August 16, 2010
An American business professor, Patrick Chovanec, visits fields, casinos, and kindergartens in North Korea — and explains how the Hermit Kingdom is and is not like Mordor.
May 10, 2010
May 10, 2010 A friend of mine recently sent me an old article of mine she happened to find. I wrote it many years ago, just after Mother Theresa passed away in September 1997. Due to a submission mix-up, it was never published. But it remains as relevant today as it was then, and I hope you don’t mind me […]
April 6, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE STRAITS(Fujian, Taiwan)Territory: 160,313 km2 (2% of total)Population: 59 million (4% of total)Per Capita GDP: $9,432 (#1 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 30%Net Trade Balance (ex-China): $51 billion […]
March 30, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE FRONTIER(Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Tibet)Territory: 5,205,114 km2 (54% of total)Population: 86 million (6% of total) * 30% non-Han minoritiesPer Capita GDP: $2,928 (#6 of 9)Exports as % […]
March 27, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE RUST BELT(Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang)Territory: 801,553 km2 (8% of total)Population: 109 million (8% of total)Per Capita GDP: $3,724 (#5 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 15%Net Trade Balance (ex-China): […]
March 26, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. SHANGRI-LA(Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi)Territory: 810,690 km2 (8% of total)Population: 132 million (10% of total) * 30% non-Han minoritiesPer Capita GDP: $1,770 (#9 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 6%Net Trade Balance […]
March 21, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE CROSSROADS(Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan)Territory: 707,124 km2 (7% of total)Population: 226 million (17% of total)Per Capita GDP: $2,402 (#7 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 6%Net Trade Balance (ex-China): […]
March 20, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE REFUGE(Sichuan, Chongqing)Territory: 569,800 km2 (6% of total)Population: 110 million (8% of total)Per Capita GDP: $2,303 (#8 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 5%Net Trade Balance (ex-China): $2 billion […]
March 19, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE METROPOLIS(Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang)Territory: 216,008 km2 (2% of total)Population: 147 million (11% of total)Per Capita GDP: $6,406 (#3 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 58%Net Trade Balance (ex-China): $119 […]
March 18, 2010
This excerpt is part of a larger feature I wrote that was published by The Atlantic in November 2009. To read the introduction and access descriptions of the other eight “nations” of China, click here. THE BACK DOOR(Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, Hainan)Territory: 231,963 km2 (2% of total)Population: 112 million (8% of total)Per Capita GDP: $6,910 (#2 of 9)Exports as % of GDP: 82%Net Trade […]