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Asia (/ˈeɪʒə/ ^ⓘ AY-zhə, UK also /ˈeɪʃə/ AY-shə) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometers, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. Its 4.7 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population.

Asia shares the landmass of Eurasia with Europe, and of Afro-Eurasia with both Europe and Africa. In general terms, it is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the north by the Arctic Ocean. The border of Asia with Europe is a historical and cultural construct, as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them. It is somewhat arbitrary and has moved since its first conception in classical antiquity. The division of Eurasia into two continents reflects East–West cultural, linguistic, and ethnic differences, some of which vary on a spectrum rather than with a sharp dividing line. A commonly accepted division places Asia to the east of the Suez Canal separating it from Africa; and to the east of the Turkish Straits, the Ural Mountains and Ural River, and to the south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black seas, separating it from Europe.

China and India traded places as the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE. China was a major economic power for much of recorded history, with the highest GDP per capita until 1500. The Silk Road became the main east–west trading route in the Asian hinterlands while the Straits of Malacca stood as a major sea route. Asia has exhibited economic dynamism as well as robust population growth during the 20th century, but overall population growth has since fallen. Asia was the birthplace of most of the world's mainstream religions including Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, as well as many other religions. (Full article...)

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Featured article

Sunda slow loris

Nycticebus coucang

Slow lorises are a group of several species of nocturnal strepsirrhine primates that make up the genus Nycticebus. Found in Southeast Asia and bordering areas, they range from Bangladesh and Northeast India in the west to the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines in the east, and from Yunnan province in China in the north to the island of Java in the south. Although many previous classifications recognized as few as a single all-inclusive species, there are now at least eight that are considered valid: the Sunda slow loris (N. coucang), Bengal slow loris (N. bengalensis), Javan slow loris (N. javanicus), Philippine slow loris (N. menagensis), Bangka slow loris (N. bancanus), Bornean slow loris (N. borneanus), Kayan River slow loris (N. kayan) and Sumatran slow loris (N. hilleri). A ninth species, the pygmy slow loris (X. pygmaeus), was recently moved to the new genus Xanthonycticebus. After the pygmy slow loris, the group's closest relatives are the slender lorises of southern India and Sri Lanka. Their next closest relatives are the African lorisids, the pottos, false pottos, and angwantibos. They are less closely related to the remaining lorisoids (the various types of galago), and more distantly to the lemurs of Madagascar. Their evolutionary history is uncertain since their fossil record is patchy and molecular clock studies have given inconsistent results.

Slow lorises have a round head, a narrow snout, large eyes, and a variety of distinctive coloration patterns that are species-dependent. Their arms and legs are nearly equal in length, and their torso is long and flexible, allowing them to twist and extend to nearby branches. The hands and feet of slow lorises have several adaptations that give them a pincer-like grip and enable them to grasp branches for long periods of time. Slow lorises have a toxic bite, a trait rare among mammals and unique among the primates. The toxin is obtained by licking a sweat gland on their arm, and the secretion is activated by mixing with saliva. Their toxic bite, once thought to be primarily a deterrent to predators, has been discovered to be primarily used in disputes within the species. (Full article...)

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Selected Country

Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city. It is one of the six independent Turkic states. With a population of 6.5 million, Turkmenistan is the 35th most-populous country in Asia and has the lowest population of the Central Asian republics while being one of the most sparsely populated nations on the Asian continent.

Turkmenistan has long served as a thoroughfare for several empires and cultures. Merv is one of the oldest oasis-cities in Central Asia, and was once among the biggest cities in the world. It was also one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881, Turkmenistan figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR); it became independent after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Kapoor in 2017

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja (pronounced [soːnəm kəˈpuːr]; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She has received several awards, including a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award. One of the highest-paid actresses in India as of 2018, Kapoor appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list from 2012 to 2016.

Kapoor, the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, began her career as an assistant director on filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2005 film Black. She made her acting debut in Bhansali's romantic drama Saawariya (2007), a box office flop, and had her first commercial success with the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010). This was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. The 2013 box office hit Raanjhanaa marked a turning point in Kapoor's career, garnering her praise and Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various Asia-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 2Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 3Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 4Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 5The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 6The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 7Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 8The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 9Hinduism expansion in Asia, from its heartland in Indian Subcontinent, to the rest of Asia, especially Southeast Asia, started circa 1st century marked with the establishment of early Hindu settlements and polities in Southeast Asia. (from History of Asia)
Image 10Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 11The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 12Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 13The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 14Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 15Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 16Korean peninsula in 476 AD. There are three kingdoms and Gaya Union in the picture. This picture shows the heyday of Goguryeo (from History of Asia)
Image 17Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 18The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 19Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 20Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 21A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 22Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 23Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 24Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)
Image 25Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 26Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 27Some henges at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey were erected as far back as 9600 BC, predating those of Stonehenge, by over seven millennia. (from History of Asia)
Image 28Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 29Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 30Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 31The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 32Projected GDP of 7 largest economies in 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 33British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 34A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 35Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 36The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 37East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 38Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 39The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 40The global contribution to world's GDP by major economies from 1 AD to 2003 AD according to Angus Maddison's estimates. Before 18th century, China and India were the two largest economies by GDP output. (from Asian Century)
Image 41Detail of Chinese silk from the 4th century BCE. The characteristic trade of silk through the Silk Road connected various regions from China, India, Central Asia, and the Middle East to Europe and Africa. (from History of Asia)
Image 42The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 43The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 44India's middle-class population of 300 million is growing at an annual rate of 5%. Shown here is an upmarket area in South Mumbai. (from Asian Century)
Image 45Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 46The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 47Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 48Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 49The Syriac Orthodox Saint Ahoadamah Church was a 7th-century church building in the city of Tikrit, one of the oldest in the world until its destruction by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on 25 September 2014. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 50Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 51Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 52A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 53Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 54The early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 55Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 56Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 57Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 58Detail of the Dragon Throne used by the Qianlong Emperor of China, Forbidden City, Qing dynasty. Artifact circulating in U.S. museums on loan from Beijing (from Culture of Asia)
Image 59The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)
Image 60The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 61Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 62Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 63Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 64The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 65Map of Asia for early 20th century (from History of Asia)
Image 66The third Inter-Korean Summit, which was held in 2018, between South Korean president Moon Jae-in and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un. It was a historical event that symbolized the peace of Asia. (from History of Asia)
Image 67Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 68Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 69the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)

Featured picture

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

Credit: Siripatwongpin

The head of a sandstone Buddha statue nestled in the tree roots beside the minor chapels of Wat Maha That, Phra Nakhon Si, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand. The temple is one of the most tourist and photographic attractions in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya, an ancient capital of Siam.

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Did you know...

... that although he was a former Indonesian prime minister, Soekiman Wirjosandjojo was not arrested during a political purge as he was considered a non-threat?
... that Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, India's second Muslim president, was also the second Indian president to die in office?
... that the Empire of Japan turned a Korean royal cemetery at what is now Hyochang Park into a golf course?
... that Levantine Arabic is often written in Hebrew characters online by Bedouin, Arab Christians, and Druze in Israel?
... that Ein Samiya, which provides the water for Taybeh, the first beer brewed in Palestine, was depopulated in 2023 after harassment by neighboring Israeli settlers?
... that the popularity of "10 Minutes" by Korean singer Lee Hyori led to 2003 being dubbed the "year of Hyori" by domestic media?
... that Sun Haiyan is the first Chinese ambassador to Singapore who was not a member of the Foreign Ministry of China?
... that University of Nebraska alumnus M. Khalid Roashan helped draft the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan?
... that the Pakistani film Shehr e Tabassum was the first animated cyberpunk film to be made by an Urdu development team?
... that the Te'omim Cave in Israel was home to a Bronze Age alabaster quarry, a refuge cave during the Jewish–Roman wars, and a possible center for necromantic activity in late antiquity?

Updated: 6:33, 14 February 2024

In the news

26 May 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Insurgency in the North Gaza Strip; A spokesperson for Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades claim that they captured IDF soldiers in Jabalia yesterday, which the IDF denies. (Reuters); Rafah offensive; The Palestine Red Crescent Society reports at least 35 people are killed in an Israeli airstrike on tents for displaced civilians in Rafah, Gaza Strip. (AP); The Al-Qassam Brigades fire rockets towards Tel Aviv area in central Israel for the first time in four months. (BBC News) (El Confidencial)
26 May 2024 – Tornado outbreak sequence of May 19–26, 2024: The death toll from a tornado outbreak last night into this morning across the United States rises to 14. The same storm system also delays the start of the 2024 Indianapolis 500. (The Virginian-Pilot) (Indianapolis Star) (AP)

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Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Surroundings

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

Selected panorama

Credit: Bluemangoa2z

The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence.

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