), Japan (0.3), and Indonesia (0.4). The highest rates were in Papua New Guinea (9.8), Kiribati (7.5), and Afghanistan (6.7).

Firms surveyed in only 7 of 32 developing member economies reported a bribery solicitation rate of 10.0% or less in dealings with public officials within the most recent year for which data are available

While corruption can be challenging to quantify, one measure to determine the bribery prevalence rate in an economy is a World Bank survey that asks firms if they have been solicited by public officials for gifts or informal payments.

In the most recent year for which data were available (2009–2019), the lowest levels of firms reporting bribery solicitations occurred in Bhutan (0.9%), Georgia (1.3%), and the Federated States of Micronesia (4.5%). The percentage of firms reporting that they had been solicited by public officials for gifts or informal payments was 10.0% or less in only seven of 32 reporting economies across Asia and the Pacific (see figure on the right).

Over 85% of developing economies reported receiving greater financial and technical assistance.

Governments, the private sector, and civil society can collaborate to efficiently mobilize and redirect public and private resources toward sustainable development projects that will help the most vulnerable within each society.

Comparing 2010–2018 to 2000–2009, the average annual value (in constant 2018 United States dollars) of financial and technical assistance committed to developing economies increased in 35 of the 41 economies of Asia and the Pacific with available data (see figure on the right). Indonesia ($1,443 million), Afghanistan ($1,302 million), and Pakistan ($938 million) received the largest average amounts of annual financial and technical assistance during 2010–2018.

As a percentage of an economy’s 2000–2009 annual average financial and technical assistance, the largest increases during 2010–2018 occurred in Myanmar (1,231.7%), Kazakhstan (494.8%), and Uzbekistan (469.9%). The largest decreases occurred in the Marshall Islands (–63.5%), the Federated States of Micronesia (–61.4%), and Solomon Islands (–29.3%).

In absolute terms (in constant 2018 United States dollars), Indonesia ($708.6 million), Afghanistan ($572.9 million), and Pakistan ($555.4 million) received the largest increases in financial and technical assistance from 2000–2009 to 2010–2018. The largest absolute declines were in the Federated States of Micronesia ($26.6 million), the Solomon Islands ($25.0 million), and the Marshall Islands ($12.7 million).

Only six developing economies of Asia and the Pacific spent more than $1 million to improve their statistical capacity

To improve their development effectiveness, governments throughout Asia and the Pacific must finance better-quality statistical data and increase transparency in monitoring and accountability. At the same time, many of these governments need support from international partners to strengthen capacity building and data collection activities.

In 2017, those economies dedicating more than $1 million (in current United States dollars) to building public sector statistical capacity were Pakistan ($3.68 million), the Kyrgyz Republic ($3.04 million), India ($2.98 million), Myanmar ($2.78 million), Nepal ($2.27 million), and Timor-Leste ($1.03 million) as shown in the figure on the right.¹

¹The indicator dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries is based on the Partner Report on Support to Statistics (PRESS) that is designed and administered by PARIS21 to provide a snapshot of the United States dollar value of ongoing statistical support in developing countries.