Portal:Asia References

Main

Geography

Projects

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 kilometers, 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 civilizations. 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. It is somewhat arbitrary and has moved since its first conception in classical antiquity. The division of Eurasia into two continents reflects East–West cultural, linguistic, and ethnic differences, some of which vary on a spectrum rather than with a sharp dividing line. 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.

China and India traded places as the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE. China was a major economic power for much of recorded history, with the highest GDP per capita until 1500. The Silk Road became the main east–west trading route in the Asian hinterlands while the Straits of Malacca stood as a major sea route. Asia has exhibited economic dynamism as well as robust population growth during the 20th century, but overall population growth has since fallen. Asia was the birthplace of most of the world's mainstream religions including Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, as well as many other religions. ( Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Featured article

A map of the Western Han dynasty in 2 AD

Principalities and centrally-administered commanderies
Protectorate of the Western Regions ( Tarim Basin)

The Han dynasty ( UK: /ˈhæn/, US: /ˈhɑːn/; traditional Chinese: 漢朝; simplified Chinese: 汉朝; pinyin: Hàncháo) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warring interregnum known as the Chu–Han contention (206–202 BC), and it was succeeded by the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). The dynasty was briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) established by usurping regent Wang Mang, and is thus separated into two periods—the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD). Spanning over four centuries, the Han dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history, and it has influenced the identity of the Chinese civilization ever since. Modern China's majority ethnic group refer to themselves as the " Han people" or "Han Chinese". The spoken Sinitic language and written Chinese are referred to respectively as the "Han language" and " Han characters".

The emperor was at the pinnacle of Han society. He presided over the Han government but shared power with both the nobility and appointed ministers who came largely from the scholarly gentry class. The Han Empire was divided into areas directly controlled by the central government called commanderies, as well as a number of semi-autonomous kingdoms. These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges of their independence, particularly following the Rebellion of the Seven States. From the reign of Emperor Wu ( r. 141–87 BC) onward, the Chinese court officially sponsored Confucianism in education and court politics, synthesized with the cosmology of later scholars such as Dong Zhongshu. This policy endured until the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912. ( Full article...)

List of Featured articles

Selected Country

Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly in Anatolia in West Asia, with a smaller part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east; Iraq, Syria, and the Mediterranean Sea (and Cyprus) to the south; and the Aegean Sea, Greece, and Bulgaria to the west. Turkey is home to over 85 million people; most are ethnic Turks, while ethnic Kurds are the largest ethnic minority. Officially a secular state, Turkey has a Muslim-majority population. Ankara is Turkey's capital and second-largest city; Istanbul is its largest city, and its economic and financial center, as well as the largest city in Europe. Other major cities include İzmir, Bursa and Antalya.

Human habitation began in the Late Paleolithic. Home to important Neolithic sites like Göbekli Tepe and some of the earliest farming areas, present-day Turkey was inhabited by various ancient peoples. Hattians were assimilated by the incoming Anatolian peoples. Increasing diversity during Classical Anatolia transitioned into cultural Hellenization following the conquests of Alexander the Great; Hellenization continued during the Roman and Byzantine eras. The Seljuk Turks began migrating into Anatolia in the 11th century, starting the Turkification process. The Seljuk Sultanate of Rum ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243, when it disintegrated into Turkish principalities. Beginning in 1299, the Ottomans united the principalities and expanded; Mehmed II conquered Istanbul in 1453. During the reigns of Selim I and Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire became a global power. From 1789 onwards, the empire saw major transformation, reforms, and centralization while its territory declined. ( Full article...)

List of selected countries

Featured biography

Kapoor in 2017

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja (pronounced [soːnəm kəˈpuːr]; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She has received several awards, including a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award. One of the highest-paid actresses in India as of 2018, Kapoor appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list from 2012 to 2016.

Kapoor, the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, began her career as an assistant director on filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2005 film Black. She made her acting debut in Bhansali's romantic drama Saawariya (2007), a box office flop, and had her first commercial success with the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010). This was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. The 2013 box office hit Raanjhanaa marked a turning point in Kapoor's career, garnering her praise and Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies. ( Full article...)

List of Featured biographies

General images

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

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

Featured picture

Nagoya Castle

Credit: Samuel Louie

The main donjon of Nagoya Castle, a Japanese castle found in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. It was destroyed in World War II, but the donjon was reconstructed in 1959, and there are plans to also rebuild Honmaru Palace, which was also located within the castle walls.

More selected pictures

Did you know...

... that although he was a former Indonesian prime minister, Soekiman Wirjosandjojo was not arrested during a political purge as he was considered a non-threat?
... that Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, India's second Muslim president, was also the second Indian president to die in office?
... that the Empire of Japan turned a Korean royal cemetery at what is now Hyochang Park into a golf course?
... that Levantine Arabic is often written in Hebrew characters online by Bedouin, Arab Christians, and Druze in Israel?
... that Ein Samiya, which provides the water for Taybeh, the first beer brewed in Palestine, was depopulated in 2023 after harassment by neighboring Israeli settlers?
... that the popularity of " 10 Minutes" by Korean singer Lee Hyori led to 2003 being dubbed the "year of Hyori" by domestic media?
... that Sun Haiyan is the first Chinese ambassador to Singapore who was not a member of the Foreign Ministry of China?
... that University of Nebraska alumnus M. Khalid Roashan helped draft the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan?
... that the Pakistani film Shehr e Tabassum was the first animated cyberpunk film to be made by an Urdu development team?
... that the Te'omim Cave in Israel was home to a Bronze Age alabaster quarry, a refuge cave during the Jewish–Roman wars, and a possible center for necromantic activity in late antiquity?

Updated: 6:33, 14 February 2024

In the news

23 April 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Nasser Hospital mass graves, Nasser Hospital siege; United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk calls for an international investigation after hundreds of bodies are discovered in mass graves around Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. (The New York Times); Spillover of the Israel–Hamas war; An Israeli Air Force airstrike kills two people and injures six others in Hanine, Lebanon. (Reuters)
23 April 2024 – Russian invasion of Ukraine: The United States announces it is preparing a $1 billion aid package to Ukraine in an Israel-Ukraine aid bill yet to be signed. (Reuters)
23 April 2024 – North Korea and weapons of mass destruction: North Korea claims it has tested a new command-and-control system in a simulated nuclear counterstrike. (CNN)

More current events...

Related portals

Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Surroundings

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

Selected panorama

200pxAlong the River During the Qingming Festival

Credit: Zhang Zeduan

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".

More selected panoramas

Read more...