I am pleased to present the Statistical Yearbook for Asia and the Pacific 2011, which consists of the present publication and an accompanying online booklet, The region@your fingertips, and database (www.unescap.org/stat/data/). The Yearbook provides decision makers, researchers and the general public with a snapshot of the Asia-Pacific region, including figures on population, education, labour, health and public services, the environment, inequality, plus the state of the economy and the new “global economy” – indicating where people are migrating, trading, travelling, communicating; and other important questions. Data are presented or the 58 regional ESCAP member States, as well as world, regional, subregional and economic aggregates, for comparison.

The Yearbook presents current trends and emerging topics in Asia and the Pacific, grouped around the themes of people, the environment, the economy and connectivity. It provides the international and regional community with key indicators, objective analyses of the current trends and emerging issues, along with data and charts. To maximize comparability across countries, subregions and regions, country-level data are sourced from international agencies that produce and compile data following international statistical standards.

The statistics presented thus provide evidence for guiding decision makers to develop and monitor national policies that address social, economic and environmental challenges. It is my hope that the Yearbook will also support investors, researchers, executives and other decision makers in the private sector in making informed decisions, and that it will educate the general public and give them information to hold governments and other decision makers accountable.

It would not have been possible to produce the Yearbook without the collaboration of a large number of individuals and international organizations. I am particularly pleased to present the Yearbook as the result of a concerted effort by the regional and global offices of a number of entities of the United Nations system. I am confident that the information contained in the Yearbook will support the efforts of development partners and governments to formulate, implement and monitor policies for inclusive, sustainable and resilient societies in Asia and the Pacific.

Noeleen Heyzer
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
and Executive Secretary of ESCAP