The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referre to as ASEAN, pronounced /ˈɑːsiːɑːn/ AH-see-ahn in English, is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on August 8, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Its aims include the acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, and the promotion of regional peace.