Google the world's largest search engine released its annual lists of the most-searched terms on a country-by country basis this week.

While the differences between the Asian regions' search habits can be explained in part by web restrictions and varying degrees of press freedom the lists do give a snapshot of the collective mindset of Asia's populations. A China list is conspicuous by its absence as the search giant is blocked in the land of the Great Firewall.

Apple-mania pushed the iPhone 6s to the top of the search list in smartphone-obsessed Hong Kong with the rest of the search list focusing on popular television personalities and shows such as The Greed of Man first shown in 1992 and re-aired this year.

Singaporeans had more weighty concerns. Haze from Indonesia's fires and the death of Singapore's first Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew took the top spots in a list dominated by news events.

Sentimental Vietnamese propelled the titles of three love songs to the top of their list while nine of the top search terms in neighboring Thailand related to music videos or TV shows.

In Japan Islamic State was the top search term as two Japanese hostages were killed and the minister for public safety warned the country was at threat of cyber attack while Koreans hunted for information on MERS after the country recorded its first cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

Globally Asian nations did not feature in the top 10 list which was dominated by U.S. Sports stars movies and actors.

Hong Kong

* iPhone 6s

* How-Old.net - a Microsoft tool to guess your age from a photo

* Helen To Yu-ung - a travel writer and TV host being criticised for being too materialistic

* Wu Zetian - star of Chinese TV drama The Empress of China

* Our Times - a Taiwanese movie

* HKTV - television network run by Ricky Wong Wai-Kay whose application for a free-to-air license was rejected

* The Greed of Man - Popular drama series from 1992 re-aired this year

* Captain of Destiny - sci-fi TV drama criticized for poor special effects

* Rashomon - Cantopop by Hong Kong singers Kay Tse and Juno Mak

* Minions - the movie

Indonesia

* Batu Akik - the rising price of semi-precious gemstones which has sparked a modern-day goldrush

* GO-JEK - new startup that provides on-demand scooters

* Kue Cubit - a fashionable cake

* Angeline - missing child who was found murdered

* Olga Syahputra - cross-dressing TV comedian

* Dubsmash - an app to create selfie videos with sounds overdubbed

* Fast Furious 7 - the movie

* Tragedi Mina - fatal stampede during the Hajj

* Goyang Dumang - a dance by singer Cita Citata

* Piala Presiden - the President's Cup soccer tournament

Malaysia

* HRMIS 2 - version two of Malaysia's Human Resource Management Information System

* BR1M 2015 - cash handout from the government for those in need

* How-Old.net

* Maharaja Lawak Mega - a contest between comedians

* Fast Furious 7

* Hati Perempuan - TV drama

* 1 USD to MYR - following the slide of the ringgit

* Whatsapp Web - the chat app on a desktop

* GST - Malaysia introduced a sales and service tax

* Bersih 4.0 - protest movement

Singapore

* PSI Singapore - air quality following haze

* Lee Kuan Yew - death of Singapore's first prime minister

* SEA Games - Singapore hosted this regional athletics event

* WhatsApp Web

* iPhone 6s

* Amos Yee - prosecuted blogger

* MERS - the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

* QZ8501 - crashed AirAsia flight

* Lee Wei Ling - Lee Kuan Yew's daughter

* Lee Hsien Loong - Lee Kuan Yew's son and Prime Minister of Singapore

Vietnam

* Vo Nguoi Ta - a song about a young man crying over his ex- girlfriend's wedding

* Âm Tham Bên Em - a love song about a gangster who tries to change his ways to regain the love of his girlfriend

* Không Phai Dang Vua âu - a song by popular singer Son Tung MTP about expressing his feelings

* How-Old.net

* Fast Furious 7

* Khuôn Mat áng Thuong - a song about a young man expressing sorrow over his ex-girlfriend's love life

* Em Cua Quá Khu - ballad about a man waiting for the return of his high school sweetheart

* Cuoi Xuyên Viet - television show searching for new comedians

* Cô Dâu 8 Tuoi - an Indian TV series about a girl forced to get married at the age of eight

* Chàng Trai Nam Ay - a romantic comedy based on the autobiography of late singer Wanbi Tuan Anh

Japan

* - Islamic State

* - typhoon

* - rugby following Japan's victory over New Zealand

* - my number used for social security and tax purposes

* - Kenji Goto the Japanese journalist killed by Islamic State

* - Naomi Kawashima - TV performer who died of cancer

* - Akira Hokuto - female wrestler who went public with breast cancer diagnosis

* - Splatoon a Nintendo game

* Windows 10

* iPhone 6s

Philippines

* AIDub - nickname for massively successful skit on afternoon television about lovers who have not met

* Pope Francis

* Maine Mendoza - female star of Eat Bulaga! TV show

* FIBA Asia 2015

* Dubsmash - lip-syncing app

* Alden Richards - male star of Eat Bulaga!

* Fifty Shades of Grey

* APEC Summit

* Paris attacks

* COMELEC - electoral committee of the Philippines

Korea

* - MERS after it was reported Korea had its first case

* - NamuWiki a Korean Wikipedia

* - a hidden camera in a water park arrests

* - the movie Kingsman

* - the movie Veteran

* - Lee Tae-im South Korean actress

* - Assassination a TV drama

* - The Treacherous TV drama

* - Jang Sung-Woo baseball player

* - the movie Twenty

Thailand

* - Magic Rope a music video by Labanoon

* - Ugly Duckling a popular TV series

* - Thirteen Terrors drama about the adventures of high school students

* - Leave Me Along The Way a music video by Potato

* - Extreme Love a soap opera

* - Beauty Queens' War reality TV show

* - Offend a music video from COLOURPiTCH

* - Kha Badin - prime time soap opera

* - Secret Love Online - TV soap

* - Complain music video

Taiwan

* - typhoon

* - movie from China

* - lottery

* 12 - World Baseball Championship

* - a ticketing platform

* - movie telling the tale of a classic Chinese legend

* How-Old.net

* 7 - Fast and Furious 7

* - Jody Chiang Taiwanese pop singer who announced her retirement this year

* iPhone 6s

Top Global

* Lamar Odom

* Jurassic World

* American Sniper

* Caitlyn Jenner

* Ronda Rousey

* Paris

* Agar.io

* Chris Kyle

* Fallout 4

* Straight Outta Compton

Bloomberg