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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 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...)

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Karnataka (/kərˈnɑːtəkə/; ISO: Karnāṭaka, Kannada: [kɐɾˈnaːʈɐkɐ]), also known colloquially as Karunāḍu, is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, and renamed Karnataka in 1973. The state is bordered by the Lakshadweep Sea to the west, Goa to the northwest, Maharashtra to the north, Telangana to the northeast, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the southeast, and Kerala to the southwest. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is the eighth-largest state by population, comprising 31 districts. The state was part of the Carnatic region in British terminology. With 15,257,000 residents, the state capital Bangalore is the fourth-most populated city in India.

The economy of Karnataka is one of the most productive in comparison to other states in the country, with ₹20.5 trillion (US$260 billion) in gross domestic product and a per capita GDP of ₹305,000 (US$3,800). The state of Karnataka has one of the highest economic growth rates comparatively to other states in the country, with a GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) growth of 9.5% in the 2021–22 fiscal year. After Bangalore Urban, Dakshina Kannada, Hubli-Dharwad and Belagavi districts contribute the highest revenue to the state respectively. The capital of the state, Bangalore, is known as the Silicon Valley of India, for its immense contributions to the country's information technology sector. A total of 1,973 companies in the state were found to have been involved in the IT sector as of 2007. (Full article...)

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Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Kuwait also shares maritime borders with Iran. Kuwait has a coastal length of approximately 500 km (311 mi). Most of the country's population reside in the urban agglomeration of the capital and largest city Kuwait City. , Kuwait has a population of 4.82 million people of which 1.53 million are Kuwaiti citizens while the remaining 3.29 million are foreign nationals from over 100 countries.

Historically, most of present-day Kuwait was part of ancient Mesopotamia. Before the discovery of oil, Kuwait was a regional trade port. Oil reserves were discovered in commercial quantities in 1938. In 1946, crude oil was exported for the first time. From 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization, largely based on income from oil production. In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash. In 1990, after oil production disputes with neighbouring Iraq, Kuwait was invaded, and later annexed into one of Iraq's governorates by Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait came to an end on February 26, 1991, after military intervention by a military coalition led by the United States and various other countries. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Black greywacke sarcophagus in the funerary chamber of Unas' pyramid

Unas /ˈjuːnəs/ or Wenis, also spelled Unis (Ancient Egyptian: wnjs, hellenized form Oenas /ˈiːnəs/ or Onnos), was a pharaoh, the ninth and last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Unas reigned for 15 to 30 years in the mid-24th century BC (circa 2345–2315 BC), succeeding Djedkare Isesi, who might have been his father.

Little is known of Unas' activities during his reign, which was a time of economic decline. Egypt maintained trade relations with the Levantine coast and Nubia, and military action may have taken place in southern Canaan. The growth and decentralization of the administration in conjunction with the lessening of the king's power continued under Unas, ultimately contributing to the collapse of the Old Kingdom some 200 years later. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

Sentō

Credit: Torii Kiyonaga

Onna yu ("Bathhouse Women"), a late-eighteenth century Japanese woodblock print in the ukiyo-e style, depicting women at a sentō, or Japanese public bath house. Commercial bath houses in Japan date to at least 1266 and became especially popular immediately after World War II, due to the devastation caused by the war.

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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

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In the news

23 April 2024 – North Korea and weapons of mass destruction: North Korea claims it tested new command-and-control system in a simulated nuclear counterstrike. (CNN)
23 April 2024 –: Two helicopters of the Royal Malaysian Navy collide mid-air during a rehearsal parade in Lumut, Malaysia, killing ten people on board. (CNA)
22 April 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Siege of Khan Yunis; Israeli troops and tanks reenter Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip after abruptly withdrawing from the city earlier this month. (Reuters)
22 April 2024 – Moro conflict: Twelve Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters militants are killed and seven soldiers are wounded during a shootout in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines. (AP)
22 April 2024 – 2024 Guangdong floods: Four people are killed and ten are missing during floods caused by heavy rain in Guangdong Province, China. Around 110,000 people are evacuated. (BBC News)

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Major Religions in Asia

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Central Asia and Surroundings

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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Selected panorama

Credit: Benh Lieu Song

The Ratchaprasong and Sukhumvit skylines of Bangkok, the capital of and largest city in Thailand, with Lumphini Park in the center, as viewed from the Sathon District. Known in Thai as Krung Thep ("city of angels"), it became the capital in 1768 after the destruction of Ayutthaya by Burmese invaders.