THE EARTH

Estimated Weight (mass) 5,940,000,000,000,000,000,000 metric tons Estimated Age 4.6 billion years Current Population 7,000,000,001 Surface Area 510,066,000 sq km Land Area 148,647,000 sq km 29.1% Ocean Area 335,258,000 sq km Total Water Area 361,419,000 sq km 70.9% Type of Water 97% salt, 3% fresh Circumference at the equator 40,066 km Circumference at the poles 39, 992 km Diameterat the equator 12,753 km Diameter at the poles 12,710 km Radius at the equator 6,376 km Radius at the poles 6,355 km Orbit Speeds The earth orbits the Sun at 66,700 mph (107,320 km per hour) Sun Orbit The earth orbits the Sun every 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds OCEANS OF THE WORLD

Pacific Atlantic Indian Southern Arctic

155,557,000 sq km 76,762,000 sq kM 68,556,000 sq km 20,327,000 sq km 14,056,000 sq km

Note: The Southern Ocean was approved in 2000 by the International Hydrographic Organization. It is now the fourth largest ocean. OCEAN'S GREATEST DEPTHS

Mariana Trench, Puerto Rico Trench, Java Trench, Arctic Basin,

Pacific Ocean 35,827 ft Atlantic Ocean 30,246 ft Indian Ocean 24,460 ft Arctic Ocean 18,456 ft

DEEPEST OCEANS AND SEAS

Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Caribbean Sea Arctic Ocean South China Sea Bering Sea Mediterranean Sea Gulf of Mexico Japan Sea

35,827 ft (10,924 m) 30,246 ft (9,219 m) 24,460 ft (7,455 m) 22,788 ft (6,946 m) 18,456 ft (5,625 m) 16,456 ft (5,016 m) 15,659 ft (4,773 m) 15,197 ft (4,632 m) 12,425 ft (3,787 m) 12,276 ft (3,742 m)

Note: Official depths for the Southern Ocean are still not available at this time. MAJOR BODIES OF WATER

MAJOR SEAS

Locator Map South China Caribbean Mediterranean Bering Gulf of Mexico Arabian Sea Sea of Okhotsk Sea of Japan (East Sea) Hudson Bay East China Andaman Black Red

2,974,600 sq km 2,515,900 sq km 2,510,000 sq km 2,261,100 sq km 1,507,600 sq km 1,498,320 sq km 1,392,100 sq km 1,012,900 sq km 730,100 sq km 664,600 sq km 564,900 sq km 507,900 sq km 453,000 sq km

MAJOR ISLANDS (by size)

Australia 7,617.930 sq km; widely considered part of a continental landmass, not officially an island. But without doubt it is the largest island on the planet, and when combined with Oceania, the smallest continent on Earth. Greenland 2,175,600 sq km New Guinea 792,500 sq km Borneo 725,500 sq km Madagascar 587,000 sq km Baffin 507,500 sq km Sumatra 427,300 sq km Honshu 227,400 sq km Great Britain 218,100 sq km Victoria 217,300 sq km Ellesmere 196,200 sq km Celebes 178,650 sq km New Zealand (south) 151,000 sq km Java 126,700 sq km New Zealand (north) 114,000 sq km Newfoundland 108,900km MAJOR RIVERS (by length)

Nile, Africa 6,825 km Amazon, South America 6,437 km Chang Jiang (Yangtze), Asia 6,380 km Mississippi, North America 5,971 km Yenisey-Angara, Asia 5,536 km Huang (Yellow), Asia 5,464 km Ob-Irtysh, Asia 5,410 km Amur, Asia 4,416 km Lena, Asia 4,400 km Congo, Africa 4,370 km Mackenzie-Peace, North America 4,241 km Mekong, Asia 4,184 km Niger, Africa 4,171 km MAJOR LAKES (by size)

Caspian Sea, Asia-Europe Superior, North America Victoria, Africa Huron, North America

371,000 sq km 82,100 sq km 69,500 sq km 59,600 sq km

Michigan, North America Tanganyika, Africa Baikal, Asia Great Bear, North America Aral Sea, Asia Malawi, Africa Great Slave, Canada Erie, North America Winnipeg, Canada Ontario, North America Balkhash, Kazakhstan

57,800 sq km 32,900 sq km 31,500 sq km 31,300 sq km 30,700 sq km 28,900 sq km 28,568 sq km 25,667 sq km 24,387 sq km 19,529 sq km 18,300 sq km

DEEPEST LAKES (by greatest depth)

Baikal, Russian Fed. Tanganyika, Africa Caspian Sea, Asia-Europe Malawi or Nyasa, Africa Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan CONTINENTS (By Size)

5,315 ft 4,800 ft 3,363 ft 2,317 ft 2,303 ft

#1 Asia #2 Africa #3 North America #4 South America #5 Antarctica #6 Europe #7 Australia/Oceania

44,579,000 sq km 30,221,000 sq km 24,256,000 sq km 17,819,000 sq km 13,209,000 sq km 9,938,000 sq km 8,112,000 sq km

CONTINENTS (by population) 2011 est.

#1 Asia #2 Africa #3 Europe #4 North America #5 South America #6 Australia/Oceania #7 Antarctica

4,140,336,501 1,020,201.229 738,523,843 528,720/588 385,742,554 36,102.071 0

CONTINENTS (by the number of countries)

#1 Africa #2 Europe #3 Asia #4 North America #5 Oceania #6 South America

54 46 44 23 14 12

SMALLEST COUNTRIES (by land mass)

Vatican City Monaco Nauru Tuvalu San Marino Liechtenstein Marshall Islands

0.17 sq miles (0.44 sq km) 0.75 sq miles (1.95 sq km) 8.2 sq miles (21.2 sq km) 10 sq miles (26 sq km) 24 sq miles (61 sq km) 62 sq miles (160 sq km) 70 sq miles (181 sq km)

Seychelles Maldives St. Kitts and Nevis LARGEST COUNTRIES (by land mass)

104 sq miles (270 sq km) 116 sq miles (300 sq km) 139 sq miles (360 sq km)

Locator Map Russia Canada China USA Brazil Australia India Argentina Kazakhstan Sudan

6,592,846 sq miles (17,075,400sqkm) 3,602,707 sq miles (9,330,970 sq km) 3,600,947 sq miles (9,326,410 sq km) 3,539,242 sq miles (9.166,600 sq km) 3,265,075 sq miles (8,456,510 sq km) 2,941,283 sq miles (7,617,930 sq km) 1,147,949 sq miles (2,973,190 sq km) 1,056,636 sq miles (2,736,690 sq km) 1,049,150 sq miles (2,717,300 sq km) 917,374 sq miles (2,376,000 sq km)

OLDEST COUNTRIES

San Marino France Bulgaria Denmark Portugal Andorra Switzerland

301 AD 486 AD 632 AD 950 AD 1143 AD 1278 AD 1291 AD

YOUNGEST COUNTRIES

South Sudan Montenegro Serbia East Timor Palau Czech Republic Eritrea Slovakia Bosnia/Hertzegovina

July, 2011 July, 2006 July, 2006 2002 1994 1993 1993 1993 1992

RICHEST COUNTRIES (GNP in USA Dollars)

United States Luxembourg Switzerland Japan Liechtenstein Norway

$49,800 $45,360 $44,355 $41,010 $40,000 $34,515

POOREST COUNTRIES (GNP in USA Dollars)

Mozambique Somalia Eritrea Ethiopia Congo, DNC

$80 $100 $100 $100 $100

COUNTRIES WITH MOST LAND BORDERS (The Most Neighboring Countries)

China 14 Russian Federation 14 Brazil 10 Congo, Germany and Sudan 9 Austria, France, Tanzania, Turkey and Zambia

DEPENDENCIES AND TERRITORIES Numerous areas of the world (most often islands) are under the economic and military protection of another country. These dependencies and territories are usually small and remote. Some still aspire to gain independence, while others would be unable to survive as an independent country based on global positioning and economic conditions.

Dependencies and Territories of the World (a complete list)

TOP 10 TALLEST MOUNTAINS

Mount Everest Qogir (K2) Kangchenjunga Lhotse Makalu I Cho Oyu Dhaulagiri Manaslu I Nanga Parbat Annapurna I

29,035 ft (8,850 m) Nepal/China 28,250 ft (8,611 m) Pakistan 28,169 ft (8,586 m) Nepal 27,920 ft (8,501 m) Nepal 27,765 ft (8,462 m) Nepal 26,906 ft (8,201 m) Nepal 26,794 ft (8,167 m) Nepal 26,758 ft (8,156 m) Nepal 26,658 ft (8,125 m) Pakistan 26,545 ft (8,091 m) Nepal

Note: The dormant volcano Mauna Kea (on the Big Island of Hawaii) could be considered the tallest mountain in the world. If you measure it from its base in the Hawaiian Trough (3,300 fathoms deep) to its summit of 13,796 feet, it reaches a height of 33,476 feet. TALLEST MOUNTAINS (by continent) (On Each Continent)

Mount Everest Aconcagua Mount McKinley Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Elbrus Puncak Jaya Vinson Massif

29,035 ft (8,850 m) Asia 22,831 ft (6,959 m) S. America 20,320 ft (6,194 m) N. America 19,563 ft (5,963 m) Africa 18,481 ft (5,633 m) Europe 16,023 ft (4,884 m) Oceania 16,066 ft (4,897 m) Antarctica

LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD

Chinese Mandarin English Hindi Spanish Russian Arabic Bengali Portuguese Malay-Indonesian Japanese German Korean French Chinese, Wu Javanese Chinese, Yue Urdu COUNTRIES (by highest density) (people per square km)

1 billion + 512 million 501 million 399 million 285 million 265 million 245 million 196 million 140 million 125 million 100 million 78 million 77 million 77 million 75 million 71 million 60 million

Monaco Singapore Malta Maldives Bahrain Bangladesh Vatican City Barbados Nauru Mauritius

16,205 6,386 1,261 1,164 1,035 1,002 920 648 621 603

COUNTRIES (by lowest density) (people per square km)

Mongolia Namibia Australia Botswana Iceland Suriname Libya Mauritania Canada Guyana

2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4

COUNTRY POPULATIONS (smallest) (February, 2012 UN numbers)

Vatican City Tuvalu Nauru Palau San Marino Monaco Liechtenstein St. Kitts

800 10,000 10,000 21,000 32,312 35,881 36,476 54,000

Marshall Islands Dominica COUNTRY POPULATIONS (largest) (February, 2012 UN numbers)

54,305 71,293

China India USA Indonesia Brazil Pakistan Nigeria Russia Bangladesh Japan

1,347,350,000 1,210,193,000 313,686,000 237,641,000 192,376,000 179,764,000 162,471,000 143,100,000 142,319,000 127,610,200

(10) LARGEST USA CITIES (By Population) Numbers shown are the population within the recognized city limits, and do not include people living in the immediate surrounding area outside of the established border of the city (often called the metro). For those numbers, visit this page.

New York City, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Houston, TX Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Dallas, TX Detroit, MI

8.09 million 3.8 million 3.1 million 2.78 million 1.62 million 1.54 million 1.5 million 1.4 million 1.32 million 1 million

LARGEST CITIES ON THE PLANET Numbers shown are the population within the recognized city limits, and do not include people living in the immediate surrounding area outside of the established border of the city. For the largest metropolitan areas refer to the list below this one. Revised (10/01/11)

Shanghai, China Mumbai (Bombay), India Buenos Aires, Argentina Moscow, Russia Karachi, Pakistan Delhi, India Manila, Philippines Sao Paulo, Brazil Seoul, South Korea Istanbul, Turkey Jakarta, Indonesia Mexico City, Mexico Lagos, Nigeria Lima, Peru Tokyo, Japan New York City, USA Cairo, Egypt London, UK Teheran, Iran Beijing, China

13.3 million 12.6 million 11.92 million 11.3 million 10.9 million 10.4 million 10.3 million 10.26 million 10.2 million 9.6 million 9.0 million 8.7 million 8.68 million 8.38 million 8.3 million 8.09 million 7.6 million 7.59 million 7.3 million 7.2 million

LARGEST METRO AREAS ON THE PLANET Numbers shown are the population within the immediate surrounding area of the established border of the city, and also include the city limit population figures. Revised (05/11)

Tokyo, Japan 35.6 million Chongqing (Chungking), China 31.4 million New York City, Philadelphia area, USA 30.1 million Mexico City, Mexico 21.5 million Seoul, South Korea 20.15 million Sao Paulo, Brazil 19.9 million Jakarta, Indonesia 18.2 million Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, Japan 17.6 million New Delhi, India 17.36 million Mumbai, India (Bombay) 17.34 million Los Angeles, USA 16.7 million Cairo, Egypt 15.86 million Calcutta, India 14.3 million Manila, Philippines 14.1 million Shanghai, China 13.9 million Buenos Aires, Argentina 13.2 million Moscow, Russian Fed. 12.2 million

CITIES OF THE WORLD - POPULATION Hottest, Coldest, Driest, Wettest

Hottest Place Dalol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia, annual average temperature (93.2F, 34C) Coldest Place Plateau Station, Antarctica, annual average temperature (-56.7C) Wettest Place Mawsynram, Assam, India, annual average rainfall (11,873 mm, 467.4") Driest Place Atacama Desert, Chile, imperceptible rainfall on a yearly basis

HIGHEST/LOWEST SURFACE POINTS (Below Sea Level, On Each Continent)

Dead Sea, Asia -409 meters Lake Assal, Africa -156 meters Death Valley, North America -86 meters Valds Peninsula, South America -40 meters Caspian Sea, Europe -28 meters Lake Eyre, Australia -16 meters Antarctica (ice covered) -2,538 meters

Highest/Lowest Points For the highest points on each continent see Tallest Mountains (above) DRIEST INHABITED PLACES (Rain fall in inches per year)

Aswan, Egypt Luxor, Egypt Arica Desert, Chile Ica, Peru Antofagasta, Chile El Minya, Egypt Asyut, Egypt

0.02" 0.03" 0.04" 0.1" 0.2" 0.2" 0.2"

WETTEST INHABITED PLACES (Rain fall in inches per year)

Buenaventira, Colombia Monrovia, Liberia Pagp Pago, American Samoa Moulein, Burma (Myanmar Lae, Papua New Guinea Baguio, Philippines Sylhet, Bangladesh

267" 202" 198" 192" 183" 180" 178"

LARGEST DESERTS ON THE PLANET (Subtropical)

Sahara, Arabian, Kalahari, Great Victoria, Syrian, Chihuahuan, Great Sandy, Sonoran, Thar, Gibson, Simpson, Mohave,

North Africa 3,320,000 sq. miles Middle East 900,000 sq. miles Southern Africa 360,000 sq. miles Australia 250,000 sq. miles Syria, Jordan, Iraq 200,000 sq. miles Mexico, U.S. 175,000 sq. miles Australia 150,000 sq. miles Mexico, U,S, 120,000 sq. miles India, Pakistan 77,000 sq. miles Australia 60,000 sq. miles Australia 56,000 sq. miles S,W, USA 25,000 sq. miles

(Cool Coastal)

Atacama, Namib,

Chile SA 54,000 sq. miles S.W. Africa 31,000 sq. miles

(Cold Winter)

Gobi, Patagonian, Great Basin, Karakum, Colorado Plateau, Kyzyl Kum, Taklamakan, Dasht-e Kavir,

China, Mongolia 500,000 sq. miles Argentina 260,000 sq. miles S.W. USA 190,000 sq. miles Turkmenistan 135,000 sq. miles Western USA 130,000 sq. miles West Asia 115,000 sq. miles China 105,000 sq. miles Iran 30,000 sq. miles

(Polar)

Antarctic Arctic

5,339,000 sq. miles 5,300,000 sq. miles

Country,

Capital City,Population

Afghanistan, Kabul, 3,289,000 Albania, Tirane, 763,634 Algeria, Algiers, 3,574,000 Andorra, Andorra la Vella, 22,884 Angola, Luanda, 2,453,779 Antigua and Barbuda, (Antigua) St. John's, 22,679; (Barbuda) Codrington1,325 Argentina, Buenos Aires, city: 2,891,082; metro: 13,074,000 Armenia, Yerevan, 1,121,900 Australia , Canberra, 354,644 Austria, Vienna, 1,552,789 Azerbaijan , Baku, 1,879,251 B

Bahamas, Nassau, 248,948 Bahrain, Manama, 140,616 Bangladesh, Dhaka, city: 7,000,940; metro: 12,797,394 Barbados, Bridgetown, 96,578 Belarus, Minsk, 1,702,061 Belgium , Brussels, 1,080,790 Belize, Belmopan, 12,300 Benin, Porto-Noveo (official): 223,552; Cotonou (de facto capital): 779,314 Bhutan, Thimphu, 101,259 Bolivia, Sucre (official): 300,000; La Paz (de facto capital): 877,363 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, 383,604 Botswana, Gaborone, 225,656 Brazil, Brasilia, 2,648,532 Brunei , Bandar Seri Begawan, 28,135 Bulgaria, Sofia, 1,090,295 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, 1,005,231 Burundi, Bujumbura, 384,461 C

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, D

Phnom Penh, 2,011,725 Yaounde, 1,616,000 Ottawa, 898,150 Praia, 125,464 Bangui, 731,548 N'Djamena, 751,288 Santiago, 5,084,038 Beijing, 20,180,000 Bogota, 7,613,303 Moroni, 60,200 Brazzaville, 1,088,044 San Jose, 328,195 Yamoussoukro, 454,929 Zagreb, 804,200 Havana, 2,135,498 Nicosia, 239,277 Prague, 1,227,332

Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Kinshasa, 4,385,264

Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, E East Timor, Ecuador,

Copenhagen, 1,231,166 Djibouti, 475,332 Roseau, 14,847 Santo Domingo, 2,995,211

Dili, 193,563 Quito, 1,504,991 Cairo, 7,438,376 San Salvador, 521,366 Malabo, 100,677 Asmara, 543,707 Tallinn, 403,547 Addis Ababa, 3,040,740

Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, F

Fiji, Finland, France, G

Suva, 84,410 Helsinki, 596,661 Paris, 2,268,265

Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, H

Libreville, 556,425 Banjul, 34,828 Tbilisi, 1,044,993 Berlin, 3,520,000 Accra, 1,640,507 Athens, 721,477 St. George's, 7,500 Guatemala City, 1,103,865 Conakry, 1,399,981 Bissau, 452,640 Georgetown, 134,599

Haiti, Honduras Hungary, I

Port-au-Prince, 1,235,227 , Tegucigalpa, 735,982 Budapest, 1,728,718

Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, J

Reykjavik, 115,000 New Delhi, 292,300 Jakarta, 10,187,595 Tehran, city: 12,223,598; metro: 13,828,365 Baghdad, 7,216,040 Dublin, 1,045,769 Jerusalem, 780,200 Rome, 2,792,508

Jamaica, Japan, Jordon, K

Kingston, 701,063 Tokyo, city: 13,185,502; metro: 35,862,460 Amman, 2,600,603

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (North) Korea (South), Kuwait Kyrgyzstan, L

Astana, 700,000 Nairobi, 2,665,657 South Tarawa, 30,000 , Pyongyang, 3,144,005 Seoul, city 10,581,728; metro 25,620,000 , Kuwait City, 1,171,880 Bishkek, 843,240

Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, M

Vientiane, 287,579 Riga, 713,016 Beirut, 1,574,387 Maseru, 267,652 Monrovia, 1,010,970 Tripoli, 1,184,045 Vaduz, 5,248 Vilnius, 556,723 Luxembourg, 76,420

Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma) N

Skopje, 506,926 Antananarivo, 1,918,117 Lilongwe, 902,388 Kuala Lumpur, 1,381,830 Male, 103,693 Bamako, 1,289,626 Valletta, 6,315 Majuro, 25,400 Nouakchott, 719,167 Port Louis, 147,251 Mexico City, 8,851,080 Palikir, 9,900 Chisinau, 794,800 Monaco, 35,986 Ulan Bator, 907,802 Podgorica, 141,854 Rabat, 1,789,635 Maputo, 1,076,689 , Nay Pyi Taw, 925,000

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, (The) Netherlands New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, O

Windhoek, 252,721 Yaren, 1,100 Kathmandu, 812,026 , Amsterdam, 740,094 Wellington, 381,900 Managua, 926,883 Niamey, 794,814 Abuja, 778,567 Oslo, 575,475

Oman, P

Muscat, 797,000

Pakistan,

Islamabad, 955,629

Palau, Ngerulmud, 391 Panama, Panama City, 813,097 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, 307,643 Paraguay, Asuncion, 520,722 Peru, Lima, city: 7,605,742; metro: 8,472,935 Philippines, Manila, city: 1,652,171; metro: 11,855,975 Poland, Warsaw, 1,706,724 Portugal, Lisbon, 564,657 Q

Qatar, R

Doha, 1,450,000

Romania, Russia, Rwanda, S

Bucharest, 1,942,254 Moscow, 11,541,000 Kigali, 718,414

St. Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre, 13,043 St. Lucia, Castries, 57,000 St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Kingstown, 16,031 Samoa, Apia, 39,813 San Marino, San Marino, 4,493 Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome, 56,166 Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, 4,878,723 Senegal, Dakar, 1,030,594 Serbia, Belgrade, 1,154,589 Seychelles, Victoria, 29,298 Sierra Leone, Freetown, 1,070,200 Singapore, Singapore, 5,312,000 Slovakia, Bratislava, 424,207 Slovenia, Ljubljana, 280,140 Solomon Islands, Honiara, 59,288 Somalia, Mogadishu, 1,097,133 South Africa, Pretoria (official: 2,345,908), 1,097,133; Bloemfontein (judicial: 369,568); Cape Town(legislative: 827,218) South Sudan, Juba, 372,410 Spain, Madrid, 3,233,527 Sri Lanka, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, 118,556 Sudan, Khartoum, 1,740,661 Suriname, Paramaribo, 254,147 Swaziland, Mbabane, 81,594 Sweden, Stockholm, 770,284 Switzerland, Berne, 121,631 Syria, Damascus, 3,500,000 T

Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,

Taipei, 2,618,772 Dushanbe, 582,496 Dodoma, 287,200 Bangkok, 8,249,117 Lome, 824,738 Nukualofa, 22,400 Port-of-Spain, 50,479 Tunis, 767,629 Ankara, 4,890,893 Ashgabat, 763,537

Tuvalu, U Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, V

Funafuti, 4,492

Kampala, 1,659,600 Kiev, 2,832,398 Abu Dhabi, 585,097 London, 8,174,100 Washington, D.C., 601,723 Montevideo, 1,369,797 Tashkent, 2,207,850

Vanuatu, (The) Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, W

Port Vila, 38,000 Vatican City, 826 Caracas, 1,838,939 Hanoi, 3,398,889

Western Sahara, Y

El Aaiun, 194,668

Yemen, Z

Sana'a, 1,431,649

Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Lusaka, 1,331,254 Harare, 1,487,028

As the largest and most populous continent in the world with just over 3.8 billion people, Asia is composed of a wide variety of ethnic groups, cultures, environments, economics, historical ties, and governmental systems. Geographically the continent makes up 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area, and 29.5% of its land area. In the west, Asia is bordered by Europe, the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, as well by the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus Strait, the Black Sea and theCaspian Sea. In the east, Asia is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, and an almost endless stretch of bays and seas. The Arctic Ocean and a handful of seas front the northern border, while the Bering Sea separates Asia from North America. In the southwest the Red Sea and isthmus of Suez separate the continent from Africa. The Indian Ocean fronts most of Asia's southern borders, along with a series of bays, gulfs and seas, as well as extensive chains of both inhabited and uninhabited islands.

Asia Geography Notes:

Burma: Military authorities have promoted the name Myanmar since 1989 as the conventional name for their state. That decision was not (and is not) approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and is not accepted by the U.S. government. However, Myanmar is widely accepted by numerous countries, and by the United Nations. Asia Geography Notes: (continued)

European Russia: The Russian landmass west of the Ural Mountains is commonly referred to as European Russiain most educational atlases, and by the vast majority of geography experts. It is not a separate country, but rather called that because of its political, cultural and geographical blendings with Europe. For reference purposes it is shown above to the west of the dashed-line, however, the entire country (as a whole) is still considered part of the continent of Asia. Middle East: Countries considered part of the Middle East (or West Asia) are shown in a lighter shade of gray. Note that they are all still a part of the continent of Asia. Opinions vary as to what countries make up the modern definition of Asia and the Middle East. Historically,Armenia and Azerbaijan have been long associated with the Middle East, but in recent years, some sources now consider them to be more closely aligned with Europe based on their modern economic and political trends. We have moved in that direction, and the same can be said for the island country of Cyprus. Taiwan is still considered by China to be its 23rd province, and not an independent country. Very few other country governments accept China's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Turkey is officially, politically and geographically considered part of both Asia and Europe. The small northwestern portion of Turkey named (Thrace) is a recognized part of Europe, while the largest part (Anatolia) is located in the Middle East, a part of Asia.

ASIA DESERTS: Several significant deserts stretch across Asia and the Middle East. Here we highlight on the map and briefly describe the major ones, including the Arabian, Gobi, Karakum, Kyzylkum, Takla Makan and Thar. Arabian Desert The Arabian Desert is a vast desert wilderness stretching from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and from Oman to Jordan and Iraq. This desert is located in the Middle East, and we have additional details and map. Gobi Desert The Gobi Desert is the largest desert in Asia, covering 500,000 square miles. Extending from northern China into Mongolia, the Gobi Desert receives an average of 7 inches of rainfall each year because the Himalaya mountains block rain clouds from reaching the region. Kara Kum Desert The Kara Kum covers 135,000 square miles, nearly 70 percent of Turkmenistan's land. Because of the desert's location along the Caspian Sea, the weather in Karakum is milder than many Asian deserts, which typically experience frigid winters and scorching summers. Kyzyl Kum Desert Crossing over Kazakhstan into Uzbekistan, this 115,000 square mile desert features a wide variety of flora and fauna. Though the area only receives 4 to 8 inches of rain per year, the rain occurs during the region's cooler period so the water does not dissipate quickly and supports large migratory game. Takla Makan Desert China's largest desert extends over 123,550 square miles. Composed primarily of shifting crescent sand dunes, the Takla Makan is one of the largest sandy deserts in the world. Despite the inhospitable and unpredictable nature of the desert sands, the Chinese government erected a road across the desert in the mid-1990s. Thar Desert Covering 77,000 square miles in India and Pakistan, the Thar Desert is Asia's only subtropical desert. Primarily occupying the Indian state of Rajasthan, the Thar receives up to 20 inches of rain per year, primarily during the monsoon period from July to September, and most crops are

grown during this rainy season. ASIA LAKES:

Dozens of significant lakes are found in Asia. Here we highlight a few on the map and (briefly) describe the three most significant including the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal and the Aral Sea. Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea, located in western Asia on the eastern edges of Europe, is the largest lake on the planet. History records that it's called a sea because the Romans found it salty, especially in the southern reaches, and the name stuck. Oil and natural gas production platforms are replete along the edges of the sea. In addition, large quantities of sturgeon live in its waters, and the caviar produced from their eggs is a valuable commodity. Fresh water flows into the sea via the Volga River and Ural River in the north, however, the sea remains somewhat salty, central and southThe measured surface area is 371,000 sq km (143,244 sq mi), and the maximum depth is at 1025 m (3,363 ft). Additional details and map. Lake Baikal Lake Baikal is positioned in southeastern (Siberia) Russia, directly to the north of Mongolia. Recognized as the oldest (still existing) freshwater lake on the planet, it is also measured as the deepest continental body of water at 5,315 feet (1,620 m). In addition, it is the largest freshwater lake by volume, containing an astounding 20% of the planet's fresh water. With a maximum width of 60 miles (96 km), Lake Baikal is about 389 miles (626 km) in length. Completely surrounded by mountains, over 300 rivers and streams drain into this massive lake. Detailed map. Aral Sea Positioned in far-western Asia, just to the east of the Caspian Sea, the Aral Sea is located in the countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Aral Sea is disappearing (evaporating) and is today almost totally polluted by fertilizer runoff, weapon testing residue left here by the former Soviet Union and careless industrial projects. The mismanagement of its valuable waters is consider by many experts to be one of the world's worst environmental disasters. Diversion of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers for irrigation began in 1918, and that action, along with other factors have now shrunk the Aral Sea to almost 60% of its former size. Over the last few years the outlook for the northern reaches of the sea have brightened some, but the lower half is basically abandoned and the remaining western waters are now predicted to be gone within a decade.

ASIA MOUNTAINS:Several significant mountain ranges stretch across Asia. Here we highlight on the map and describe the major ones, including the Altay, Gahats, Himalayan, Kunlun, Tien Shan, Ural and Zagros Mountains Altay (or Altai) The Altay Mountains are a mountain range in East-Central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their sources. Belukha Mountain is the highest peak at 4,506 m, (14,784 ft). Ghats The Western Ghats are a mountain range along the western side of India with an average elevation around 1,200 m, (3,900 ft). The Eastern Ghats are a range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The highest point is Jindhagada Peak at 1,690 m (5,545 ft). Himalayas The Himalayas, a huge mountain range immediately at the north of the Indian subcontinent, is the world's highest mountain range, and home to the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest at 8,848 m (29,029 ft), and K2 at 8,611 m (28,251 feet) above sea level. The Himalayan system includes over 100 mountains exceeding 7,200 m (23,600 ft). Kunlun The Kunlun Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending across wester China and the Tibetan Plateau. The highest mountain is the Kunlun Goddess at 7,167 m (23,514 ft). Tien (or Tian) Shan The Tian Shan is a large mountain system located in Central Asia. It's positioned to the north and west of the Taklamakan Desert near the border region of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and western China. The highest peak is Victory Peak at 7,439 m (24,406 ft). Ural The Urals are 1,640 miles (2,640 km) in length and extend from the northern-edge of the Russian Federation down through Kazakhstan. They form a natural border between Asia and Europe Russia. The highest point in this mountain range is Mt. Narodnaya at 1,895 m (6,217 ft).

Zagros The Zagros are the largest mountain range in Iran and Iraq spaning the whole length of the western and southwestern Iranian plateau and ending at the Strait of Hormuz. The highest point is Zard Kuhbakhtiari at 4,548 m, (14,921 ft). ASIA RIVERS: Dozens of significant rivers rise in Asia. Here we highlight a few on the map and (briefly) describe some of the most significant ones, including the Ganges, Indus, Lena, Mekong, Ob, Yangtze and Yellow. Ganges The Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus and is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. It is 1,560 miles (2,510 km) in length. Lena The Lena is the easternmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean (the other two being the Ob River and the Yenisei River). It is the 11th longest river in the world at 2,734 miles (4,400 km). Indus The Indus River originates in Tibet and flows through India and Pakistan. It provides water resources for the economy of Pakistan - especially the Breadbasket of the southeast, which accounts for most of the nation's agricultural production. It is 1,800 miles (2,900 km) in length. Mekong The Mekong is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is 3,050 (4,909 km) and it provides inland transportation for the millions living along its banks, and tributaries Ob The Ob is a major river in western Siberia, Russia. The Ob is used mostly for irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectric energy, and fishing. It's 2,268 miles (3,650 km) in length. Yangtze China's Yangtze is the longest river in Asia, and the fourth longest in the world at 3,915 miles (6,301 km). The Yangtze drains one-fifth of the land area of the People's Republic of China and its river basin is home to one-third of China's population. Yellow The Yellow River is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at 3,395 miles (5,464 km) in length. It's called "the cradle of Chinese civilization" as its basin specifically, the Wei valley was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilizations and the most prosperous region in early Chinese history.

Middle East Rivers

Dozens of rivers are found in the Middle East (Asia). Most are small, so here we highlight the four major ones, and offer a brief description. Amu Darya: This river flows from a high plateau in the Pamir Mtns. of central Asia, across southern Tajikistan, forming its border with Afghanistan, then northwest, forming parts of the borders between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and on into the Aral Sea. It's (1,578 miles) (2,539 km) in length. In ancient times the Amu Darya was called the Oxus. It was part of Persia, and played a significant role in the military campaigns of Alexander the Great. Euphrates: From the Caucasus Mtns of Armenia, it flows southwesterly across east-central Turkey, then generally southeast through Syria and Iraq, ending in the waters of the Persian Gulf. It joins with

the Tigris in southern Iraq, and from that junction continues on as the Shatt al Arab. Overall it's (2,235 miles) (3,596 km) in length, and is certainly the longest river in the Middle East. Historically important in ancient history, the once great city of Babylon stood on its banks. Indus: It begins in the high mountains of Tibet (southwestern China), flowing northwest through the Jammu & Kashmir region of India and Pakistan, then generally south through Pakistan, ending in the Arabian Sea. The Indus, through a series of dams and canals, provides much of the irrigation and power for central Pakistan. It's (1,800 miles) (2,896 km) in length. Tigris: Rising in the mountains of southern Turkey, the Tigris flows southeast through Iraq, where in the southern part of that country it merges with the Euphrates to become the Shatt al Arab, which then flows to the Persian Gulf. The river has numerous small tributaries running from its eastern bank, and is (1,180 miles) (1,899 km) in length. There are hundreds of interesting sites spread across the Middle East and these are but a few. For additional info and links explore the individual countries on the map.

Band-e Amir is a collection of six deep blue lakes in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush Mountains. As one of the few natural lakes created by travertine systems in the world, Band-e Amir is Afghanistan's first national park.... Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest manmade structure, and stands 2,723 ft. (829 m). Burj Khalifa officially opened its doors on January 4, 2010, and contains a mix of homes, hotels, parkland, and the Dubai Mall.... The Dead Sea is a sea of salt that borders Jordan, Israel and the West Bank. At 1,388 ft. (423 m) below sea level, it is Earth's lowest elevation on land; the deepest hypersaline lake at 1,237 ft. (377 m) deep; as well as one of the world's saltiest bodies of water with 33.7% salinity. The high level of saline creates a harsh environment non-supportive of life, hence its name.... Imam Ali Mosque is the third holiest site for Shi'a followers, and is located in Najaf, Iraq. It is visited by up to 8 million pilgrims a year, and, according to Shias, the Prophets Adam and Noah are buried within the mosque.... K2 is the second highest mountain on Earth, with an elevation of 28,251 ft. (8,611 m), and is located in Pakistan as part of the Karakoram range.... Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and is an ancient city in Ma'an, Jordan. Famous for its rock cut architecture, the structure was constructed around 1200 BC.... The Rub' al Khali, or Empty Quarter is one of the largest sand deserts in the world, encompassing most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula, including most of Saudi Arabia and areas of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The desert covers some 650,000 square kilometres (250,000 sq mi) .... The 'Tree of Life' is a 400 year old tree growing in Bahrain's arid desert, with no visible source of water....

Definition: A symbol is an idea, abstraction or concept, that has acquired significance as a representation of something else. Symbols are on occasion completely unrelated to the idea they represent.

Star and Crescent

Star of David

A Star and Crescent in some combination forms the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia. During the 1950s to 1960s, the symbol became symbolic of Islam or the Muslim community. The Star of David is recognized as a symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles. One triangle represents the ruling tribe of Judah and the other the former ruling tribe of Benjamin.

Geo Statistics
Continent Size: Asia is the largest continent in area at 43,820,000 sq km, (16,920,000 sq miles) Percent of Earth's Land: 29.5% Largest Country: Russia, including European Russia, at 17,075,200 sq km, (6,592,768 sq miles) (see map) Highest Point: Mt. Everest in Nepal at 29,029ft (8,848m) (see map) Lowest Point: Dead Sea, Israel and Jordan at -1.388 ft (-423m) below sea level. (see map) Geographic Center: Located in China at approximately 43 40 N 87 19E. (see map) Horizontal Width: (as the crow flies)From Ankara, Turkey east to Tokyo, Japan: 5,515 miles (8.876 km) (see map) Vertical Length: (as the crow flies)From Vorkuta, Russia, south to Jakarta, Indonesia: 5,465 miles (8,795 km)

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.7%of the Earth's total surface area (or 29.5% of the total land area) and with approximately 3.879 billion people (2011 est) it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.

Namesake: Reported by many sources, the word "Asia" first originated from the Ancient Greek word , and used in 440 BC. Major Languages: The four major ones are Mandarin, Hindi, Russian and Arabic. As for the rest... that's an almost impossible question to answer as most Asian countries have more than one language that is natively spoken. For instance, more than 600 languages are spoken in Indonesia, more than 800 languages spoken in India, and more than 100 are spoken in the Philippines. Population Density: 87 km (225 mi) Largest City (by metro population):Tokyo, Japan, 34,607,069 Largest Country (by population):People's Republic of China, 1,357,022,986 Smallest Country (by population):Maldives, 306,000

Native to China, the Giant Panda is an endangered species, and emblem to the country, appearing on many coins.

The national symbol of India, the Bengal Tiger is also classified as endangered, and appears on coins and works of art throughout the country.