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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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South Malakand Camp, August 1897

The siege of Malakand was the 26 July – 2 August 1897 siege of the British garrison in the Malakand region of colonial British India's North West Frontier Province. The British faced a force of Pashtun tribesmen whose tribal lands had been bisected by the Durand Line, the 1,519 mile (2,445 km) border between Afghanistan and British India drawn up at the end of the Anglo-Afghan wars to help hold back what the British feared to be the Russian Empire's spread of influence towards the Indian subcontinent.

The unrest caused by this division of the Pashtun lands of Afghania led to the rise of Saidullah, a Pashtun faqir who led a great army of at least 10,000 tribesmen of the regional Yusufzai, Mohmand, Uthmankhel, Bunerwal, Swati tribes among others against the British garrison in Malakand. Although the British forces were divided among a number of poorly defended positions, the small garrison at the camp of Malakand South and the small fort at Chakdara were both able to hold out for six days against the much larger Pashtun army. (Full article...)

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Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's republic of Dagestan to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the west, and Iran to the south. Baku is the capital and largest city.

The territory of what is now Azerbaijan was first ruled by Caucasian Albania and later various Persian empires. Until the 19th century, it remained part of Qajar Iran, but the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828 forced the Qajar Empire to cede its Caucasian territories to the Russian Empire; the treaties of Gulistan in 1813 and Turkmenchay in 1828 defined the border between Russia and Iran. The region north of the Aras was part of Iran until it was conquered by Russia in the 19th century, where it was administered as part of the Caucasus Viceroyalty. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Roshan in 2016

Hrithik Roshan (pronounced [ɾɪt̪ɪk ɾoʃən]; born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. He has portrayed a variety of characters and is known for his dancing skills. One of the highest-paid actors in India, he has won many awards, including six Filmfare Awards, of which four were for Best Actor. Starting from 2012, he has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 several times based on his income and popularity.

Roshan has frequently collaborated with his father, Rakesh Roshan. He made brief appearances as a child actor in several films in the 1980s and later worked as an assistant director on four of his father's films. His first leading role was in the box-office success Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), for which he received several awards. Performances in the 2000 terrorism drama Fiza and the 2001 ensemble family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... consolidated his reputation but were followed by several poorly received films. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 2The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 3Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 4Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 5The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)
Image 6A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 7The 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 8Hinduism 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 9The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 10Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 11Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 12Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 13the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 14Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 15A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 16Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 17Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 18Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 19The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 20East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 21The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 22India'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 23Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 24Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 25Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 26Projected GDP of 7 largest economies in 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 27Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 28Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 29Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 30Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 31The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 32Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 33Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 34Detail 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 35Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 36Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 37Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 38The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 39A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 40The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 41Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 42Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 43Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 44Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 45The early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 46The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 47Korean 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 48Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 49The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 50Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 51The 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 52The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 53Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 54Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 55Detail 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 56The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 57The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 58Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 59Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 60A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 61The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 62The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 63Map of Asia for early 20th century (from History of Asia)
Image 64British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 65Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 66Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 67Some 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 68The 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 69Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)

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Featured picture

National Guard (Kyrgyzstan)

Credit: A.Savin

The honor guard of the National Guard standing at attention on Ala-Too Square, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

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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

21 May 2024 – Israel–Hamas War: Israeli incursions in the West Bank during the Israel–Hamas war; The Israeli army launches a raid on the city of Jenin, with sources claiming seven Palestinians were killed. (Reuters); Humanitarian aid during the Israel–Hamas war; The UNRWA suspends food distribution in Rafah due to insecurity and a lack of supplies. (Reuters)
21 May 2024 – Singapore Airlines Flight 321: A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore makes an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after experiencing severe air turbulence over the Bay of Bengal, resulting in one death and at least 30 injured. (BBC News)
21 May 2024 – Censorship in Israel: The Israeli Ministry of Communications seizes broadcasting equipment from the Associated Press (AP News) and halt their live feed of Gaza, accusing them of breaking the new media law by supplying images to Al Jazeera. (AP)

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Related portals

Major Religions in Asia

Middle East

Central Asia and Surroundings

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.