The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. There are many economic centers around the Pacific Rim, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Manila, Lima, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Taipei, Ho Chi Minh City, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Santiago, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Portland, and Vancouver. Honolulu is the headquarters of various intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations of the Pacific Rim including the East-West Center, Institute of Asian Research In addition, the RIMPAC exercise is coordinated by United States Pacific Command which is headquartered in Honolulu.

The region has great diversity — with the economic dynamism of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore; the technological expertise of Japan, Korea and the western United States; the natural resources of Australia, Colombia, Canada, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, the Russian Far East and the United States; the human resources of China and Indonesia; the agricultural productivity of Australia, Chile, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States among others.