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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 estimated 4.8 billion people in 2025 constituted approximately 59% 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 its boundary with 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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Dhammayangyi Temple as seen from the northwest

Dhammayangyi Temple (Burmese: ဓမ္မရံကြီးဘုရား, pronounced [dəma̰jàɰ̃dʑí pʰəjá] ; Pali: Dhammaraṃsi) is a Buddhist temple located in Bagan, Myanmar. Largest of all the temples in Bagan, the Dhammayan, as it is popularly known, was built during the reign of King Narathu (1167-1170). Narathu, who came to the throne by assassinating his father Alaungsithu and his elder brother, presumably built this largest temple to atone for his sins.

The Dhammayangyi is the widest temple in Bagan, and features a layout similar to that of Ananda Temple. Burmese chronicles state that while the construction of the temple was in the process, the king was assassinated by some Indians and thus the temple was not completed. Sinhalese sources however indicate that the king was killed by Sinhalese invaders. (Full article...)

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Featured biography

Andjar, 1930

Abisin Abbas ( Indonesian pronunciation: [aˌbisɪn ˈabas] ; 26 February 1902 – 20 October 1961), better known by his pseudonym Andjar Asmara ( Indonesian pronunciation: [ˌaɲd͡ʒar asˈmara] ), was a dramatist and filmmaker active in the cinema of the Dutch East Indies. Born in Alahan Panjang, West Sumatra, he first worked as a reporter in Batavia (modern-day Jakarta). He became a writer for the Padangsche Opera in Padang, where he developed a new, dialogue-centric style, which later spread throughout the region. After returning to Batavia in 1929, he spent over a year as a theatre and film critic. In 1930 he joined the Dardanella touring troupe as a writer. He went to India in an unsuccessful bid to film his stage play Dr Samsi.

After leaving Dardanella in 1936, Andjar established his own troupe. He also worked at a publishers, writing serials based on successful films. In 1940 he was asked to join The Teng Chun's company, Java Industrial Film, helping with marketing and working as a director for two productions. After the Japanese occupation, during which time he stayed in theatre, Andjar made a brief return to cinema. He directed three films in the late 1940s and wrote four screenplays, which were produced as films in the early 1950s. He published a novel, Noesa Penida (1950). Afterward he worked for the remainder of his life writing serials based on local films and publishing film criticism. Historians recognise him as a pioneer of theatre and one of the first native Indonesian film directors, although he had little creative control of his productions. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 2Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 3the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 4Political map of the world in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 5Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 6The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 7Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 8The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 9Expansion of the Delhi Sultanate (from History of Asia)
Image 10Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 11Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 12Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 13Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 14Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 15Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 16The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 17Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 18Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 19Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 20Expansion of the Mongol Empire 1206–1294 (from History of Asia)
Image 21The 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 22Eunpyeong Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 23Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 24Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 25The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 26The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 27Map of the Qing Empire in 1832 (from History of Asia)
Image 28Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 29The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 30A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 31Some 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 32Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 33Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 34Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 35Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 36Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 37The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)
Image 38Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 39A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 40Detail 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 41Byzantine and Sasanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)
Image 42Language families in South Asia (from Culture 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 44Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 45The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 46Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south. (from History of Asia)
Image 47The Battle of Chinkiang of the First Opium War (from History of Asia)
Image 48East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 49The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 50Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)

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Featured picture

Foot binding

Credit: User:Dschwen

Foot binding was the custom of binding the feet of young girls painfully tight to prevent further growth. The practice probably originated among court dancers in the early Song dynasty, but spread to upper class families and eventually became common among all classes. The tiny narrow feet were considered beautiful and to make a woman's movements more feminine and dainty.

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Did you know...

... that Australia took Japan to the International Court of Justice for its whaling activities near the Australian Antarctic Territory?
... that the painter Abdullah Suriosubroto was adopted by a National Hero of Indonesia?
... that conflicting media coverage of Christian emigration from Israel and Palestine seeks to influence Western Christians?
... that four uninhabited islands triggered a dispute between the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra?
... that Indonesia's first woman sculptor reportedly donated her children's jewellery to support the National Revolution?
... that in 2019 sanitary bins were removed from railway stations in Japan to prevent terrorism?
... that Alan Choe was tasked with developing Queenstown, Singapore's first satellite town, after its British architects left the country in the mid-1950s?
... that novvot, a popular traditional candy in the Middle East and Central Asia, is often served with tea and has roots in Persian cuisine?
... that some Japanese sex workers after World War II organised their own self-defence groups?
... that Priamurye Governorate-General, a Russian colony in East Asia, issued passports in order to segregate East Asian migrants from the general population?

Updated: 1:05, 10 October 2026

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In the news

10 October 2026 –: Dozens of people are injured in a Houthi missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (The Wall Street Journal) (Reuters)
10 October 2026 – Censorship in India: 2026 Delhi Jantar Mantar protests, Sansad Chalo march; Indian authorities are placing New Delhi under an intense security lockdown and have been detaining thousands of demonstrators to block a massive rally that is being organized by the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party. (BBC) (The Guardian) (The New York Times)
9 October 2026 – 2026 Bangladesh measles outbreak: Eight more children in Bangladesh are reported to be killed from measles, bringing the death toll past 1,155. (BSS)
9 October 2026 –: Pope Leo XIV approves Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle's election as dean of the College of Cardinals, making him the first Asian to lead the body that elects a new pope. (Reuters)
8 October 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: 2026 Iran war

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Major Religions in Asia

Middle East (West Asia)

Central Asia

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.