The societies of East Asia and the Pacific include some of the world's most technologically advanced as well as the least developed. Nations in the region have withstood colonialism and its legacies as well as many modern wars. Measures of social progress range from the very high to the very low. On measures of physical health, people in the region generally fare well, but personal rights and freedoms vary greatly from place to place. From China to New Zealand, it is a region of contrasts, with a variety of approaches to bringing the best of life to the most people. Countries that have existed for thousands of years and others whose independence goes back only to the last century strive to meet current challenges. With tremendous cultural and ecological diversity among and within countries spread across vast distances, challenges ahead include protecting the rights of minority peoples and charting economic development that preserves the environment.
