cross-referenced news and research resources about
Asia
Asia is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of EurAsia with the continent of Europe and the continental landmass of Afro-EurAsia with both Europe and Africa. Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometres (17,212,000 sq mi), about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8.7% of the 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. Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population, but also dense and large settlements, as well as vast barely populated regions. Its 4.5 billion people constitute roughly 60% of the world's population.
In general terms, Asia 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 western boundary with Europe is a historical and cultural construct, as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them. The most commonly accepted boundaries place Asia to the east of the Suez Canal, the Ural River, and the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas.
China and India alternated in being the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 CE. China was a major economic power and attracted many to the east, and for many the legendary wealth and prosperity of the ancient culture of India personified Asia, attracting European commerce, exploration and colonialism. The accidental discovery of America by Columbus in search for India demonstrates this deep fascination. 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 (particularly East Asia) 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 Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism (or Daoism), Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastranism, as well as many other religions.
Given its size and diversity, the concept of Asia—a name dating back to classical antiquity—may actually have more to do with human geography than physical geography. Asia varies greatly across and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups, cultures, environments, economics, historical ties and government systems. It also has a mix of many different climates ranging from the equatorial south via the hot desert in the Middle East, temperate areas in the east and the continental centre to vast subarctic and polar areas in Siberia.
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Asia
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complete branch index for:
Asia
national boundaries in Asia
Central Asia
Peoples Republic of China
commerce of Asia
East Asia
Japan
government of Japan
higher education in Japan
Japanese international airports (international airports in Japan)
Japanese military
national security of Japan
nuclear power in Japan
Japanese People
Japanese Prefectures
Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Akita Prefecture, Japan
Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Ehime Prefecture, Japan
Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan
Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Kochi Prefecture, Japan
Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Mie Prefecture, Japan
Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan
Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
Nara Prefecture, Japan
Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Oita Prefecture, Japan
Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Saga Prefecture, Japan
Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Shimane Prefecture, Japan
Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Tottori Prefecture, Japan
Toyama Prefecture, Japan
Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Japanese Royalty
US military bases in Japan
North and South Korea
Mongolia
Republic of China
Asian intergovernmental associations
landforms of Asia
Asians
South East Asian countries
southwestern region of Asia
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Afghanistan analysis
border with Afghanistan
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
commerce of Afghanistan
ethnicity in Afghanistan
(foreign) embassies in Afghanistan
government of Afghanistan
infrastructure in Afghanistan
Afghanistan municipalities (cities, towns and villages)
Northern Alliance
Opium production of Afghanistan
people of Afghanistan
provinces of Afghanistan
Badakhshan
Badghis province, Afghanistan
Baghlan Province, Afghanistan
Balkh
Bamiyan (Bamyan, Bamian) Province, Afghanistan
Daykondi province, Afghanistan
province of Farah
Faryab
city of Gardez
Ghazni
Ghowr
Helmand province, Afghanistan
province of Herat, Afghanistan
Jowzjan
Kabol (Kabul) Province, Afghanistan
Kandahar (Qandahar) Province, Afghanistan
Kapisa
Khost Province, Afghanistan
province of Kunar (Konar), Afghanistan
province of Kunduz (Kondoz), Afghanistan
Laghman Province, Afghanistan
Lowgar (Logar) Province, Afghanistan
Nangarhar
Nimruz
Nuristan province, Afghanistan
Oruzgan (Uruzgan) Province, Afghanistan
Paktia (Pakteya) Province, Afghanistan
Paktika Province, Afghanistan
Panjshir
Parvan
Samangan
Sar-e Pol province
Takhar province
province of Wardagh
province of Zabul
Afghanistan reconstruction
refugee camps in Afghanistan
Afghani guerillas
Afghanistan royalty
Taliban (Taleban, Talaban) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan terrorism
United States military bases in Afghanistan
Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan
Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Tillman, Afghanistan
Camp Vulcan
US base Camp Wright, Afghanistan
fire base Tycze
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Airborne
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Altimur
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Robinson, Afghanistan
US base at Herat, Afghanistan
United States base at Kamdesh
US base at Kandahar
US military base at Maiwand (Maywand), Afghanistan
Firebase Ranch House, Nuristan, Afghanistan
Forward Operating Base (FOB) Salerno, Afghanistan
US detention facilities in Afghanistan
war in Afganistan
Afghanistan warlords
Armenia
Nagorno-Karabakh (Haut-Karabakh) region, South Caucasus
Pashtun frontier
Republic of Turkey
Turkey and chemical weapons
commerce in Turkey
government of Turkey
Turkish colleges and universities
infrastructure of Turkey
cities, towns and villages of Turkey
Adana, Turkey
Aktutun
Turkey\'s capital city, Ankara
Antalya, Turkey
Bayburt, Turkey
Ceyhan, Turkey
Diyarbakir, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey
city of Izmir, Turkey
city of Konya, Turkey
Nemrut, Turkey
Samsun, Turkey
City of Van, Turkey
Turkish non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Ottoman Empire
Turkish People
protests in Turkey
Turkish provinces
terrorism in Turkey
armed conflict in Turkey
South Asia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Jammu & Kashmir
landforms of South Asia
Maldives
Nepal
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Pakistan's borders
commerce (business) of Pakistan
earthquakes in Pakistan
education in Pakistan
floods in Pakistan
government of Pakistan
media in Pakistan
militants (insurgents) in Pakistan
cities, towns & villages of Pakistan
Pakistani city, Abbottabad
Chak Chahzad, Pakistan
Chak Shahzad, Pakistan
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Hyderabad, Pakistan
Jamrud, Pakistan
Karachi
eastern Pakistan city of Lahore
Landi Kotal
Mazar-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Pakistan
Multan
Peshawar, Pakistan
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Sohrab Goth, Pakistan
Sukkur, Pakistan
Wah, Pakistan
Pakistani people (Pakistanis)
Pakistani politics
provinces of Pakistan
Azad Kashmir
Pakistan's Balochistan province
Islamabad
North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan
districts of North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan
Abbottabad
Bannu, NWFP
Battagram District, North-West Frontier Province
district of Buner
Dera Ismail Khan
Dir Lower (Lower Dir) district, NWFP, Pakistan
Dir Upper (Upper Dir), NWFP, Pakistan
Hazara District, NWFP, Pakistan
Malakand
Mardan, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan
district of Swat, NWFP, Pakistan
government of North-West Frontier Province
towns of North-West Frontier province
refugee (relief) camps of NWFP, Pakistan
Punjab Province, Pakistan
Sindh province, Pakistan
Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan
agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Bajaur Agency, FATA, Pakistan
cities, towns & villages of Bajaur, FATA, Pakistan
Baichena
Chenagai (Chingai), Bajaur Agency, FATA
Damadola village, Bajaur, FATA, Pakistan
Enayat Killi (Inayat Kili, Inyatkili), Bajaur
Khar, Bajaur (Bajur) Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Bajaur tehsils
Khyber Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Kurram Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Mohmand Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Orakzai Agency, FATA, Pakistan
Waziristan
Pakistan terrorism
Pakistan, war and armed conflict
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
Sri Lanka
Tibet
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world regions:
cross-references for
asia:
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