Asia
General Information
● Largest continent in the world (both in area and population).
● Covers about 44.58 million km² (around 30% of Earth’s total land area).
● Population: More than 4.7 billion people (about 60% of the world’s population).
● Located in the Eastern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere.
● Borders: Arctic Ocean (north), Pacific Ocean (east), Indian Ocean (south), Europe (west).
Geographical Features
● Mountains: Himalayas (highest in the world), with Mount Everest (8,849 m) as the tallest peak.
● Plateaus: Tibetan Plateau (known as "Roof of the World").
● Rivers: Yangtze (China), Ganges (India), Mekong (Southeast Asia), Ob and Lena (Russia).
● Deserts: Gobi Desert (China & Mongolia), Thar Desert (India & Pakistan), Arabian Desert.
● Seas: Caspian Sea (world’s largest inland sea), Aral Sea (shrinking due to human activity).
Major Regions of Asia
● East Asia: China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia.
● South Asia: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.
● Southeast Asia: Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia.
● Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
● Middle East / Western Asia: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Israel.
● North Asia: Siberia (Russia).
Climate
● Very diverse:
○ Arctic climate in Siberia.
○ Tropical climate in Southeast Asia.
○ Desert climate in the Middle East.
○ Monsoon climate in South Asia.
● Asia has both the hottest (Iran’s Lut Desert) and coldest inhabited place (Oymyakon, Russia).
People and Culture
● Asia is home to many ancient civilizations: Mesopotamia, Indus Valley, Chinese Dynasties.
● Major Religions originated here: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism.
● Most spoken languages: Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Russian, Japanese.
● Rich cultural diversity with traditional art, music, food, and clothing.
● Examples: Japanese kimono, Indian sari, Middle Eastern abaya.
Economy
● World’s fastest-growing economies: China, India, South Korea.
● Rich in natural resources: oil (Middle East), coal (China, India), gas (Russia).
● Asia is a hub for technology (Japan, South Korea, China), manufacturing, and trade.
● Major financial centers: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai.
Important Facts
● Largest country in Asia: Russia (part in Europe, part in Asia).
● Smallest country in Asia: Maldives (archipelago in the Indian Ocean).
● Most populous country: China (1.4 billion people).
● Asia has 48 countries (recognized by the UN).
Examples of Famous Landmarks
● Great Wall of China (China).
● Taj Mahal (India).
● Petra (Jordan).
● Borobudur Temple (Indonesia).
● Mount Fuji (Japan).
● Angkor Wat (Cambodia).
