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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 kilometres, 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 civilisations. 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. 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.

Since the concept of Asia derives from the term for the eastern region from a European perspective, Asia is the remaining vast area of Eurasia minus Europe. Therefore, Asia is a region where various independent cultures coexist rather than sharing a single culture, and the boundary between Europe is somewhat arbitrary and has moved since its first conception in classical antiquity. The division of Eurasia into two continents reflects East–West cultural differences, some of which vary on a spectrum. (Full article...)

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A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during the late 19th century. Cannons vary in gauge, effective range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees, depending on their intended use on the battlefield. A cannon is a type of heavy artillery weapon. The word cannon is derived from several languages, in which the original definition can usually be translated as tube, cane, or reed.

The earliest known depiction of cannons may have appeared in Song dynasty China as early as the 12th century; however, solid archaeological and documentary evidence of cannons do not appear until the 13th century. In 1288, Yuan dynasty troops are recorded to have used hand cannons in combat, and the earliest extant cannon bearing a date of production comes from the same period. By the end of the 14th century, cannons were widespread throughout Eurasia. (Full article...)

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The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. In the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which are broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. With a population of over 110 million, it is the world's twelfth-most-populous country.

The Philippines is bounded by the South China Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the south. It shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north, Japan to the northeast, Palau to the east and southeast, Indonesia to the south, Malaysia to the southwest, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest. It has diverse ethnicities and a rich culture. Manila is the country's capital, and its most populated city is Quezon City. Both are within Metro Manila. (Full article...)

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Portrait of Oerip, c. 1947

General Raden Oerip Soemohardjo ([urɪp sumɔˈhardʒɔ]; Perfected Spelling: Urip Sumoharjo; 22 February 1893 – 17 November 1948) was an Indonesian general, the first chief of general staff of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and acting Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. He received several awards from the Indonesian government, including the title National Hero of Indonesia in 1964.

Born Moehammad Sidik in Purworejo, Dutch East Indies, Oerip Soemohardjo exhibited leadership skills from an early age. As his parents wanted him to become a regent, after elementary school Oerip was sent to the School for Native Government Employees (id) in Magelang. His mother died during his second year at the school, and Oerip left to undertake military training Koninklijke Militaire Academie in Meester Cornelis, Batavia (modern-day Jatinegara, Jakarta). Upon graduating in 1914, he became a lieutenant in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army; during almost 25 years of service he was stationed on three different islands and promoted several times, eventually becoming the highest-ranking Native officer in the country. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

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Featured picture

Panjshir province

Credit: United States Army

An Afghan elder and his cat sit outside his store at the Anaba bazaar in Panjshir province, Afghanistan, Jan. 2, 2010.

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Did you know...

... that Ding Xuesong was the first female ambassador of the People's Republic of China?
... that in 930, the Qarmatians sacked Mecca, massacred Hajj pilgrims, plundered the Kaaba, and carried off the Black Stone to their homeland in Bahrayn?
... that the flag of North Korea has been mistakenly used by international organisations to represent South Korea?
... that Marshallese chief Kabua Kabua was described as "probably the only person ever to serve as a judge under both the Japanese and U.S. judicial systems"?
... that soldiers participating in an Israeli raid in Masyaf described an explosion that destroyed a missile production facility as "a mini earthquake"?
... that Sun Haiyan is the first Chinese ambassador to Singapore who was not a member of the Foreign Ministry of China?
... that the first silver dollars of the Republic of China were crudely designed mementos?
... that it is debated whether the 1919 kino-drama Righteous Revenge can be considered the first Korean film?
... that the 1961 Indonesian census was the country's first since 1930 and the first since gaining independence from the Netherlands?
... that South Australian Labor premier Des Corcoran was mentioned in despatches for courage and skill in evacuating casualties during the Korean War?

Updated: 21:05, 7 May 2025

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In the news

8 May 2025 –: Five tourists and a pilot are killed, and one other is injured, when a Bell 407 flying from Harsil to Gangotri crashes into a wooded area and falls into a deep gorge near Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand, India. (The Hindu) (NDTV)
7 May 2025 – 2025 India–Pakistan standoff: 2025 India–Pakistan border skirmishes; 2025 India–Pakistan strikes; Indian airstrikes impact multiple locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least 8 people. (Reuters) (India Today); Pakistan launches retaliatory strikes into India and Indian-administered Kashmir, and claims to have destroyed five Indian fighter jets. Three civilians are killed. (The Express Tribune) (Al Jazeera); Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif declares the Indian attacks to be an act of war and vows further retaliation. (ABC News)

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Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Caucasus

Indian Subcontinent

Southeast Asia

East Asia

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Selected panorama

Credit: KennyOMG

The Indus River (locally called Sindhu) is one of the longest rivers in Asia. Originating in the Tibetan Plateau in the vicinity of Lake Manasarovar, the river runs a course through the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, India, towards the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Kashmir and the Hindukush ranges, and then flows in a southerly direction along the entire length of Pakistan to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi in Sindh.