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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 kilometres, 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 civilisations. 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

The Western Han dynasty in 2 AD

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

The Han dynasty 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 (221–206 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 the 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 had a permanent impact on Chinese identity in later periods. The majority ethnic group of modern China refer to themselves as the "Han people" or "Han Chinese". The spoken Chinese and written Chinese are referred to respectively as the "Han language" and "Han characters".

The Han emperor was at the pinnacle of Han society and culture. He presided over the Han government but shared power with both the nobility and the 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. (Full article...)

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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. Most of the land area is 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 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 an 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

Kapoor in 2017

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja (pronounced [soːnəm kəˈpuːr]; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She has received several awards, including a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award. Kapoor appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list from 2012 to 2016.

Kapoor, the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, began her career as an assistant director on filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2005 film Black. She made her acting debut in Bhansali's romantic drama Saawariya (2007), a box office flop, and had her first commercial success with the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010). This was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. The 2013 box office hit Raanjhanaa marked a turning point in Kapoor's career, garnering her praise and Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

Featured picture

Jaflong

Credit: Abdul Momin

An old man carrying two baskets on a stick through a field of tea plants in Jaflong, Sylhet, Bangladesh, with misty hills in the background.

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Did you know...

... that the common Japanese name of Lilium nobilissimum may refer to the sleeves used to carry it from the cliffs on which it grows?
... that Princess Mononoke was the most expensively animated, most expensively promoted, and highest-grossing Japanese film of its time?
... that the melody of "Dokdo Is Our Land" is commonly used by South Korean students as a study tool?
... that the Leedy Manufacturing Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, was at one point the largest manufacturer of drums in the world?
... that until the release of the documentary Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop, sexual abuse claims involving record producer Johnny Kitagawa went widely unreported in Japanese media?
... that after leaving his job promoting Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Marc Bennett alleged he was tortured before being found hanged in his hotel room?
... that the Indian director Manhar Raskapur's films Mulu Manek and Kadu Makrani were both remade during the 1970s?
... that water-filled pits left behind by tin mining activities in Indonesia have become tourist attractions?
... that Dan Blumenthal, a senior defense official in the Bush administration, believes that China has "three roads" to gain control of Taiwan?
... that Qin Huasun criticized Taiwan's bid to join the United Nations as a "brazen attempt [...] at splitting a sovereign state"?

Updated: 21:05, 9 May 2025

In the news

10 May 2025 – 2025 India–Pakistan standoff: 2025 India–Pakistan strikes; Pakistan announces Operation Bunyanun Marsoos, the start of large-scale military action against India. A number of strategic locations across India are reportedly under attack. (Samaa.tv); Pakistan Air Force warplanes launch airstrikes throughout India with missile strikes targeting Udhampur, Pathankot Airport and a BrahMos missile storage facility in Beas City, Punjab. The Indian Armed Forces postpones a press conference in response to the attack and urges civilians to seek shelter. (Al Jazeera); A Pakistani Fatah-II missile is intercepted over the city of Sirsa in India's Haryana state. (News18); India announces the temporary closure of its airspace over the northern and western regions of the country until May 14. (Al Jazeera)
9 May 2025 – 2025 India–Pakistan standoff: 2025 India–Pakistan strikes

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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.

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