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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. 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.

Since the concept of Asia derives from the term for the eastern region from a European perspective, Asia is the remaining vast area of Eurasia minus Europe. Therefore, Asia is a region where various independent cultures coexist rather than sharing a single culture, and the boundary between Europe is somewhat arbitrary and has moved since its first conception in classical antiquity. The division of Eurasia into two continents reflects East–West cultural differences, some of which vary on a spectrum. (Full article...)

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Featured article

View of the destroyed city

Quneitra (also Al Qunaytirah, Qunaitira, or Kuneitra; Arabic: ٱلْقُنَيْطِرَة or ٱلْقُنَيطْرَة, al-Qunayṭrah or al-Qunayṭirah pronounced [æl qʊˈneɪ̯tˁ(ɨ)rɑ]) is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at 1,010 metres (3,313 feet) above sea level. Since 1974, pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 350 and the Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria, the city is inside the UN-patrolled buffer zone.

Quneitra was founded in the Ottoman era as a way station on the caravan route to Damascus and subsequently became a garrison town of some 20,000 people. In 1946, it became part of the independent Syrian Republic within the Riff Dimashq Governorate and in 1964 became the capital of the split Quneitra Governorate. On 10 June 1967, the last day of the Six-Day War, Quneitra came under Israeli control. It was briefly recaptured by Syria during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but Israel regained control in its subsequent counter-offensive. The city was almost completely destroyed by Israel before it withdrew in June 1974. Syria later refused to rebuild the city and actively discouraged resettlement in the area. Israel was heavily criticized by the United Nations for the city's destruction, while Israel has also criticized Syria for not rebuilding Quneitra. (Full article...)

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Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in the southern Levant region of West Asia recognized by 146 out of 193 UN member states. It encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, collectively known as the occupied Palestinian territories, within the broader geographic and historical Palestine region. Palestine shares most of its borders with Israel, and it borders Jordan to the east and Egypt to the southwest. It has a total land area of 6,020 square kilometres (2,320 sq mi) while its population exceeds five million people. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem, while Ramallah serves as its administrative center. Gaza City was its largest city prior to evacuations in 2023.

Situated at a continental crossroad, the region of Palestine was ruled by various empires and experienced various demographic changes from antiquity to the modern era. Being a bridge between Asia and Africa, it was treading ground for the Nile and Mesopotamian armies and merchants from North Africa, China and India. The region is known for its religious significance. The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the rise of the Zionist movement, supported by the United Kingdom during World War I. The war saw Britain occupying Palestine from the Ottoman Empire, where it set up Mandatory Palestine under the auspices of the League of Nations. During this period, large-scale Jewish immigration allowed by the British authorities led to increased tensions and violence with the local Palestinian Arab population. In 1947, Britain handed the issue to the United Nations, which proposed a partition plan, for two independent Arab and Jewish states and an independent entity for Jerusalem, but a civil war broke out, and the plan was not implemented. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Zhou Tong stroking his beard

Zhou Tong (Chinese: 周同 and 周侗; pinyin: Zhōu Tóng) (died late 1121 CE) was the archery teacher and second military arts tutor of famous Song dynasty general Yue Fei. Originally a local hero from Henan, he was hired to continue Yue Fei's military training in archery after the boy had rapidly mastered spearplay under his first teacher. In addition to the future general, Zhou accepted other children as archery pupils. During his tutelage, Zhou taught the children all of his skills and even rewarded Yue with his two favorite bows because he was his best pupil. After Zhou's death, Yue would regularly visit his tomb twice a month and perform unorthodox sacrifices that far surpassed that done for even beloved tutors. Yue later taught what he had learned from Zhou to his soldiers and they were successful in battle.

With the publishing of Yue Fei's 17th folklore biography, The Story of Yue Fei (1684), a new, fictional Zhou Tong emerged, who differed greatly from his historical persona. Not only was he now from Shaanxi, but he was Yue's adopted father, a learned scholar with knowledge of the eighteen weapons of war, and his personal name was spelled with a different, yet related, Chinese character. The novel's author portrayed him as an elderly widower and military arts tutor who counted Lin Chong and Lu Junyi, two of the fictional 108 outlaws on which the Water Margin is based, among his former pupils. A later republican era folktale by noted Yangzhou storyteller Wang Shaotang not only adds Wu Song to this list, but represents Zhou as a knight-errant with supreme swordsmanship. The tale also gives him the nickname "Iron Arm", which he shares with the executioner-turned-outlaw Cai Fu, and makes the outlaw Lu Zhishen his sworn brother. Because of his association with the outlaws, he is often confused with the similarly named outlaw Zhou Tong. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 2Korean 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 3A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 4Map of Asia for early 20th century (from History of Asia)
Image 5Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)
Image 6Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 7Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 8The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
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 early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 11Detail 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 12Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 13Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 14Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 15Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 16Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 17Projected GDP of 7 largest economies in 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 18Some 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 19Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 20Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 21A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 22The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 23Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 24The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 25Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 26Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 27A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 28A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 29Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 30Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 31The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 32Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 33Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 34Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 35The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 36The 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 37Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 38The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 39India'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 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 41Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 42The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 43The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 44Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 45Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 46Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 47Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 48The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 49Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 50Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 51Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 52Eunpyeong Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 53The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 54Hinduism 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 55The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 56Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 57Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 58Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 59the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 60British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 61Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 62Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 63The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 64Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 65East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 66Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 67Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 68The 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 69The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 70The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)

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Featured picture

Kaindy lake

Credit: Jonas Satkauskas

Kaindy lake in south-east of Kazakhstan. The mountain lakes like this form after the landslide blocks the mountain river. The trunks are dead Picea schrenkiana trees.

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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

31 October 2024 – Israel–Hezbollah conflict: A Hezbollah missile barrage kills at least seven people and critically wounds one other near Metula in northern Israel. Four of the victims are foreign agricultural workers and two are Israeli Arabs. (The Times of Israel)
31 October 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly condemns the United States and European nations for having "zero" response towards Russian deployment of North Korean soldiers against Ukraine. (Reuters)
31 October 2024 – Germany–Iran relations, Capital punishment in Iran: Germany orders all three Iranian consulates in the country to close in response to the execution of Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, who was kidnapped by Iranian agents in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2020. (The Independent)
31 October 2024 –: Global LGBTQ federation IGLA World suspends the membership of Israel's leading LGBTQ group The Aguda, out of solidarity for Palestinians amid the Israel–Hamas war. (Haaretz)
31 October 2024 – North Korean missile tests: North Korea launches an intercontinental ballistic missile on a "lofted trajectory" towards the Sea of Japan. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani says it was the longest-ever launch of a North Korean ICBM at 87 minutes long, marking significant progress in range compared to previous tests. (Al Jazeera)
30 October 2024 – Israel–Hezbollah conflict: October 2024 Beqaa Valley airstrikes

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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 Central Area of Singapore surrounded by the perimeter of five planning areas: the Marina Bay, the Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South and Straits View. The area surrounding the bay itself, also called Marina Bay, is a 360 hectare extension to the adjacent CBD. It is also the new downtown of Singapore built on reclaimed land.