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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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The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, the majority ethnic group in China. Although the primary capital of Beijing fell in 1644 to a rebellion led by Li Zicheng (who established the short-lived Shun dynasty), numerous rump regimes ruled by remnants of the Ming imperial family, collectively called the Southern Ming, survived until 1662.

The Ming dynasty's founder, the Hongwu Emperor (r. 1368–1398), attempted to create a society of self-sufficient rural communities ordered in a rigid, immobile system that would guarantee and support a permanent class of soldiers for his dynasty: the empire's standing army exceeded one million troops and the navy's dockyards in Nanjing were the largest in the world. He also took great care breaking the power of the court eunuchs and unrelated magnates, enfeoffing his many sons throughout China and attempting to guide these princes through the Huang-Ming Zuxun, a set of published dynastic instructions. This failed when his teenage successor, the Jianwen Emperor, attempted to curtail his uncle's power, prompting the Jingnan campaign, an uprising that placed the Prince of Yan upon the throne as the Yongle Emperor in 1402. The Yongle Emperor established Yan as a secondary capital and renamed it Beijing, constructed the Forbidden City, and restored the Grand Canal and the primacy of the imperial examinations in official appointments. He rewarded his eunuch supporters and employed them as a counterweight against the Confucian scholar-bureaucrats. One eunuch, Zheng He, led seven enormous voyages of exploration into the Indian Ocean as far as Arabia and the eastern coasts of Africa. Hongwu and Yongle emperors had also expanded the empire's rule into Inner Asia. (Full article...)

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Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city. It is one of the six independent Turkic states. With a population over 7 million, Turkmenistan is the 35th most-populous country in Asia and has the lowest population of the Central Asian republics while being one of the most sparsely populated nations on the Asian continent.

Turkmenistan has long served as a thoroughfare for several empires and cultures. Merv is one of the oldest oasis-cities in Central Asia, and was once among the biggest cities in the world. It was also one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881, Turkmenistan figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR); it became independent after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Vidya in 2024

Vidya Balan (pronounced [ʋɪd̪ːja baːlən]; born 1 January 1979) is an Indian actress. Known for pioneering a change in the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema with her roles in female-led films, she is the recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award and seven Filmfare Awards. She was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2014.

Vidya aspired to a career in film from a young age and had her first acting role in the 1995 sitcom Hum Paanch. While pursuing a master's degree in sociology from the University of Mumbai, she made several unsuccessful attempts to start a career in film, and featured in television commercials and music videos. She made her film debut by starring in the Bengali film Bhalo Theko (2003) and received praise for her first Hindi film, the drama Parineeta (2005). This was followed by several commercial successes including Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007), but her subsequent roles were met with negative reviews. (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 2The 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 3Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 4Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 5A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 6Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 7British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 8The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 9Detail 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 10Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 11The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (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 13Map of Asia for early 20th century (from History of Asia)
Image 14Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 15Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 16A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 17The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 18Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 19The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 20Detail 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 21Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 22Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 23Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 24Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 25Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)
Image 26Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 27Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 28Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 29Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 30A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 31The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 32Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 33Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 34Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture 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 37Eunpyeong Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 38Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 39The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 40India'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 41Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 42Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 43The 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 44East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 45Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 46Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 47The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 48The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 49Some 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 50The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (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 52A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 53Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 54Korean 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 55The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 56the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 57Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 58Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 59Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 60Hinduism 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 61Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 62Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 63The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 64Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 65The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 66The early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 67The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 68Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 69The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)

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Featured picture

Sentō

Credit: Torii Kiyonaga

Onna yu ("Bathhouse Women"), a late-eighteenth century Japanese woodblock print in the ukiyo-e style, depicting women at a sentō, or Japanese public bath house. Commercial bath houses in Japan date to at least 1266 and became especially popular immediately after World War II, due to the devastation caused by the war.

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Did you know...

... that the Saikabo Korean restaurant chain in Japan suffered a 30% drop in sales after the South Korean president visited the disputed Liancourt Rocks?
... that many Jehovah's Witnesses in Singapore have been imprisoned for refusing to serve in the military?
... that the author of the novel Wandering Souls, about Vietnamese refugees, was inspired by an episode of A Very British History?
... that Soepardjo Rustam guarded a double of Indonesian Armed Forces commander Sudirman to draw attention away from the real commander?
... that Esmond Venner Keogh was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in World War I and later protested against the Vietnam War?
... that the Indian politician Diwan Chaman Lall failed to get rid of the painting Nude of Indira?
... that Zakir Husain was the first Muslim and the first governor of a state to be elected President of India?
... that the Netflix-released film A House in Jerusalem is inspired by the history of the director's Palestinian family, who were expelled in 1948 from what had become Israel during the Nakba?
... that Gigarta, a settlement mentioned by Strabo and Pliny the Elder, is believed to have been located on the slopes of Mount Lebanon, although its exact location remains under debate?
... that water-filled pits left behind by tin mining activities in Indonesia have become tourist attractions?

Updated: 21:05, 22 April 2025

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In the news

23 April 2025 – Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir: India announces measures targeting Pakistan, between them the closure of the main border crossing linking the two countries, the suspension of a water-sharing treaty and the expulsion of diplomats, after the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir the day before. (BBC News)
23 April 2025 –: The Jordanian interior ministry bans all activities of the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood organization in the country, seizes the organization's assets, and closes all of its offices. The Jordanian government links the group to sabotage plots and accuses it of "destabilizing" the country. (DW)
22 April 2025 – Gaza war: Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip; Israeli airstrikes kill at least 25 people across the Gaza Strip. (RTÉ News)
22 April 2025 – Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir: At least 28 people are killed and dozens of others are injured when separatists open fire on people in Pahalgam, Anantnag district, Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir. (The New Indian Express) (The Guardian)
22 April 2025 – Palestine–Syria relations: Syria detains two senior members of the paramilitary organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad. (Reuters)

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Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Caucasus

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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Selected panorama

The Buriganga River flows past the southwest outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Its average depth is 7.6 metres (25 ft) and its maximum depth is 18 metres (58 ft).