The Asia and Pacific (APR) region has witnessed remarkable growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in recent decades, averaging an annual 4.5 per cent in 1980-2000 and 4.4 per cent in 2000-2013, compared with 2.6 per cent and 2.0 per cent for the rest of world over these periods. This rapid growth lifted its share of global GDP from 18.1 per cent in 1980 to 27.8 per cent in 2013. Although growth shows great variation across countries, its overall pace underpins a gradual convergence of lower middle-income countries towards higher middle-income countries in per capita terms, with a steep decline in poverty and malnourishment, but rising inequality and growing pressure on land, natural resources and the environment