This companion volume to the 'World Development Report 2009' comprises twenty papers authored by noted Asian scholars. These studies highlight how, throughout East Asia, spatial considerations have influenced Government policies at the national, regional, and local levels. Key themes include how countries have dealt with: (1) agglomeration economies, urbanization, and regional disparities; (2) improving connectivity with infrastructure investments; and (3) eliminating barriers across and within countries to favor the movement of labor, goods and services. Achievements vary widely across countries: while some succeeded in enhancing competitiveness and improving social outcomes, others are experiencing increasing inequalities and failures to spur growth in disadvantaged areas. The book highlights many examples of how the new economic geography is reshaping development objectives: from initiatives to foster growth via enhanced agglomeration and improved local connectivity to the world economy, to special decentralization programs that channel resources to lagging regions. This volume will be of great interest to readers working in the areas of economic policy, poverty reduction and urban-rural development strategies, and transport-led infrastructure policy.

Rising densities of human settlements, migration and transport to reduce distances to market, and specialization and trade facilitated by fewer international divisions are central to economic development. The transformations along these three dimensions density, distance, and division are most noticeable in North America, Western Europe, and Japan, but countries in Asia and Eastern Europe are changing in ways similar in scope and speed. 'World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography' concludes that these spatial transformations are essential, and should be encouraged. The conclusion is not without controversy. Slum-dwellers now number a billion, but the rush to cities continues. Globalization is believed to benefit many, but not the billion people living in lagging areas of developing nations. High poverty and mortality persist among the world's 'bottom billion', while others grow wealthier and live longer lives. Concern for these three billion often comes with the prescription that growth must be made spatially balanced. The WDR has a different message: economic growth is seldom balanced, and efforts to spread it out prematurely will jeopardize progress. The Report: documents how production becomes more concentrated spatially as economies grow. proposes economic integration as the principle for promoting successful spatial transformations. revisits the debates on urbanization, territorial development, and regional integration and shows how today's developers can reshape economic geography.

This book applies a spatial economics perspective to the understanding of the recent dynamism of the global economy, with particular focus on East Asia, and examines the prospects of regional integration in East Asia.

A Great Burst Of Globalization brought the 20th century to a close, creating upheaval in the world economy from roughly 1995 to 2008. And now, with the new century barely commenced, a second upheaval is in the offing following the severe financial crisis that plunged the global economy into recession in 2008-09. The first upheaval witnessed a massive migration of manufacturing and certain business services that transformed Asia into the industrial heartland of the world. The second upheaval will likely consolidate Asia's industrial preeminence and could result in a concentraion of industrial activities in the two most populous and fastest-growing Asian economies---China and India. As the two Asian giants become the industrial equals of the United States, Germany, and Japan, the ramifications will affect trade and growth worldwide, the future of development in China and India, and industrialization throughout Asia. Changing the Industrial Geography in Asia: The Impact of China and India examines these developments, focusing specifically on China and India. Its analysis and conclusions will be of particular interest to policy makers and academics, as well as anyone with an interest in how China and India are likely to reshape industry throughout Asia. "Changing the Industrial Geography inAsia is rich in detailed analysis of the continuing transformation of the manufacturing sector in Asia, both in terms of its moving geography and its composition. For those intrested in understanding the prospects of post-financial crisis Asia, this book is a must read. It is a refreshing return to economic fundamentals, including the new problems of climate change and dwindling energy resources, and will remain the leading reference on Asian transformaton for a long time to come." "The authors consolidate a remarkable amount of data and analysis on the on the industrial structure of Asia and its emergence as theindustrial center of the global economy."