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CONFIDENTIAL
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3.
But the general trend is clear.
In the past quarter century:
economic growth in the Asian DMCs
has averaged 6.68 per year in
real terms. This is about double
the rates for Europe and North
America during the same period;
Asia's share of world trade
increased from about 5% to more
than 13%;
per
capita GDP
in Asia has
increased by an average of 50%;
life
expectancy in Asia has
improved from 46 to 64 years.
4.
Behind the dry statistics
of
economic and social development is a real
improvement in the
hundreds of millions
standard of living of
of people. The ADB
can be proud of the part it has played in
bringing
about this improvement. In the
past 25 years, the bank has made loans of
more
than US$37 billion in 49 countries
CONFIDENTIAL