Greater Mekong Subregion Statistics on Growth, Connectivity and Sustainable Development (First Edition)

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is a natural economic area bound together by the Mekong River, covering 2.6 million square kilometers and a combined population of 334 million in 2013. The GMS countries are Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China (PRC, specifically Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. In 1992, with assistance from ADB, the six countries entered into a project based program of subregional economic cooperation in sectors such as transport, energy, telecommunications, environment, human resource development, tourism, trade, private sector investment and agriculture. Since then, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided $6.3 billion and $122.4 million support for investments and technical assistance, respectively

Timely availability of information, data, and indicators at the country and project levels allows for the measurement of progress – the achievement of policy objectives, as well as impacts and outcomes of target-driven projects.

The primary objectives of the GMS Statistical Database are to:

• consolidate all relevant data in one portal to provide quick, easy and reliable access; and
• provide comparable data for Guangxi and Yunnan, PRC, when appropriate and where feasible.

The booklet has five chapters. Chapter One presents the country progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Chapter Two is a regional and country overview of data on production, trade in goods and services, and foreign direct investment. Chapters Three and Four compile indicators in logistics performance, doing business, competitiveness and trade facilitation. Lastly, Chapter Five provides indicators for connectivity, focusing on the transport and information and communications technology sectors.