Association Of Southeast Asian Nations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is an organization made up of countries located in South Asia who meet annually to discuss the political and economic conditions of the region. The generally accepted abbreviation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is ASEAN. The annual meeting held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is called the ASEAN Summit. On August 8, 1967 the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to pronounce solidarity against the expansion of a communist Vietnam. Vietnam was later admitted to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The major economies of the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are petroleum, wood and electronics. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations includes governments that range from democratic to autocratic. In addition to member nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also includes active dialogue partners who participate in regional forums. The forums hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations address security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.