The diverse continent of Asia never stops exuding its intrigue and is constantly evolving every year. Steep in culture with a projected dominance in economics and politics for the 21st century, Asian countries continue finding success in their own unique ways. In this issue, Top 10 of Asia explores these successes with its own poll results ranging from Asia’s Top Nation for Cultural Diversity to Asia’s Nation with Most Promising Growing Economy.
In Asia’s Nation with Best Holiday Beaches category, the Philippines had the most votes. Home to over 7,000 islands, visitors to the Philippines are never far from white beaches. The sheer diversity of beaches from the accessible Cebu to the dramatic limestone formations of El Nido, there is something for every kind of beach-goer or beach activity. There are still many relatively unexplored beaches. Filipino beaches are filled with turquoise waters containing some of the most diverse marine life in the world.
As for Asia’s Top Nation for Producing Critically-Acclaimed Movies, South Korea came out on top. Its movie industry has seen an incredibly rapid boom for the past two decades. In the 2000s South Korean movies began garnering significant international attention with films such as Oldboy (2003) and The Host (2006) gaining worldwide popularity and critical acclaim. More recently, the 2019 South Korean movie Parasite won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The groundwork that has been laid out and good business practices make the South Korean movie industry a robust one.
Hong Kong was voted as Asia’s Best Nation for Education. According to the reputable 2019 Times Higher Education rankings for Asian universities, three Hong Kong universities made it to the top 10 which include the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Those three universities are also in the Top 10 of the QS Asia University rankings with the University of Hong Kong placing second. The wide use of English both in daily life and higher education, as well as being a multicultural and metropolitan city, makes it an attractive education destination not only for foreign but also local students.
India was voted Asia’s Top Nation for Cultural Diversity. It is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. India is home to thousands of distinct and unique cultures of different religions and communities. Its cultural diversity can be seen in many aspects of the country. People of almost every faith can be found in India and so a diverse range of festivals are also celebrated. Although without an official language, the Constitution of India officially recognizes 23 official languages. Some sources suggest there are possibly 1,652 different languages or dialects. Its food is highly influenced by many other countries with a large assortment of dishes. Cooking styles vary from region to region.
Asia’s Top Nation for Foodies is certainly a subjective category and one with stiff competition. Taiwan got the most votes as the best foodie haven. Taiwan has a rich and prolific food culture. Common ingredients include chicken, seafood, pork, rice and soy. It is known for famous foods that are very tasty and which have proliferated all over the world such as Xiao Long Bao, Boba Milk Tea, Beef Noodle Soup and Spicy Hot Pot. Taiwanese culture is very closely tied to its food. Having four meals a day is not uncommon in Taiwan.
In the category of Asia’s Top Nation for Medical Tourism, the vote went to Thailand. Thailand has a rare combination of low cost and quality treatments. It is common for Thai doctors to study abroad. Thailand’s status as an already highly attractive tourist destination makes it an ideal place to mix medical treatments with holiday and recovery. Bangkok itself has more than 20 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals which is widely considered the international benchmark for quality hospitals.
Georgetown, Malaysia was crowned Asia’s Most Liveable City in our survey. Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia has been highly cited as one of the best places in the world to retire and one of the few Asian cities that often get cited as such. The city has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. It is also steeped in culture and filled with scenic historical buildings and places. It draws its culture from its largely Muslim Malay inhabitants but is very much a melting pot of people and culture with influences from Indian, Chinese, Malay and some remnants of English colonialism. The food has been largely described as world-class. In Georgetown is also situated one of the premier Malaysia public universities, Universiti Sains Malaysia and several private universities and colleges. The Penang State government holds an ambitious vision to make Penang the greenest and most liveable city in Asia.
The vote for Asia’s Fastest Growing Nation for Manufacturing went to Vietnam. This small nation is quickly becoming one of the largest exporters of garments and textiles in the world. It is capable of high-quality manufacturing with low production costs. Vietnam’s strategic location south of China provides Vietnam with many benefits such as easier shipping and outsourcing and spillover from existing factories in China. Vietnam has recently been seen as a leader in manufacturing sustainability given the government’s placing of strict environmental regulations and protection laws.
In Asia’s Nation with Most Promising Growing Economy category, emerging market and the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia had the most votes. GDP growth in recent years has been between 4-6%. Indonesia’s young population is helping the economy thrive. The young population has also led to a digital-savvy population. Usage of technology is important in stimulating any economy. The Indonesian government’s recent initiatives to improve the registration process and infrastructural affairs show that they are also committed to not only bringing in new business but at the same time they are also committed to helping them establish themselves.
The diverse continent of Asia never stops exuding its intrigue and is constantly evolving every year. Steep in culture with a projected dominance in economics and politics for the 21st century, Asian countries continue finding success in their own unique ways. In this issue, Top 10 of Asia explores these successes with its own poll results ranging from Asia’s Top Nation for Cultural Diversity to Asia’s Nation with Most Promising Growing Economy.
In Asia’s Nation with Best Holiday Beaches category, the Philippines had the most votes. Home to over 7,000 islands, visitors to the Philippines are never far from white beaches. The sheer diversity of beaches from the accessible Cebu to the dramatic limestone formations of El Nido, there is something for every kind of beach-goer or beach activity. There are still many relatively unexplored beaches. Filipino beaches are filled with turquoise waters containing some of the most diverse marine life in the world.
As for Asia’s Top Nation for Producing Critically-Acclaimed Movies, South Korea came out on top. Its movie industry has seen an incredibly rapid boom for the past two decades. In the 2000s South Korean movies began garnering significant international attention with films such as Oldboy (2003) and The Host (2006) gaining worldwide popularity and critical acclaim. More recently, the 2019 South Korean movie Parasite won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The groundwork that has been laid out and good business practices make the South Korean movie industry a robust one.
Hong Kong was voted as Asia’s Best Nation for Education. According to the reputable 2019 Times Higher Education rankings for Asian universities, three Hong Kong universities made it to the top 10 which include the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Those three universities are also in the Top 10 of the QS Asia University rankings with the University of Hong Kong placing second. The wide use of English both in daily life and higher education, as well as being a multicultural and metropolitan city, makes it an attractive education destination not only for foreign but also local students.
India was voted Asia’s Top Nation for Cultural Diversity. It is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. India is home to thousands of distinct and unique cultures of different religions and communities. Its cultural diversity can be seen in many aspects of the country. People of almost every faith can be found in India and so a diverse range of festivals are also celebrated. Although without an official language, the Constitution of India officially recognizes 23 official languages. Some sources suggest there are possibly 1,652 different languages or dialects. Its food is highly influenced by many other countries with a large assortment of dishes. Cooking styles vary from region to region.
Asia’s Top Nation for Foodies is certainly a subjective category and one with stiff competition. Taiwan got the most votes as the best foodie haven. Taiwan has a rich and prolific food culture. Common ingredients include chicken, seafood, pork, rice and soy. It is known for famous foods that are very tasty and which have proliferated all over the world such as Xiao Long Bao, Boba Milk Tea, Beef Noodle Soup and Spicy Hot Pot. Taiwanese culture is very closely tied to its food. Having four meals a day is not uncommon in Taiwan.
In the category of Asia’s Top Nation for Medical Tourism, the vote went to Thailand. Thailand has a rare combination of low cost and quality treatments. It is common for Thai doctors to study abroad. Thailand’s status as an already highly attractive tourist destination makes it an ideal place to mix medical treatments with holiday and recovery. Bangkok itself has more than 20 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals which is widely considered the international benchmark for quality hospitals.
Georgetown, Malaysia was crowned Asia’s Most Liveable City in our survey. Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia has been highly cited as one of the best places in the world to retire and one of the few Asian cities that often get cited as such. The city has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. It is also steeped in culture and filled with scenic historical buildings and places. It draws its culture from its largely Muslim Malay inhabitants but is very much a melting pot of people and culture with influences from Indian, Chinese, Malay and some remnants of English colonialism. The food has been largely described as world-class. In Georgetown is also situated one of the premier Malaysia public universities, Universiti Sains Malaysia and several private universities and colleges. The Penang State government holds an ambitious vision to make Penang the greenest and most liveable city in Asia.
The vote for Asia’s Fastest Growing Nation for Manufacturing went to Vietnam. This small nation is quickly becoming one of the largest exporters of garments and textiles in the world. It is capable of high-quality manufacturing with low production costs. Vietnam’s strategic location south of China provides Vietnam with many benefits such as easier shipping and outsourcing and spillover from existing factories in China. Vietnam has recently been seen as a leader in manufacturing sustainability given the government’s placing of strict environmental regulations and protection laws.
In Asia’s Nation with Most Promising Growing Economy category, emerging market and the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia had the most votes. GDP growth in recent years has been between 4-6%. Indonesia’s young population is helping the economy thrive. The young population has also led to a digital-savvy population. Usage of technology is important in stimulating any economy. The Indonesian government’s recent initiatives to improve the registration process and infrastructural affairs show that they are also committed to not only bringing in new business but at the same time they are also committed to helping them establish themselves.