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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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Former Cabanatuan POWs in celebration, January 30, 1945

The Raid at Cabanatuan (Filipino: Pagsalakay sa Cabanatuan), also known as the Great Raid (Filipino: Ang Dakilang Pagsalakay), was a rescue of Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and civilians from a Japanese camp near Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. On January 30, 1945, during World War II, United States Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts and Filipino guerrillas liberated more than 500 from the POW camp.

After the surrender of tens of thousands of American troops during the Battle of Bataan, many were sent to the Cabanatuan prison camp after the Bataan Death March. The Japanese shifted most of the prisoners to other areas, leaving just over 500 American and other Allied POWs and civilians in the prison. Facing brutal conditions including disease, torture, and malnourishment, the prisoners feared they would be executed by their captors before the arrival of General Douglas MacArthur and his American forces returning to Luzon. In late January 1945, a plan was developed by Sixth Army leaders and Filipino guerrillas to send a small force to rescue the prisoners. A group of over 100 Rangers and scouts and 200 guerrillas traveled 30 miles (48 km) behind Japanese lines to reach the camp. (Full article...)

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East. Located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, it shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia; as well as maritime borders in the Persian Gulf with Qatar and Iran. The United Arab Emirates is an elective monarchy formed from a federation of seven emirates. , the UAE has an estimated population of 9.97 million. Emirati citizens are estimated to form 11.6% of the population; the remaining residents are expatriates, the majority of whom are South Asian. Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language. Abu Dhabi is the country's capital, while Dubai, the most populous city, is an international hub.

The United Arab Emirates' oil and natural gas reserves are the world's sixth and seventh-largest, respectively. Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and the country's first president, oversaw the development of the Emirates by investing oil revenues into healthcare, education, and infrastructure. The country has the most diversified economy among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. In the 21st century, the UAE has become less reliant on oil and gas and is economically focusing on tourism and business. The UAE is considered a middle power. It is a member of the United Nations, Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OPEC, Non-Aligned Movement, World Trade Organization, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and BRICS. The UAE is also a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. (Full article...)

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Chan in 2012

Chan Kong-sang SBS MBE PMW (born 7 April 1954), known professionally as Jackie Chan, is a Hong Kong actor, director, writer, producer, martial artist, and stuntman known for his slapstick acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself. Before entering the film industry, he was one of the Seven Little Fortunes from the China Drama Academy at the Peking Opera School, where he studied acrobatics, martial arts, and acting. Chan has been acting since the 1960s, performing in more than 150 films. He is one of the most influential action film stars of all time.

After appearing in many Hong Kong films as a stuntman, Chan's first major breakthrough was the 1978 kung fu action comedy film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. He then starred in similar kung fu action comedy films such as 1978's Drunken Master and 1980's The Young Master. In 1979, he made his directorial debut with The Fearless Hyena, which was a box office success. 1983's Project A saw the official formation of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and established Chan's signature style of elaborate, dangerous stunts combined with martial arts and slapstick humor, a style he further developed in a more modern setting with 1984's Wheels on Meals and 1985's Police Story. Rumble in the Bronx (1995), which had a successful worldwide theatrical run, brought Chan into the North American mainstream, leading to a successful Hollywood career with the Rush Hour and Shanghai series. In 2010, Chan appeared in his first dramatic role in an American film, The Karate Kid. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Ascidiacea

Credit: Nick Hobgood

Nudibranch (Nembrotha lineolata) laying an egg spiral on a sea squirt (Polycarpa aurata) near Metinaro, East Timor.

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Did you know...

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... that the Empire of Japan turned a Korean royal cemetery at what is now Hyochang Park into a golf course?
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... 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?