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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

Rioters besieging a bus in Tianshan, Ürümqi, attacking escaping Han passengers with sticks.

A series of violent riots over several days broke out on 5 July 2009 in Ürümqi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), in northwestern China. The first day's rioting, which involved at least 1,000 Uyghurs, began as a protest, but escalated into violent attacks that mainly targeted Han people. According to Chinese state media, a total of 197 people died, most of whom were Han people or non-Muslim minorities, with 1,721 others injured and many vehicles and buildings destroyed. Many Uyghurs disappeared during wide-scale police sweeps in the days following the riots; Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented 43 cases and said figures for real disappearances were likely to be much higher.

Rioting began following the Shaoguan incident, where false accusations of rape of a Han woman by Uyghur men led to a brawl between ethnic Han and Uyghur factory workers in Shaoguan, resulting in the deaths of two Uyghurs who were both from Xinjiang. The Chinese government claimed that the riots were planned from abroad by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and its leader Rebiya Kadeer. Kadeer denies fomenting the violence in her fight for Uyghur self-determination. (Full article...)

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Selected Country

Armenia (/ɑːrˈmiːniə/ ^ⓘ ar-MEE-nee-ə), officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. Yerevan is the capital, largest city and financial center.

Armenia is a unitary, multi-party, democratic nation-state with an ancient cultural heritage. The Armenian Highlands has been home to the Hayasa-Azzi, Shupria and Nairi. By at least 600 BC, an archaic form of Proto-Armenian, an Indo-European language, had diffused into Armenian Highlands. The first Armenian state of Urartu was established in 860 BC, and by the 6th century BC it was replaced by the Satrapy of Armenia. The Kingdom of Armenia reached its height under Tigranes the Great in the 1st century BC and in the year 301 became the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its official religion. Armenia still recognises the Armenian Apostolic Church, the world's oldest national church, as the country's primary religious establishment. The ancient Armenian kingdom was split between the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires around the early 5th century. Under the Bagratuni dynasty, the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia was restored in the 9th century before falling in 1045. Cilician Armenia, an Armenian principality and later a kingdom, was located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea between the 11th and 14th centuries. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Ray in New York, 1981

Satyajit Ray (Bengali pronunciation: [ˈʃotːodʒit ˈrae̯] ^ⓘ; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and composer. Ray is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors in the history of cinema. He is celebrated for works including The Apu Trilogy (1955–1959), The Music Room (1958), The Big City (1963) and Charulata (1964) and the Goopy–Bagha trilogy.

Ray was born in Calcutta to author Sukumar Ray and Suprabha Ray. Starting his career as a commercial artist, Ray was drawn into independent film-making after meeting French filmmaker Jean Renoir and viewing Vittorio De Sica's Italian neorealist film Bicycle Thieves (1948) during a visit to London. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 2Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 3Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 4Detail 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 5Projected GDP of 7 largest economies in 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 6Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 7Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 8Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)
Image 9The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 10The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 11Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 12Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 13East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 14Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 15Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 16A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 17Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 18Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 19Hinduism 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 20Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 21The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 22Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 23Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 24The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 25Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 26Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 27Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 28The 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 29Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 30the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 31Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 32Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 33India'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 34A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 35The 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 36Map of Asia for early 20th century (from History of Asia)
Image 37Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 38Detail 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 39The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 40The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 41Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 42The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)
Image 43The early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 44The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 45Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 46Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 47British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 48Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 49Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 50Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 51Korean 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 52A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 53The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 54The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 55Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 56Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 57Some 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 58The 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 59The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 60Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 61Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 62The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 63The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 64The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 65Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 66Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 67The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 68Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 69A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)

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Featured picture

Yerevan

Credit: Սէրուժ Ուրիշեան (Serouj Ourishian)

Mount Ararat and the Yerevan skyline. The Opera house is visible in the center.

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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

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In the news

8 June 2024 – Israel-Hamas war: 2024 Nuseirat rescue operation; Four hostages kidnapped by Hamas and held in the Nuseirat refugee camp, including Noa Argamani, are rescued in an Israeli special operation. (CNN)
7 June 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: International reactions to the Israel–Hamas war; United Nations advisors announce that the UN intends to add the Israeli military, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to their list of countries and armed groups that harm children in their upcoming "Children and Armed Conflict" report. (The New York Times) (Reuters); Humanitarian aid during the Israel–Hamas war; The United States reinstalls the temporary Gaza floating pier after weather-related damage had to be repaired. (Al Jazeera)

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Related portals

Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Surroundings

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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Selected panorama

Credit: Benh Lieu Song

The Ratchaprasong and Sukhumvit skylines of Bangkok, the capital of and largest city in Thailand, with Lumphini Park in the center, as viewed from the Sathon District. Known in Thai as Krung Thep ("city of angels"), it became the capital in 1768 after the destruction of Ayutthaya by Burmese invaders.