East-West Center

The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options. The Center is an independent, public, nonprofit organization with funding from the U.S. government, and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments in the region.

Many areas in the Asia Pacific region are experiencing rapid social, economic, and environmental change. Industrialization, urbanization, economic growth, and population change—together with loss of biodiversity, modifications to coastal areas and tropical rainforests, and the effects of global climate change—all these developments make the region a “hot spot” from the perspective of global change and sustainable development.

Research at the East-West Center focuses on the changing environment in the Asia-Pacific region and on regional and global trends in population and health.