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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

On 30 September 2000, the second day of the Second Intifada, 12-year-old Muhammad al-Durrah (Arabic: محمد الدرة, romanized: Muḥammad ad-Durra) was killed at the Netzarim Junction in the Gaza Strip during widespread protests and riots across the Palestinian territories against Israeli military occupation. Jamal al-Durrah and his son Muhammad were filmed by Talal Abu Rahma, a Palestinian television cameraman freelancing for France 2, as they were caught in crossfire between the Israeli military and Palestinian security forces. Footage shows them crouching behind a concrete cylinder, the boy crying and the father waving, then a burst of gunfire and dust. Muhammad is shown slumping as he is mortally wounded by gunfire, dying soon after.

Fifty-nine seconds of the footage were broadcast on television in France with a voiceover from Charles Enderlin, the station's bureau chief in Israel. Based on information from the cameraman, Enderlin told viewers that the al-Durrahs had been the target of fire from the Israeli positions and that the boy had died. After an emotional public funeral, Muhammad was hailed throughout the Muslim world as a martyr. (Full article...)

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Selected Country

Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital and most populous city. Tajikistan is bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. It is separated from Pakistan by Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor. It has a population of over 10.7 million people.

The territory was previously home to cultures of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, including the city of Sarazm, and was later home to kingdoms ruled by people of various faiths and cultures including the Oxus civilization, Andronovo culture, Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Islam. The area has been ruled by empires and dynasties including the Achaemenid Empire, Sasanian Empire, Hephthalite Empire, Samanid Empire, and Mongol Empire. After being ruled by the Timurid Empire and Khanate of Bukhara, the Timurid Renaissance flourished. The region was later conquered by the Russian Empire, before becoming part of the Soviet Union. Within the Soviet Union, the country's borders were drawn when it was part of Uzbekistan as an autonomous republic before becoming a constituent republic of the Soviet Union on 5 December 1929. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Kapoor Khan in 2023

Kareena Kapoor Khan (pronounced [kəˈriːna kəˈpuːr xɑːn]; née Kapoor; born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress. A prolific leading lady of Hindi cinema since 2000, she is noted for her roles in a range of film genres—from romantic comedies to crime dramas. Kapoor is the recipient of several awards, including six Filmfare Awards, and as of 2024, is one of Hindi cinema's highest-paid actresses.

Born into the Kapoor family, she is the daughter of actors Babita and Randhir Kapoor, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. After making her acting debut in 2000 in Refugee, Kapoor established herself the following year with several roles, including in the top-grossing drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.... This was followed by a series of commercial failures and negative reviews for her repetitive roles. An against-type performance as a sex worker in the 2004 drama Chameli marked a turning point in her career. She earned critical recognition for her portrayal of a riot victim in the 2004 drama Dev and a character based on Desdemona in the 2006 crime film Omkara. Her performance as a loquacious woman in the romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007) earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

Featured picture

National Guard (Kyrgyzstan)

Credit: A.Savin

The honor guard of the National Guard standing at attention on Ala-Too Square, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

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Did you know...

... that El Salvador was the first country to recognize Manchukuo, apart from Japan?
... that code-switching in Lebanon is so common that "hi, كيفك؟ Ça va ?", which combines English, Levantine Arabic and French, is a typical greeting?
... that swimmer Jin Hao competed in eight events, the most of any participant, during the 2001 National Games of China, causing him to lose 4 kilograms (8.8 lb)?
... that the human rights abuses committed by Indonesian soldiers at ExxonMobil's Arun gas field spawned a U.S. lawsuit against the company that has been stalled for 20 years?
... that former Kuwaiti foreign minister Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah interrupted his studies in France to volunteer during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait?
... that the ruined stronghold of Alexandria Ariana, a city founded by Alexander the Great, may lie underneath the citadel of Herat in present-day Afghanistan?
... that Abdillah was sworn in as the mayor of Medan, Indonesia, in an abrupt and secretive ceremony?
... that the Korean stew budae-jjigae commonly includes baked beans, Spam, corn, and American cheese?
... that niwar, a material used for weaving cots, was once produced in Indian jails?
... that New World Mall was the largest Asian shopping mall in the Northeastern United States upon its opening in 2011?

Updated: 21:05, 27 March 2025

In the news

27 March 2025 – Middle Eastern crisis: March 2025 Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip; Hamas announces that an Israeli airstrike has killed Abdel Latif al-Qanou, who served as Hamas' spokesman. (Al Arabiya); Israel intercepts two ballistic missile fired by the Houthis from Yemen. (Reuters)
27 March 2025 – Tariffs in the second Trump administration: Japan confirms it has asked the U.S. for an exemption from the new automotive tariffs, saying the 25% tariff on vehicle imports would have a massive negative impact on its automotive industry. Japan is one of the largest exporters of cars to the United States. (Kyodo News)
27 March 2025 – March 2025 South Korea wildfires, Landmarks destroyed by climate change: Ongoing climate-exacerbated wildfires in South Korea develop into the worst natural fire disaster in the nation's history after doubling in size over the course of 24 hours, killing at least 26 people and destroying much of the ancient Gounsa temple site. (The Guardian) (Yonhap News)
26 March 2025 – March 2025 South Korea wildfires: The death toll from the wildfires in Uiseong and Sancheong counties, South Korea, increases to 24, with 19 others injured. (DW)