Most people think that science and math and engineering are found everywhere, but actually, they are regional practices, more like hurling or tossing the caber.  In the map below, countries are resized according to the number of scientific papers they produce.  Population size plays a role, of course, but average productivity matters more. Note that Singapore, with a population of 5 million, looks bigger than Indonesia, with a population of 240 million.

You might think that scientific productivity depends on science funding, rather than regional differences in talent, but you would be wrong.  It depends instead on the distribution of talent.  You can get a feel for the influence of money and culture by comparing China or India and their diasporas in the West.  You see far higher scientific productivity in those diaspora populations than in their homelands.  Partly this is due to selective immigration, but much of it has to do with economic and cultural differences.  

Mostly, maximum success in the sciences is due to the combination of talent combined with a favorable cultural environment, I think.  Keep that in mind the next time someone spouts that cultural diversity bullchit.  Cultures are not equal, and the right culture makes an enormous difference in a society's success, as can be seen from this article and the map.  Obviously, the best cultural practices should be encouraged, and the pathologic eliminated, in order to maximize the success of society in general and in the sciences in particular.