Introduction
The largest and most populated continent in the world, Asia also has impressive geographical features. It has the Earth's highest point (Mount Everest) and lowest point (the Dead Sea). Asia also includes some of the world's wettest, driest, hottest, and coldest places. The continent was the home of the great early civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Indus River valley. The world's major religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism—all began in Asia as well. Today, though many people are farmers and live in small villages, Asia also has enormous cities, including some of the world's largest: Beijing, China; Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; and Delhi, India.
Land
With an area of more than 17 million square miles (44 million square kilometers), Asia stretches from the Arctic Ocean to the equator. It is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean, to the south by the Indian Ocean, to the southwest by the Mediterranean and Black seas, and to the west by Europe. In the southwest, a narrow isthmus, or neck of land, joins Asia to Africa. The boundary between Europe and Asia is generally considered to lie along the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea. The Ural Mountains run through Russia, so Russia is partly in Asia and partly in Europe. In the southeast, the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, as well as many smaller islands, are parts of Asia.
The regions of Asia
Because Asia is so vast it is often discussed in terms of regions. The regions are defined in different ways by different people. Sometimes they are based on geography, sometimes on political boundaries, and sometimes on shared cultural traits. In general, however, the continent can be grouped into six broad regions. They are Southwest, South, Southeast, East, North, and Central Asia.
Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia is made up of 18 countries. Among them are three republics that were once part of the Soviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and seven nations on the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, all at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, are also considered part of Southwest Asia. Jordan, Iraq, and Iran are the remaining countries of this region. Much of the land in Southwest Asia is desert, so most people live around oases or in river valleys. Much of this region is often referred to as the Middle East.
South Asia
South Asia is sometimes called the Indian subcontinent. It contains India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and the island nations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The countries of South Asia are somewhat isolated from the rest of Asia because they are surrounded by high mountains and the ocean. The western parts of the mainland region are extremely dry, but the river valleys in the east provide fertile land for farming.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia includes the mainland countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. In addition, the island nations of Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia are also a part of Southeast Asia. The mainland of Southeast Asia has mountain ranges and river valleys. Most of the people of the region live in the river valleys. Many of the islands in this region are mountainous as well.
East Asia
East Asia includes China, Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia, and Taiwan. China is by far the largest country in the region. It also has the most people. Japan dominates the economy, however, as it is one of the world's most powerful industrialized nations. Mountains and islands are the main geographical features of the region. China is mountainous, though it also has large, cold deserts. Japan is mountainous as well.
Northern Asia
Northern Asia, also called Siberia, is the Asian part of Russia. It consists mostly of frozen plains known as the tundra in the north and swampy forest, or taiga, over most of the region. Because of the harsh climate, few people live in this region. The area is rich in mineral resources, including coal, petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, iron ore, and gold.
Central Asia
Central Asia includes five countries that used to be republics in the Soviet Union. They are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. About three fifths of the region consists of desert land. Kazakhstan, in the north, is part of a vast grassland area known as the steppes. Most of the people of Central Asia are concentrated along the banks of the major river systems or in the foothills of the mountains to the south and southeast.
Mountains
The Himalayas, in South Asia, include Mount Everest, on the border between China and Nepal. Mount Everest is 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) high. Also in the Himalayas, K2, or Mount Godwin Austen, is the world's second-highest peak at 28,251 feet (8,611 meters). Other major ranges include the Hindu Kush, which runs southwest through Afghanistan; the Tian Shan in the northeast; and the Altai in the north.
Deserts
The largest deserts in Asia are the Gobi in Mongolia and China, the Thar Desert in India and Pakistan, and the Takla Makan Desert in China. In general Asia's desert regions are very sparsely populated. One desert area in Saudi Arabia, called the Empty Quarter, has no permanent population.
Rivers and seas
Photograph:A portion of the delta of the Mekong River as it flows through southern Vietnam and empties into …
* A portion of the delta of the Mekong River as it flows through southern Vietnam and empties into …
The longest river in Asia is the Yangtze in China. At 3,915 miles (6,300 kilometers) long, the Yangtze is also the third longest river in the world, after the Nile and the Amazon. Another major river is the Huang He, or Yellow River, also in China. The Ob River in the Asian part of Russia is a long river that flows through Siberia and empties into the Arctic Ocean. In India the Ganges River is important because it is surrounded by highly populated places and is considered holy by the Hindu Indians. In Southeast Asia are the Mekong and Irrawaddy Rivers. The Indus River in India and the Tigris and Euphrates in Southwest Asia were the sites of some of the world's earliest civilizations. Asia also contains the world's largest inland sea, the Caspian Sea.
Climate
The climate of Asia varies greatly. During winter in the north, temperatures sometimes fall below -90° F (-68° C) in Siberia, while summer temperatures have reached 129° F (54° C) in Tirat Tsvi, Israel. Cherrapunji, in India, is one of the world's wettest places, averaging 394 inches (1000 centimeters) of rain per year. Southwest Asia has some of the world's driest deserts. South and Southeast Asia are hot, wet regions with two distinctive seasons: a relatively cool and dry winter and a rainy and hot summer.
Plants and animals
Because of the wide variety of climates and physical features, there are many types of plants in Asia. On the tundra of Siberia, lichens, mosses, and some wildflowers grow. South of the tundra are forests made up of evergreens that can withstand the winter cold. South of these forests are the grasslands of the steppes. In East Asia, China has the most varied vegetation of any country in the world. China and Japan once had large areas of forest. Most of China's has since been cut down. Palm trees and bamboo can be found in the southern parts of China, South Korea, and Japan.
In South and Southeast Asia, rain forest is the primary natural vegetation, though large areas of the forest have been cleared for farming. Southwest Asia is mainly dry and desertlike. However, in the mountain regions of Southwest Asia, such as in Turkey and Iran, there are forests full of beech trees, evergreen trees, hollies, and creepers. Around the edges of the Syrian Desert (the desert that covers much of the Arabian Peninsula), there are many flowers.
Asia's animals are as varied as its plants. For example, along the Arctic coast in Siberia are polar bears and walrus. Also in Northern Asia are moose and reindeer (caribou), while the Gobi is home to wild camels. Reptiles in Asia include salamanders, crocodiles, king cobras, and komodo dragons. In addition, there are some animals that can only be found in Asia. These include the orangutan, giant panda, Asian elephant, Siberian tiger, Bengal tiger, and Indian rhinoceros. However, the population of many animals in Asia has been reduced due to the destruction of animal habitats, uncontrolled hunting, and governments that do not protect wildlife. Tigers, orangutans, and giant pandas are in danger of becoming extinct because their habitats are being destroyed and they are being hunted.
People and culture
Some three fifths of the world's population (about 3.7 billion in 2001) lives in Asia. Southwest Asia contains such peoples as the Arabs, Jews, Iranians, and Turks. South Asia is the home of Indian peoples. Southeast Asia is a melting pot of peoples and cultures that have been strongly influenced by India and China. The main groups of people in East Asia are the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. Northern Asia includes various Asian groups, though many Russians and other Europeans have settled there as well.
Throughout the 20th century, as Asia became more industrial, people moved from villages into towns and cities, where they hoped to find work and better services for their families. By the end of the 1990s at least 90 percent of the people in such countries as Kuwait, Israel, and Singapore lived in cities. In China, Vietnam, and Nepal, however, less than 40 percent lived in cities. The lives of some groups of people had hardly changed for centuries. Yet others saw their countries change greatly in a short space of time due to the arrival of Western culture and industrial methods. One of the problems faced by Asia at the beginning of the 21st century was the fast rate at which its population was increasing. This population increase caused problems such as food, housing, and land shortages for the Asian people.
Language
Because Asia is so large, hundreds of different languages can be heard throughout the continent. Even within individual countries there might be many different languages spoken. In Indonesia more than 250 languages are spoken. Some of the most widely used languages in Asia include Arabic, which is spoken in the Muslim countries of Southwest Asia; Hindi, spoken in India; and Chinese (Mandarin), spoken in China. Because of the number of European countries that controlled parts of Asia in the past, European languages, particularly English, French, and Russian are often used in Asia as well.
Religion
The world's major religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism—all started in Asia. Although these faiths are practiced in all parts of Asia, there are dominant religions in some areas. In Southwest Asia, where Christianity, Judaism, and Islam began, most people follow Islam, though Judaism is the main religion in Israel. Christianity is practiced in Armenia, Cyprus, and Georgia. Russian Orthodox Christianity is the religion of many of the peoples living in Northern Asia (Siberia), though some of the original inhabitants maintain their traditional religious beliefs and practices.
Although the Chinese government has discouraged the practice of religion, many Chinese follow Buddhism and Taoism. Buddhism and Shinto are the main religions in Japan. Buddhism is widespread in South Korea, as is Christianity. In Southeast Asia, Buddhism is the leading religion, though Islam is prominent in Indonesia and Malaysia. Finally, in South Asia, Hinduism is the main religion in India and Nepal, while Islam dominates in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.
Education and health
Apart from Israel, Japan, and Singapore, which have excellent education and health care systems, most of Asia is still developing, and many Asians are poor. The living standards of many people are behind those in the Western world. Malnutrition is common, and health and education services are limited and generally more available in cities than in country areas. Educational standards vary. Almost everyone in Japan can read and write. In Nepal, however, only about one fourth of the population can do so.
Economy
Asia has one of the world's richest countries as well as some of the poorest. The economy of Japan is by far the most advanced in Asia. As other countries have worked to develop industries and other sources of income, they have prospered as well. Nepal and some of the nations of Central Asia are still among the poorest in the world. As a whole, however, Asia experienced steady economic growth through the last decades of the 20th century.
Agriculture
Agriculture is an important part of many economies in Asia. Most of the land is not suitable for farming, but farmers tend to congregate near land in which crops can be grown. For example, in South Asia, particularly in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, many people live on the plains near where rivers flow. The river water is used to irrigate the land for crops. The crops grown in these places vary depending on the climate, though wheat, corn, and rice are common. In East Asia, many types of crops are grown, such as the rice, wheat, millet, barley, corn, soybeans, tea, and cotton typically grown in China. In places like Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam on the mainland of Southeast Asia, rice is an important crop as well. In the island nations of Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia, common crops include rice, sugarcane, corn (maize), and coffee.
Sheep and goats are raised for meat and wool in nearly all the countries of Asia. In Central Asia and parts of the Southwest, nomads, or people with no settled home, raise herds of camels in addition to sheep and goats.
Forestry and fishing
Photograph:Raft of logs on the Irrawaddy River, Mandalay, Myanmar.
* Raft of logs on the Irrawaddy River, Mandalay, Myanmar.
About one sixth of Asia's land is forested. Most of the wood that is harvested and sold to other countries comes from Siberia, China, Myanmar, and Southeast Asia. Forestry is important to the economies of these regions, but because so many trees have been cut down some people are concerned about the survival of the forests. As a result, some countries, such as Sri Lanka, have banned logging in certain areas. In addition, many countries, including China, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Malaysia have planted large areas of new trees.
Much of the Asian population has traditionally relied upon fishing as an occupation. Most of the fishing is traditional and is done in small boats that stay close to shore. Japan and Russia have Asia's largest and most highly developed oceangoing fishing industries. China, Indonesia, and India also produce large amounts of fish. In addition to traditional methods of fishing, aquaculture, or fish farming, is common in Asia.
Natural resources
Asia has large reserves of almost every important mineral. Some of these resources are mined and used, but some of them are in areas that are hard to reach so they remain untouched. This is particularly true in Siberia, which has vast amounts of petroleum, coal, natural gas, and iron ore. The continent has nearly three fifths of the world's reserves of coal, mostly in China, Siberia, and India. In Southwest Asia, though many people still make their living by farming, the region's main resource is oil. Major oil producers in the region include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Azerbaijan also has oilfields. Asia also produces a large percentage of the world's tin, tungsten, and refined zinc.
Industry
Asia's industrialized countries use the continent's resources to make a wide variety of products. Japan is the most industrialized country in Asia. The country's high levels of production equal or surpass those of many Western countries. Industrialization has also changed the way of life in South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. China and parts of South and Southeast Asia began developing their industries in the last decades of the 20th century. New factories and improved communications helped China to emerge as a major world power.
South and Southeast Asia produce traditional goods such as textiles, but in addition, new factories now manufacture technology products such as computers and software. Industries related to the processing of oil and gas have grown up in Southwest and Central Asia.
History
Thousands of years ago Asia was home to three of the world's first civilizations. Sometime after about 8000 BC, people who had roamed around the region as hunters and gatherers began to settle in one place and farm the land. These farmers eventually joined together to form societies. They developed written languages and built large cities. The region of Mesopotamia in Southwest Asia was the first to create such a society, in about 4500 BC. Next, the civilization of the Indus River valley region in what is now Pakistan is believed to have been established by about 2500 BC. Historians believe that Chinese civilization began in the valley of the Huang He, or Yellow River, in what is now northern China in about 2500 BC as well.
Regional growth
Southwest Asia
The influence of these civilizations spread throughout the continent. The civilizations themselves changed as they were taken over by other groups. The Mesopotamian kingdoms became part of the Greek and Persian worlds. In the 7th century AD the religion of Islam was founded in nearby Arabia. It soon became a powerful force in the region. Arab Muslims took over Mesopotamia and then spread into other parts of Asia.
South Asia
In South Asia the Indus Valley civilization died out in about 1700 BC. At about this same time a group of people known as Aryans invaded the region and established a new culture. The religion that they brought with them evolved into Hinduism. In about the 5th century BC Buddhism was founded in India as well. Buddhism later spread to China, Korea, and Japan. In India Hinduism eventually became the dominant religion. The Mauryan Empire united South Asia from the 4th to the 2nd century BC, but otherwise the region was divided into small kingdoms. In about the 11th century AD Muslim invaders took over the region.
East Asia
In East Asia, the Chinese culture dominated the region and influenced the cultures of Korea and Japan. China was ruled by a series of dynasties beginning in about the 18th century BC. At first it consisted of only a small area. Over time, China gained more and more territory. It had to fight to keep that land, however. The greatest threat came from nomadic, or wandering, tribes who lived on the grasslands of the steppes of Northern and Central Asia. It was in part to keep them out that the Chinese rulers built the Great Wall of China.
Mongol invasion
These peoples invaded other lands in addition to China. They were organized into the Mongol Empire by Genghis Khan in about 1206. The Mongols eventually established a vast empire that stretched from the Korean peninsula to Eastern Europe and covered most of Asia except for South and Southeastern Asia. It lasted until the 15th century.
European contact
During this period the European adventurer Marco Polo journeyed to China. He followed an ancient trade route called the Silk Road. This road had been used in the past to spread cultures and trade between Europe and Asia and from one part of Asia to another. When Marco Polo returned to Europe his stories about the great wealth and civilizations of Asia caused Europeans to become interested in the continent.
At the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries, Europeans began to arrive in Asia. Europeans soon realized that they could make money off of the vast wealth of Asia. To control Asia's resources, Europeans conquered and made colonies of many Asian countries. While this colonization allowed Asian countries to have contact with new ideas, many Asian countries saw their wealth being destroyed by the Europeans. The one notable exception to this was Japan, which deliberately cut off contact with the rest of the world from the mid-17th to the 19th century. This allowed them to develop independently of the rest of the continent.
20th century
By the end of World War II (1939–45), the colonized Asian countries began to seek independence either peacefully or violently. The first major Asian colony to gain independence was India, in 1947. The British had controlled most of South Asia since the mid-18th century. They left India peacefully, though fighting had occurred for many years before their departure. Because of conflict between Muslims and Hindus, India was divided into Hindu-dominated India and Muslim Pakistan. The relationship between these two countries remains tense.
In Southeast Asia in the 1950s, France fought to keep control of the colonies it had in the region. However, after being defeated in the battle of Dienbienphu in Vietnam, France withdrew in 1954. Most of the countries of Central Asia were part of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union until the early 1990s. They gained their independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
China went through major changes in the 20th century also. In 1912 the dynastic system finally came to an end, and the country became a republic. In 1949 a civil war occurred there between two groups: the Communists and the Nationalists. When the Communists won this civil war, Communism began to spread to other countries in the region. Korea and Vietnam both experienced civil wars as Communists in those countries fought for control of the government. Other countries around the world, such as the United States and Britain, fought against the Communists in these civil wars. The Korean War resulted in the separation of Korea into North Korea and South Korea. The Vietnam War resulted in a Communist government for the whole country.
In Southwest Asia the state of Israel was created in 1948 as a homeland for Jewish people. From the moment of its creation, Israel was opposed by Arab countries, which led to the Arab-Israeli Wars. The conflicts in this region continued into the 21st century. Southwest Asia was the site of several other conflicts as well. Iran and Iraq fought a war from 1980 to 1988. In 1990 Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait. This touched off the Persian Gulf War of 1991.
In the last half of the 20th century many Asian countries continued to deal with problems left over from European occupation of the continent. The boundaries that the European countries had created for their colonies did not always match the natural divisions of peoples, cultures, and physical regions. When the colonies gained independence they kept those boundaries but there were often tensions between the people who had been forced to live together. At the same time, however, Asian countries worked hard to improve their economies.
