Since the end of the Vietnam War, in 1975, Southeast Asia has gone through a golden era. Foreign trade and investment have boomed, and countries as different as the city-state of Singapore and the vast archipelago of Indonesia have enjoyed many years of rapid economic growth. Even nations that were once isolated by communism or military dictatorship—such as Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma)—are now emerging as serious trading nations and as important destinations for foreign investors and tourists.
