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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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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...)

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Bahrain (/bɑːˈreɪn/ ^ⓘ bah-RAYN, /bæxˈreɪn/; Arabic: البحرين, romanized: al-Baḥrayn, locally [æl bɑħˈreːn] ^ⓘ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up 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 of Bahrain is 1,501,635 as of May 14, 2023, based on elaborations of the United Nations data, of whom 712,362 are Bahraini nationals. 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.

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 AD. 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...)

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Khan in 2018

Shah Rukh Khan (pronounced [ˈʃɑːɦɾʊx xɑːn] ^ⓘ; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the "Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has appeared in more than 100 films, and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards. He has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, as well as the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Legion of Honour by the Government of France. Khan has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. In terms of audience size and income, several media outlets have described him as one of the most successful film stars in the world. Many of his films thematise Indian national identity and connections with diaspora communities, or gender, racial, social and religious differences and grievances.

Khan began his career with appearances in several television series in the late 1980s and made his Bollywood debut in 1992 with the musical romance Deewana. He was initially recognised for playing villainous roles in the films Baazigar (1993) and Darr (1993). Khan established himself by starring in a series of top-grossing romantic films, including Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). He earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of an alcoholic in the period romantic drama Devdas (2002), a NASA scientist in the social drama Swades (2004), a hockey coach in the sports drama Chak De! India (2007), and a man with Asperger syndrome in the drama My Name Is Khan (2010). Further commercial successes came with the romances Om Shanti Om (2007) and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), and with his expansion to comedies in Chennai Express (2013) and Happy New Year (2014). Following a brief setback and hiatus, Khan made a career comeback with the 2023 action thrillers Pathaan and Jawan, both of which rank among the highest-grossing Indian films. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Harmandir Sahib

Credit: Paul Rudd

A Sikh pilgrim at the Harmandir Sahib, known informally as the "Golden Temple", located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. The temple is the best-known of the Sikh gurdwaras and was completed in 1604. In the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh covered the upper floors of the gurdwara with gold, giving it its distinctive appearance.

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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

In the news

24 April 2024 – AMIA bombing: Argentina issues an arrest warrant via Interpol for Iranian interior minister Ahmad Vahidi in connection with the 1994 bombing of a Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires. Vahidi is currently believed to be in Sri Lanka. (BBC News)
24 April 2024 –: Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi is sentenced to death for supporting the Mahsa Amini protests. (BBC)
23 April 2024 – Israel–Hamas war: Israel–Hezbollah conflict; An Israeli Air Force airstrike kills two people and injures six others in Hanine, Lebanon. (Reuters); 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 near the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. (The New York Times)

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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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