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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

The 2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake (also known as the 2002 Avaj earthquake or the 2002 Changureh earthquake) occurred on 22 June 2002. The epicenter was near the city of Bou'in-Zahra in Qazvin province, a region of northwestern Iran which is crossed by several major faults that is known for destructive earthquakes. The shock measured 6.5 on the M_wc scale, had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), and was followed by more than 20 aftershocks. At least 230 people were killed and 1,500 more were injured.

According to the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), the earthquake was felt as far away as the capital city of Tehran, approximately 290 kilometres (180 mi) east of the epicenter, although no damage was reported there. Most houses in the region were single-story masonry buildings, and virtually all of these collapsed. The public became angry due to the slow official response to victims who needed supplies. Residents of the town of Avaj resorted to throwing stones at the car of a government minister. (Full article...)

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North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. North Korea, like South Korea, claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city.

The Korean Peninsula was first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan. In 1945, after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel, with the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south occupied by the United States. In 1948, separate governments were formed in Korea: the socialist and Soviet-aligned Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist, Western-aligned Republic of Korea in the south. The North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950 started the Korean War. In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire and established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), but no formal peace treaty has ever been signed. Post-war North Korea benefited greatly from economic aid and expertise provided by other Eastern Bloc countries. However, Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader, promoted his personal philosophy of Juche as the state ideology. Pyongyang's international isolation sharply accelerated from the 1980s onwards as the Cold War came to an end. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 then brought about a sharp decline to the North Korean economy. From 1994 to 1998, North Korea suffered a famine with the population continuing to suffer from malnutrition. In 2024, the DPRK formally abandoned efforts to peacefully reunify Korea. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

17th century portrait

The Shunzhi Emperor (15 March 1638 – 5 February 1661), also known by his temple name Emperor Shizu of Qing, personal name Fulin, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper. Upon the death of his father Hong Taiji, a committee of Manchu princes chose the 5-year-old Fulin as successor. The princes also appointed two co-regents: Dorgon, the 14th son of Nurhaci, and Jirgalang, one of Nurhaci's nephews, both of whom were members of the Qing imperial clan. In November 1644, the Shunzhi Emperor was enthroned as emperor of China in Beijing.

From 1643 to 1650, political power lay mostly in the hands of the prince regent Dorgon. Under his leadership, the Qing conquered most of the territory of the fallen Ming dynasty, chased Ming loyalist regimes deep into the southwestern provinces, and established the basis of Qing rule over China proper despite highly unpopular policies such as the "hair cutting command" of 1645, which forced all Qing male subjects to shave their forehead and braid their remaining hair into a queue resembling that of the Manchus. After Dorgon's death on the last day of 1650, the young Shunzhi Emperor started to rule personally. He tried, with mixed success, to fight corruption and to reduce the political influence of the Manchu nobility. In the 1650s, he faced a resurgence of Ming loyalist resistance, but by 1661 his armies had defeated the Qing's last enemies, Koxinga and the Prince of Gui, both of whom would succumb the following year. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Featured picture

Seaweed farming

Credit: Jean-Marie Hullot

A farmer harvests seaweed growing on a rope, on the small island of Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia. Wooden posts demarcate the bay into rectangular plots that are owned by different families. Seaweed farming is a fairly simple process: Attached plants are placed in the sea and allowed to grow naturally, with little human intervention.

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Did you know...

... that Singaporean swimmer Marc Tay served in the Gulf War as an eye surgeon?
... that the National Library of Korea is a no kid zone?
... that in 1993, Indonesia's home affairs minister Yogie Suardi Memet used thugs to disrupt the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party's national congress?
... that the game director for A Space for the Unbound wanted to preserve his memories as an Indonesian through the game?
... that Ganggang, an Indianapolis-based cultural development firm for Black artists, created a fine art fair called "Butter" that also included a dance party called "Melt"?
... that terracotta cones found at al-Moghraqa in Palestine are unique in the region, but resemble artefacts from ancient Egypt?
... that bears may be dispersers of the Japanese mountain cherry?
... that Oriana Skylar Mastro, a Stanford political scientist, joined the U.S. Air Force as a PhD student to better understand military issues in the Asia–Pacific region?
... that 1977's Typhoon Thelma was the most destructive event in Taiwan since World War II?
... that naval units from around 50 countries took part in the Pakistani naval exercise AMAN-23?

Updated: 21:05, 23 May 2025

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In the news

23 May 2025 – Israel–United Kingdom relations: British Minister of State for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard says that the UK "does not recognize" the comments made by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, where he accused British prime minister Keir Starmer, along with French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney of "siding with Hamas" and being on "the wrong side of humanity". (Sky News)
23 May 2025 – 2025 killing of Israeli Embassy workers in Washington, D.C.: The suspect in the killing of two Israeli embassy workers in Washington, D.C. two days ago, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder along with other charges both federally and locally. (NPR)
22 May 2025 – Gaza war: Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip; At least 80 Palestinians are killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera)
22 May 2025 –: Four people are killed and 17 more are missing after heavy rains triggered landslides in Guizhou, China. (Reuters); Prosecutors in Sweden announce that they will charge a Swedish citizen with "aggravated war crimes and terrorist crimes committed in Syria" for the 2015 murder of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh. (DW)

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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: Kanō Eitoku

Birds and flowers of the four seasons (紙本墨画花鳥図, shihon bokuga kachōzu), part of the Paintings on room partitions in the abbot's quarters (hōjō) (方丈障壁画, hōjō shōhekiga) of Jukō-in (聚光院) of Daitoku-ji (大徳寺), Kyoto, Japan. Ink on paper. This picture shows four of 16 panels on fusuma (sliding doors) in the ritual room (室中). The paintings have been designated as National Treasures of Japan in the category paintings.

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