Lesson 1/64 min
The 6 Far East countries at a glance
The Far East has 6 countries: China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan.
Memory trick: Memory trick (Bangla): “Chinta Kor Mofiz” – Chin (China), Ta (Taiwan), Kor (both Koreas), Mofi (Mongolia), Ja (Japan).
Capital, currency, coloniser and independence (as in the books)
| Country | Capital | Currency | Ruled by | Independence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Beijing | Yuan (Renminbi) | — | — |
| Japan | Tokyo | Yen | — | — |
| North Korea | Pyongyang | Won | Japan | 1948 |
| South Korea | Seoul | Won | Japan | 1948 |
| Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar | Tögrög | China | 1921 |
| Taiwan | Taipei | New Taiwan dollar | Japan | Not a widely recognised independent state; China claims it as its own |
Watch out: Khandokar's table leaves South Korea's coloniser blank; the Korean peninsula was under Japan from 1910 to 1945, so Japan is written here. 1948 is the year both Korean governments were formed. Mongolia's “1921” is the books' date, the year of its revolution; it also declared independence from Qing rule in 1911.
Who leads now (November 2026, per news reports)
| Country | Leadership |
|---|---|
| China | President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping; Premier Li Qiang |
| Japan | Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (since October 2025; re-appointed after the February 2026 election); Emperor Naruhito |
| South Korea | President Lee Jae-myung (since 4 June 2025) |
| North Korea | Kim Jong Un: General Secretary of the Workers' Party (re-elected at the Ninth Party Congress, February 2026) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission |
| Taiwan | President Lai Ching-te (since 20 May 2024); Premier Cho Jung-tai |
| Mongolia | Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral (confirmed by parliament 30 March 2026, the third in a year); President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh |
Watch out: Leaders change. The books are out of date: Khandokar names Fumio Kishida as Japan's PM, Zubair names Emperor Akihito (the 125th), and an exam question gives Yoshihide Suga. Check recent news before your exam.
Answers asked in past exams
- China's currency is the yuan (renminbi) (Postal Dept 2024; Uttara Bank 2022)
- Japan's currency is the yen (National Cadet Corps 2021)
- Mongolia's capital is Ulaanbaatar (Biman Bangladesh 2021)
- “Which country was never a British colony”: the book's answer is China (Nepal was never a British colony either, so be careful if both appear)
Check yourself
Which is the only landlocked country of the Far East?
At a glance
- 1
The Far East has 6 countries: China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia and Taiwan (trick: “Chinta Kor Mofiz”).
- 2
Capitals: Beijing, Tokyo, Pyongyang, Seoul, Ulaanbaatar, Taipei.
- 3
Currencies: China yuan, Japan yen, both Koreas won, Mongolia tögrög, Taiwan New Taiwan dollar.
- 4
Both Koreas formed separate governments in 1948; Mongolia's date (in the books) is 1921.
- 5
Recent leaders: Takaichi in Japan, Lee Jae-myung in South Korea, Xi Jinping in China, Lai Ching-te in Taiwan.