2012 starts the way many wanted, with the Windows Marketplace expanding to six new territories. Developers can now submit their applications in Argentina, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru and the Philippines. It's important to note that the Marketplaces in these six countries are not yet open to the public, only for submissions. Which is smart, as it allows the catalogue to build up for the public launch.

From the Windows Phone Developer Blog:

You should be aware that applications submitted to three of these six new markets – China, Indonesia and Malaysia – will be subject to additional requirements due to local laws, regulations or norms. You can find information on these additional requirements in this App Hub forum post. 

Given the Marketplace is not yet available for customers in these markets and the addition of new requirements, we’re opening the submission process early to give those of you interested in distribution to these markets a head start on certification. We’re viewing this as an early access period and you can expect the certification process to take a little longer during this time period.

This now takes Windows Marketplace into 41 territories, and we'd expect more to open up during the next twelve months as Windows Phone continues to grow. Time for Andrew Birch to update his "Windows Phone around the world" regional checklist!