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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

A map of the Western Han dynasty in 2 AD

Principalities and centrally-administered commanderies
Protectorate of the Western Regions (Tarim Basin)

The Han dynasty (UK: /ˈhæn/, US: /ˈhɑːn/; traditional Chinese: 漢朝; simplified Chinese: 汉朝; pinyin: Hàncháo) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warring interregnum known as the Chu–Han contention (206–202 BC), and it was succeeded by the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). The dynasty was briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) established by usurping regent Wang Mang, and is thus separated into two periods—the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD). Spanning over four centuries, the Han dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history, and it has influenced the identity of the Chinese civilization ever since. Modern China's majority ethnic group refer to themselves as the "Han people" or "Han Chinese". The spoken Sinitic language and written Chinese are referred to respectively as the "Han language" and "Han characters".

The emperor was at the pinnacle of Han society. He presided over the Han government but shared power with both the nobility and appointed ministers who came largely from the scholarly gentry class. The Han Empire was divided into areas directly controlled by the central government called commanderies, as well as a number of semi-autonomous kingdoms. These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges of their independence, particularly following the Rebellion of the Seven States. From the reign of Emperor Wu (r. 141–87 BC) onward, the Chinese court officially sponsored Confucianism in education and court politics, synthesized with the cosmology of later scholars such as Dong Zhongshu. This policy endured until the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912. (Full article...)

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Selected Country

Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The Gulf of Bahrain, an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain. The capital is Doha, home to over 80% of the country's inhabitants, and the land area is mostly made up of flat, low-lying desert.

Qatar has been ruled as a hereditary monarchy by the House of Thani since Mohammed bin Thani signed "an agreement, not a formal treaty" with Britain in 1868 that recognised its separate status. Following Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British protectorate in 1916 and gained independence in 1971. The current emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who holds nearly all executive, legislative, and judicial authority in autocratic manner under the Constitution of Qatar. He appoints the prime minister and cabinet. The partially-elected Consultative Assembly can block legislation and has a limited ability to dismiss ministers. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Portrait of Oerip, c. 1947

General Raden Oerip Soemohardjo ([urɪp sumɔˈhardʒɔ]; Perfected Spelling: Raden Urip Sumoharjo, 22 February 1893 – 17 November 1948) was an Indonesian general, the first chief of staff of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the interim Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. He received several awards from the Indonesian government, including the title National Hero of Indonesia in 1964. He was also a recognized Catholic by the Holy See, by which Pope Paul VI dedicated a memorial chalice for him with a Latin inscription acknowledging his legacy.

Born in Purworejo, Dutch East Indies, Raden Oerip Soemohardjo exhibited leadership skills from an early age. As his parents wanted him to become a regent, after elementary school Oerip was sent to the School for Native Government Employees in Magelang. His mother died during his second year at the school, and Oerip left to undertake military training in Meester Cornelis, Batavia (modern-day Jatinegara, Jakarta). Upon graduating in 1914, he became a lieutenant in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army; during almost 25 years of service he was stationed on three different islands and promoted several times, eventually becoming the highest-ranking Native officer in the country. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Featured picture

Taj Mahal

Credit: Sandeep Dhirad

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, was commissioned by the 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum for his Persian wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Built over a period of 23 years, it is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture, featuring the finest materials from all over India and Asia. Its gleaming facade is clad in white marble from Rajasthan and inlaid with 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered to be of "outstanding universal value".

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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

26 April 2024 – Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Israel–Hamas war; Thirty rabbis and peace activists from the United States and Israel are arrested near the Gaza–Israel barrier protesting to bring awareness to the starvation in Gaza. (The New York Times); An 18-year-old woman is stabbed by an attacker in Ramla and remains in "serious" condition. (AFP via Yahoo News) (Jerusalem Post)
26 April 2024 – Moro conflict: The Philippine Army announces that it has killed Nawapi Abdulsaid, an Abu Sayyaf militant, during a shootout two days ago in Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan, Philippines. (AP)
26 April 2024 –: Four expatriate workers from Yemen are killed by a drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq. (Reuters)
25 April 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Israel intensifies attack drones on Rafah ahead of a planned ground offensive. (Reuters)

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Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Surroundings

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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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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