In 2020, ***** percent of resident employed households had a monthly income of 20 thousand Singapore dollars and over. In comparison, only **** percent of households had a monthly income of less than one thousand Singapore dollars.

In 2024, the real gross domestic product (GDP) in Vietnam grew by approximately **** percent, marking the highest growth rate in Southeast Asia. In comparison, Myanmar's real GDP growth rate dropped by **** percent. Southeast Asia, a tapestry of economic and cultural complexity Historically a critical component of global trade, Southeast Asia is a diverse region with heterogeneous economies. The region comprises ** countries in total. While Singapore is a highly developed country economy and Brunei has a relatively high GDP per capita, the rest of the Southeast Asian countries are characterized by lower GDPs per capita and have yet to overcome the middle-income trap. Malaysia is one of these countries, having reached the middle-income level for many decades but yet to grow incomes proportionally to its economic development. Nevertheless, Southeast Asia’s young population will further drive economic growth across the region’s markets. ASEAN’s economic significance Aiming to promote economic growth, social progress, cultural development, and regional stability, all Southeast Asian countries except for Timor-Leste are part of the political and economic union Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Even though many concerns surround the union, ASEAN has avoided trade conflicts and is one of the largest and most dynamic trade zones globally. Factors such as the growing young population, high GDP growth, a largely positive trade balance, and exemplary regional integration hold great potential for future economic development in Southeast Asia.