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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

With the pale yellow rump visible. Buryatia, Russia.

Pallas's leaf warbler (Phylloscopus proregulus) or Pallas's warbler, is a bird that breeds in mountain forests from southern Siberia east to northern Mongolia and northeast China. It is named after the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas, who first formally described it. This leaf warbler is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in south China and adjacent areas of southeast Asia, although in recent decades increasing numbers have been found in Europe in autumn.

Pallas's leaf warbler is one of the smallest Palearctic warblers, with a relatively large head and short tail. It has greenish upperparts and white underparts, a lemon-yellow rump, and yellow double wingbars, supercilia and central crown stripe. It is similar in appearance to several other Asian warblers, including some that were formerly considered to be subspecies of it, although its distinctive vocalisations aid identification. (Full article...)

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Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi), Bhutan ranks 133rd in land area and 160th in population. Bhutan is a democratic constitutional monarchy with a King as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. The Je Khenpo is the head of the state religion, Vajrayana Buddhism.

The Himalayan mountains in the north rise from the country's lush subtropical plains in the south. In the Bhutanese Himalayas, there are peaks higher than 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) above sea level. Gangkhar Puensum is Bhutan's highest peak and is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. The wildlife of Bhutan is notable for its diversity, including the Himalayan takin and golden langur. The capital and largest city is Thimphu, with close to 15% of the population. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Narayan in 1974

Ram Narayan (IPA: [raːm naːˈɾaːjəɳ]; 25 December 1927 – 9 November 2024), often referred to with the title Pandit, was an Indian musician who popularised the bowed instrument sarangi as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music and became the first internationally successful sarangi player.

Narayan was born near Udaipur and learned to play the sarangi at an early age. He studied under sarangi players and singers and, as a teenager, worked as a music teacher and travelling musician. All India Radio, Lahore, hired Narayan as an accompanist for vocalists in 1944. Narayan relocated to Delhi following the partition of India in 1947, but, wishing to go beyond accompaniment and frustrated with his supporting role, moved to Mumbai in 1949 to work in Indian cinema. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Featured picture

Kaohsiung Confucius Temple

Credit: Cccefalon

The Kaohsiung Confucius Temple is a temple dedicated to the memory of Confucius near Lotus Pond, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The temple was originally constructed in 1684, and renovated during the Qing dynasty. However, during the Japanese colonial period, the temple fell into disuse and disrepair. A new temple was constructed in 1976, now on the northwest corner of Lotus Pond.

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Did you know...

... that the Cut Meutia is the only active train service in Indonesia using standard-gauge track?
... that some people have asked whether they can pay for their Singapore hotel stay using a travel card?
... that military officer Chris Tanasale was selected as the mayor of Ambon, Indonesia, to prevent the alienation of local Christians?
... that in its 1962 election campaign, the Socialist Party of India demanded that twice-yearly inter-caste dining be made a mandatory criterion for government employment?
... that despite the Japan–Korea Joint Development Zone containing "prolific" oil reserves, none has been produced to date?
... that Saraswati enthroned has been described as "a pinnacle of Indian art"?
... that Tropicana was reportedly the first building in Singapore to contain nightclubs, restaurants, and a theatre?
... that the first intercontinental weapon was not a missile, but a Japanese balloon?
... that the first ambassador at the Philippine embassy in Manama would later be injured in the 2000 bombing of the Philippine embassy in Jakarta?
... that the Japanese male–male romance magazine June was originally pitched to its publisher as a "mildly pornographic magazine for women"?

Updated: 21:05, 3 June 2025

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In the news

4 June 2025 – 2025 South Korean presidential election: Lee Jae-myung is inaugurated as President of South Korea at the National Assembly, one day after winning the presidential election. (Reuters)
3 June 2025 – Gaza war: Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip; Three Israeli soldiers from the Givati Brigade are killed by an IED explosion in Jabalia, North Gaza Governorate, during clashes with Hamas militants. (The Times of Israel); At least 27 Palestinians are killed by Israeli forces near an aid distribution centre in Rafah, Gaza. (AP) (Reuters)
3 June 2025 – Fall of the Assad regime: A court in Stuttgart, Germany, sentences a Syrian man to life in prison under universal jurisdiction for leading a Hezbollah-backed group and committing alleged war crimes against Sunni Muslims in Busra al-Sham, Syria, during the Syrian civil war. (DW)
3 June 2025 –: Two hundred and sixteen prisoners escape from a prison in the Malir District, Pakistan. During the escape, one prisoner is killed and two prison officers are injured. A search operation is ongoing and 80 prisoners are meanwhile recaptured. (BBC News)

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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

Credit: David Castor

The Taj Mahal (Hindi: ताज महल, from Persian/Urdu: تاج محل "crown of palaces") is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage." Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles.

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