The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Republic of Gambia have signed World Expo 2010 participation contracts.

ASEAN signed its contract on July 9, confirming the 10-member regional organization would display under the theme "One Vision, One Identity, One Community" at a joint pavilion for international organizations.

ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok by the five original member countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The group has expanded with Brunei joining on January 8, 1984, Vietnam on July 28, 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on July 23, 1997, and Cambodia on April 30, 1999.

As of 2006, the ASEAN region has a population of about 560 million and a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers.

Gambia signed the contract today via mail. It will exhibit at a joint pavilion for African countries.

(Source: official website of World Expo Shanghai)