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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...)

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Featured article

Yamato undergoing trials in 1941

The Yamato-class battleships (大和型戦艦, Yamato-gata senkan) were two battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Yamato and Musashi, laid down leading up to the Second World War and completed as designed. A third hull, laid down in 1940, was converted to the aircraft carrier Shinano during construction.

Displacing nearly 72,000 long tons (73,000 t) at full load, the completed battleships were the heaviest ever constructed. The class carried the largest naval artillery ever fitted to a warship, nine 460 mm (18.1 in) naval guns, each capable of firing 1,460 kg (3,220 lb) shells over 42 km (26 mi). (Full article...)

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Selected Country

Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is a country in mainland Southeast Asia, and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and southwest. Having a population of more than 7 million, Laos's capital and most populous city is Vientiane. Laos has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the town of Luang Prabang, the temple complex of Vat Phou, and the Plain of Jars. The 2021 completion of the Boten–Vientiane railway, Laotian section of the Laos–China Railway (LCR), connects Vientiane to Kunming.

The kingdom of Lan Xang existed in what later is Laos from the 13th to 18th centuries and was a hub for overland trade through its location. In 1707, it split into three kingdoms: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, these kingdoms were unified under French protection as part of French Indochina. Laos was under Japanese administration during World War II, gaining independence in 1945 before returning to French administration until achieving autonomy in 1949. It regained full independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Laos, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. A civil war from 1959 to 1975 saw the communist Pathet Lao, supported by China, North Vietnam, and the Soviet Union, oppose the Royal Lao Armed Forces, backed by the United States. It ended with the establishment of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) in 1975 that aligned with the Soviet Union until the latter's dissolution in 1991. Laos participates in the Greater Mekong Subregion economic cooperation programme, and is a member of ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, East Asia Summit, La Francophonie, and the World Trade Organization. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Lady Shirley, 1622

Teresa Sampsonia (born Sampsonia; after marriage Lady Shirley, 1589–1668) was a Circassian-English noblewoman of Safavid Iran. She was the wife of the Elizabethan English adventurer Robert Shirley, whom she accompanied on his travels and embassies across Europe in the name of the Safavid emperor Abbas the Great (r. 1588–1629).

Teresa was received by many of the royal houses of Europe, such as English prince Henry Frederick and Queen Anne (her child's godparents) and contemporary writers and artists such as Thomas Herbert and Anthony van Dyck. Herbert considered Robert Shirley "the greatest Traveller of his time", but admired the "undaunted Lady Teresa" even more. Following the death of her husband from dysentery in 1628, and due to impediments from grandees at the court, and the authorities, during the reign of Abbas's successor and grandson Safi (r. 1629–1642), Teresa decided to leave Iran. She lived in a convent in Rome for the rest of her life, devoting her time to charity and religion. As a pious Christian, and because of her love for her husband, Teresa had Shirley's remains transported to Rome from Isfahan and reburied; on the headstone of their mutual grave she mentions their travels and refers to her noble Circassian origins. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 2Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 3The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 4Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 5The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 6The 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 7British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 8The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 9Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 10Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 11Korean 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 12Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 13The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 14Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 15The early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 16The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 17Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 18A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 19Some 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 20The 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 21Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 22Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 23the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 24Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 25Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 26Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 27Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 28Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 29The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 30Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 31Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 32The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 33Detail 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 34The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 35The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 36Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 37The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 38Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 39The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)
Image 40Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 41Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 42Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 43The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 44A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 45Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 46Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 47India's middle-class population of 300 million is growing at an annual rate of 5%. Shown here is the skyline in South Mumbai. (from Asian Century)
Image 48The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 49Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 50Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 51Eunpyeong Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 52East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 53Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 54The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 55Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 56Detail 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 57A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 58The 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 59Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 60Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)
Image 61Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 62Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 63Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 64Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 65The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 66Hinduism 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 67Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 68Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)

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Featured picture

Mount Everest

Credit: Luca Galuzzi

The north face of Mount Everest, as seen from Tibet. Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, as measured by the height of its summit above sea level, which is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft). In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon recommendation of Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India at the time.

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Did you know...

... that Rama Alexander Asia attempted to make community forestry permits last up to 100 years, although legally they could only last for 25?
... that Daniel van der Meulen was dispatched to Saudi Arabia to urge Arab nations not to ally with Nazi Germany?
... that Misfat al Abriyeen in Oman was named one of the best tourism villages by the World Tourism Organization in 2021?
... that Japanese surgeon Hayari Miyake cured Albert Einstein of a tropical fever?
... that Pure Japanese was released under this English title in its native Japan?
... that of the 146 Conestoga wagons employed by the Braddock Expedition in the French and Indian War, only one remained intact by the campaign's end?
... that nekonomics includes the leveraging of stray cat populations on islands to draw tourists?
... that terracotta cones found at al-Moghraqa in Palestine are unique in the region, but resemble artefacts from ancient Egypt?
... that after being ousted by the Southern Transitional Council, the governor of the Socotra Archipelago fled to Oman and continued to govern through WhatsApp?
... that a senior colonel with 30 years' experience in North Korean intelligence agencies defected to South Korea in 2014?

Updated: 1:05, 2 April 2026

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In the news

2 April 2026 – 2026 North Maluku earthquake: At least one person is killed and another is injured when a building in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, collapses following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia. (AFP via France 24)
1 April 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: 2026 Iran war; 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries; 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait; A fuel storage at Kuwait International Airport in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, is hit by Iranian drones, causing a major fire. (Gulf News); 2026 Iranian strikes on Qatar

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Related portals

Major Religions in Asia

Middle East (West Asia)

Central Asia

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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Selected panorama

Credit: Benh LIEU SONG

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.