Nokia, the leading mobile handset maker, is experiencing the effects of the global economic crisis. But Asia is showing the lowest declines.

In the three months through March, the company said its profit declined to 122 million euros ($162.3 million) from 1.2 billion euros a year earlier. Sales fell 27 percent, to 9.3 billion euros from 12.7 billion euros.

The number of cellphones sold fell 45 percent in Latin America, 31 percent in North America and 27 percent in Africa and the Middle East. Elsewhere, the pace of decline was more moderate — 13 percent in Europe, 15 percent in China and 17.3 percent in the rest of Asia.

Nokia reiterated its expectation that industry sales would decline 10 percent this year from 2008.

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