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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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Tiruchirappalli (Tamil pronunciation: [ˈt̪iɾɯtːʃiɾaːpːaɭːi] ^ⓘ, formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with being the best livable city, the cleanest city of Tamil Nadu, as well as the fifth safest city for women in India. It is the fourth largest city as well as the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state. Located 322 kilometres (200 mi) south of Chennai and 374 kilometres (232 mi) north of Kanyakumari, Tiruchirappalli sits almost at the geographic centre of Tamil Nadu state. The Cauvery Delta begins 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the city where the Kaveri river splits into two, forming the island of Srirangam which is now incorporated into the Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation. The city occupies an area of 167.23 square kilometres (64.57 sq mi) and had a population of 916,857 in 2011.

Tiruchirappalli's recorded history begins in the 3rd century BC, when it was under the rule of the Cholas. The city has also been ruled by the Mutharaiyars, Pallavas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Nayak Dynasty, the Carnatic state and the British. The most prominent historical monuments in Tiruchirappalli include the Rockfort at Teppakulam, the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam dedicated to the reclining form of Hindu God Vishnu, and is also the largest functioning temple in the world, and the Jambukeswarar temple at Thiruvanaikaval, which is also the largest temple for the Hindu God Shiva in the world. The archaeologically important town of Uraiyur, capital of the Early Cholas, is now a neighbourhood in Tiruchirappalli. The city played a critical role in the Carnatic Wars (1746–1763) between the British and the French East India companies. (Full article...)

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Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia, as well as a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, the country's largest city, and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government. Putrajaya is the administrative centre, which represents the seat of both the executive branch (the Cabinet, federal ministries, and federal agencies) and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 34 million, the country is the world's 43rd-most populous country. Malaysia is tropical and is one of 17 megadiverse countries; it is home to numerous endemic species. Tanjung Piai in the Malaysian state of Johor is the southernmost point of continental Eurasia.

The country has its origins in the Malay kingdoms, which, from the 18th century on, became subject to the British Empire, along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate. During World War Two, British Malaya, along with other nearby British and American colonies, was occupied by the Empire of Japan. Following three years of occupation, Peninsular Malaysia was briefly unified as the Malayan Union in 1946 until 1948 when it was restructured as the Federation of Malaya. The country achieved independence on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963, independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore to become Malaysia. In August 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation and became a separate, independent country. (Full article...)

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Al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd al-Thaqafi (Arabic: الْمُخْتَار ٱبْن أَبِي عُبَيْد الثَّقَفِيّ, romanized: al-Mukhtār ibn Abī ʿUbayd al-Thaqafī; c. 622 – 3 April 687) was a pro-Alid revolutionary based in Kufa, who led a rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate in 685 and ruled over most of Iraq for eighteen months during the Second Fitna.

Born in Ta'if, Mukhtar moved to Iraq at a young age and grew up in Kufa. Following the death of Husayn ibn Ali, a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at the hands of the Umayyad army in the Battle of Karbala in 680, he allied with the rival caliph Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca, but the alliance was short-lived. Mukhtar returned to Kufa where he declared Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya, a son of caliph Ali (r. 656–661) and brother of Husayn, the mahdi and the imam, and called for the establishment of an Alid caliphate and retaliation for Husayn's killing. He took over Kufa in October 685, after expelling its Zubayrid governor, and later ordered the execution of those involved in the killing of Husayn. Hostile relations with Ibn al-Zubayr ultimately led to Mukhtar's death by the forces of the Zubayrid governor of Basra, Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr, following a four-month siege. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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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 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

11 June 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Humanitarian aid during the Israel–Hamas war; United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces more than $400 million in new humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. (CNN)
11 June 2024 – Korean conflict: South Korea says its forces fired warning shots at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the demarcation line in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. South Korean authorities state that they believe the intrusion, which occurred in a densely forested area, was accidental. (Reuters)
11 June 2024 – Islamic State insurgency in Iraq: Iraqi security forces in cooperation with U.S.-led coalition forces kill Abu Zainab, a senior member of Islamic State in the city of Raqqa, Syria. (Reuters)
11 June 2024 –: The World Bank approves $1 billion for the construction of the Dasu Dam in northwest Pakistan. (Al-Arabiya); Sri Lanka's foreign ministry said that his country received assurances from Russia that it would stop recruiting its citizens to fight in Ukraine. (Al-Arabiya)

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The Central Area of Singapore surrounded by the perimeter of five planning areas: the Marina Bay, the Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South and Straits View. The area surrounding the bay itself, also called Marina Bay, is a 360 hectare extension to the adjacent CBD. It is also the new downtown of Singapore built on reclaimed land.