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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

South Malakand Camp, August 1897

The siege of Malakand was the 26 July – 2 August 1897 siege of the British garrison in the Malakand region of colonial British India's North West Frontier Province. The British faced a force of Pashtun tribesmen whose tribal lands had been bisected by the Durand Line, the 1,519 mile (2,445 km) border between Afghanistan and British India drawn up at the end of the Anglo-Afghan wars to help hold back what the British feared to be the Russian Empire's spread of influence towards the Indian subcontinent.

The unrest caused by this division of the Pashtun lands of Afghania led to the rise of Saidullah, a Pashtun faqir who led a great army of at least 10,000 tribesmen of the regional Yusufzai, Mohmand, Uthmankhel, Bunerwal, Swati tribes among others against the British garrison in Malakand. Although the British forces were divided among a number of poorly defended positions, the small garrison at the camp of Malakand South and the small fort at Chakdara were both able to hold out for six days against the much larger Pashtun army. (Full article...)

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Selected Country

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.

The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was ruled first by Caucasian Albania and later by various Persian empires. Until the 19th century, it remained part of Qajar Iran, but the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire; the treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Russia and Iran. The region north of the Aras was part of Iran until it was conquered by Russia in the 19th century, where it was administered as part of the Caucasus Viceroyalty. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Roshan in 2019

Hrithik Roshan (pronounced [ˈɾɪt̪ɪk ɾoʃən]; born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. He has portrayed a variety of characters and is known for his dancing skills. One of the highest-paid actors in India, he has won many awards, including six Filmfare Awards, of which four were for Best Actor. Starting from 2012, he has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 several times based on his income and popularity.

Roshan has frequently collaborated with his father, Rakesh Roshan. He made brief appearances as a child actor in several films in the 1980s and later worked as an assistant director on four of his father's films. His first leading role was in the box-office success Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), for which he received several awards. Performances in the 2000 terrorism drama Fiza and the 2001 ensemble family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... consolidated his reputation but were followed by several poorly received films. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Featured picture

A series of torii at Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto, Japan

Fushimi Inari-taisha

Credit: Paul Vlaar

A series of torii, the defining feature of Fushimi Inari-taisha, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirit Inari in Kyoto, Japan. The thousands of vermilion torii gates are all donations from individuals, families or companies.

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Did you know...

... that more than 150 years of documentary sources at the Central Archives of Gaza City were destroyed during the Israel–Hamas war?
... that The Chinese in America documents how people in California, during the gold rush era, mailed their laundry to Hong Kong for cleaning?
... that Iran's first three-stage satellite carrier, Qaem 100, successfully passed its suborbital test?
... that Hyakuman-kai no "I Love You" is a popular confession song in Japan?
... that Chinese Garden MRT station did not originally have access to the Chinese Garden?
... that Emi Wong, the Hong Kong YouTuber with the most subscribers, used a carpet sweeper to do lunges and bottles of laundry detergent to do squats?
... that the Indonesian pulp and paper industry collectively controls over 10 million hectares of land?
... that the apricot dress of Jacqueline Kennedy kept its shape in India's hot weather?
... that Saparinah Sadli defended one of her former students when Indonesia's State Intelligence Agency challenged her gendered exploration of the New Order regime?
... that Saudi Arabian poet Hamad al-Hajji lost three members of his family during his childhood and later suffered from schizophrenia until he died at the age of 49 after a lung disease?

Updated: 21:05, 6 February 2025

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In the news

6 February 2025 –: Four people are killed after a U.S. military-contracted Beechcraft Super King Air 300 surveillance aircraft crashes in a paddy field in Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines. (AP) (ABC News Australia)
6 February 2025 – United States and the International Criminal Court, Executive orders in the second presidency of Donald Trump: U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court officials that assist investigations into U.S. citizens or those of its allies, namely Israel. (NBC News)
5 February 2025 – Second Trump tariffs, China–United States trade war: The United States Postal Service says it is temporarily refusing inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, but reverses this policy hours later. (The Guardian) (NBC News)
5 February 2025 – Israel and the United Nations: Israel withdraws from the United Nations Human Rights Council, accusing the UN body of "obsessively demonizing" and discriminating against the country. (Ynet News)
5 February 2025 – Impeachment of Sara Duterte, Impeachment in the Philippines: The House of Representatives of the Philippines formally impeaches Vice President Sara Duterte. The Senate is now set to conduct a trial. (ABS-CBN News) (Bloomberg)
4 February 2025 – Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Gaza war

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Related portals

Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Caucasus

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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Selected panorama

200pxAlong the River During the Qingming Festival

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".