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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 its boundary with 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...)

Featured article

The Battle of Musa Qala (also Qaleh or Qal'eh) was a British-led military action in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, launched by the Afghan National Army and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) against the Taliban on 7 December 2007. After three days of intense fighting, the Taliban retreated into the mountains on 10 December. Musa Qala was officially reported captured on 12 December, with Afghan Army troops pushing into the town centre.

The operation was codenamed snakepit (Pashto: Mar Kardad). Senior ISAF officers, including U.S. general Dan K. McNeill, the overall ISAF commander, agreed to the assault on 17 November 2007. It followed more than nine months of Taliban occupation of the town, the largest the insurgents controlled at the time of the battle. ISAF forces had previously occupied the town, until a controversial withdrawal in late 2006. (Full article...)

List of Featured articles

Selected Country

Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which makes up around 83 percent of the country's landmass. Bahrain is situated between Qatar and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connected by the King Fahd Causeway. The population is 1,501,635 as of 2023, of whom 712,362 (47% of the population) are Bahraini nationals and 789,273 are expatriates spanning 2,000 ethnicities (53% of the population). Bahrain spans some 760 square kilometres (290 sq mi) and is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. The capital and largest city is Manama.

According to archeologist Geoffrey Bibby, Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization. It has been famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries, which were considered the best in the world into the 19th century. Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to be influenced by Islam, during the lifetime of Muhammad in 628. Following a period of Arab rule, Bahrain was ruled by the Portuguese Empire from 1521 until 1602, when they were expelled by Shah Abbas the Great of the Safavid Iran. In 1783, the Bani Utbah and allied tribes captured Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur, and it has since been ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family, with Ahmed al Fateh as Bahrain's first hakim. (Full article...)

List of selected countries

Featured biography

Roshan in 2016

Hritik Rakesh Nagrath (born 10 January 1974), known professionally as Hrithik Roshan (Hindi: [ˈɾɪt̪ɪk ɾoːʃən];) 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...)

List of Featured biographies

General images

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

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

Featured picture

Taj Mahal

Credit: Sandeep Dhirad

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, was commissioned by the 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum for his Persian wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Built over a period of 23 years, it is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture, featuring the finest materials from all over India and Asia. Its gleaming facade is clad in white marble from Rajasthan and inlaid with 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered to be of "outstanding universal value".

Did you know...

... that Japanese singer Noa became interested in music after watching the 2006 film High School Musical?
... that James Danandjaja, an expert on Indonesian folklore and the pioneer of Indonesian folkloristics, also learned ballet and modern dance?
... that a painting by the artist Bichitr shows an Indian emperor preferring a Sufi saint over the king of England and the Ottoman sultan?
... that some pale stonecrops in Spain closely resemble Israeli specimens, while neighboring plants in Spain can look vastly different?
... that the first publication of the prolific author and Talmudic scholar Israel Ta-Shma was a Jewish songbook for the Israel Defense Forces?
... that the Clock Tower of Haridwar in India provides a good location from which to watch the evening prayers at Har Ki Pauri?
... that tsunami stones serve as risk warnings for tsunamis in Japan?
... that the Indonesia–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement covered access to South Korean online video games in Indonesia?
... that the flag of North Korea has been mistakenly used by international organisations to represent South Korea?
... that the success of the book Fifth Chinese Daughter led to the U.S. State Department translating the book into various Asian languages and sending its author on a speaking tour across Asia?

Updated: 21:05, 12 July 2025

In the news

13 July 2025 – Gaza war: Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, 2025 Gaza Strip aid distribution killings; Israeli strikes kill at least 30 people, including six children, at a water collection zone, bringing the official death toll in Gaza to over 58,000. (AP)
11 July 2025 – Israeli settler violence: Israeli settlers kill two Palestinians near Ramallah in the West Bank. One of the victims, identified as a Palestinian-American, was beaten to death whilst the other victim was shot in the chest. (Reuters)
11 July 2025 – Myanmar civil war: At least 23 civilians, including four children, are killed and about 30 others are injured, with ten critically injured, in an Air Force strike on a Buddhist monastery in the District of Sagaing, located in the Sagaing Region of Myanmar. (ABC News)
11 July 2025 – Yemeni civil war: At least five children are killed after an explosive device detonates in Al-Hashamah, Taiz Governorate, Yemen. (Al Jazeera)
10 July 2025 – Israeli–Palestinian conflict: Gaza war

More current events...

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Major Religions in Asia

Middle East (West Asia)

Central Asia and Caucasus

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

Selected panorama

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".

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