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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. Thefore, 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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Gangtok (Nepali: [gantok] gāntok, Sikkimese: [ɡaŋt̪ʰòk]) is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Sikkim. The seat of eponymous district, Gangtok is in the eastern Himalayan range, at an elevation of 1,650 m (5,410 ft). The city's population of 100,000 consists of the three Sikkimese ethnicities the Bhutias, Lepchas, Nepalis and also plainsmen from other states of India have settled here. Within the higher peaks of the Himalayas and with a year-round mild temperate climate, Gangtok is at the centre of Sikkim's tourism industry.

Gangtok rose to prominence as a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site after the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840. In 1894, the ruling Sikkimese Chogyal, Thutob Namgyal, transferred the capital to Gangtok. In the early 20th century, Gangtok became a major stopover on the trade route between Lhasa in Tibet and cities such as Kolkata (then Calcutta) in British India. After India won its independence from the British Empire in 1947, Sikkim chose to remain an independent monarchy, with Gangtok as its capital. After Sikkim's merger with India in 1975, Gangtok continued as the state capital. ( Full article...)

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Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country and one of the two Marxist-Leninist states in Southeast Asia. At the heart of the Indochinese Peninsula, Laos is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest. Its capital and largest city is Vientiane.

Present-day Laos traces its historic and cultural identity to Lan Xang, which existed from the 13th century to the 18th century as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Because of its central geographical location in Southeast Asia, the kingdom became a hub for overland trade and became wealthy economically and culturally. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke into three separate kingdoms: Luang Phrabang, Vientiane and Champasak. In 1893, the three kingdoms came under a French protectorate and were united to form what is now known as Laos. ( Full article...)

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Featured biography

Lady Shirley as painted by Anthony van Dyck in Rome, 1622

Teresa Sampsonia (born Sampsonia; after marriage Lady Shirley, 1589–1668) was an Iranian-English noblewoman of the Safavid Empire of Iran. She was the wife of Elizabethan English adventurer Robert Shirley, whom she accompanied on his travels and embassies across Europe in the name of the Safavid King ( Shah) Abbas the Great ( r. 1588–1629).

Teresa was received by many of the royal houses of Europe, such as English prince Henry Frederick and Queen Anne (her child's godparents) and contemporary writers and artists such as Thomas Herbert and Anthony van Dyck. Herbert considered Robert Shirley "the greatest Traveller of his time", but admired the "undaunted Lady Teresa" even more. Following the death of her husband from dysentery in 1628, and due to impediments from grandees at the court, and the authorities, during the reign of Abbas's successor and grandson Safi ( r. 1629–1642), Teresa decided to leave Iran. She lived in a convent in Rome for the rest of her life, devoting her time to charity and religion. As a pious Christian, and because of her love for her husband, Teresa had Shirley's remains transported to Rome from Isfahan and reburied; on the headstone of their mutual grave she mentions their travels and refers to her noble Circassian origins. ( Full article...)

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General images

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

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

Featured picture

Burj Khalifa

Credit: Donaldytong

The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration) is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the world's tallest structure. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding antenna, but including a 242.6 m spire) of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009, surpassing Taipei 101, the previous holder of that status. ( Full article...)

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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

4 August 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip; At least three people are killed and 18 others are wounded in Israeli bombings on al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza. (Al Jazeera)
4 August 2024 – 2024 Korea floods: South Korea estimates that flooding in North Korea may have led to about 1,500 people being killed or missing, a tally North Korean leader Kim Jong-un denounces as part of a " smear campaign". (The Guardian)
3 August 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip; At least fifteen people are killed in an Israeli attack on a school sheltering displaced people in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City. (Al Jazeera)
3 August 2024 – Israel–Hezbollah conflict: The United States embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, urges its citizens to leave the country amid increasing tensions in the Middle East. (BBC News)

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Major Religions in Asia

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Central Asia and Surroundings

Indian Subcontinent

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East Asia

Selected panorama

200pxAlong the River During the Qingming Festival

Credit: Zhang Zeduan

Along the River During the Qingming Festival is a painting from China's Song Dynasty that captures the daily life of people from the period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng. As an artistic creation, the piece has been revered, and court artists of subsequent dynasties have made several re-interpretive replicas. The painting is famous because of its geometrically accurate images of boats, bridges, shops, and scenery. Because of its fame, it has been called "China's Mona Lisa".

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