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	{{otheruses}}

	<div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 2em; width: 20em; text-align: right; font-size: 0.86em; line-height: normal;"><!-- start of floated right section -->
	<div style="border: 1px solid #ccd2d9; background: #f0f6fa; text-align: left; padding: 0.5em 1em; text-align: center;"><!-- start of slate grey box -->
	<big>'''Asia'''</big>
	<div align=center>
	]
	</div>
	{\| style="background: transparent; text-align: left; table-layout: auto; border-collapse: collapse; padding: 0; font-size: 100%;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Area
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{km2 to sq mi\|44579000\|precision=-3\|abbr=yes}}
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Population
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| 3,879,000,000 (])<ref>List of continents by population </ref>
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Density
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| 89/km² (226/sq mi)
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| ]
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| Asian
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| No. of countries
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| 37
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Countries
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{Collapsible list \|title=] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|]\|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|]}}
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Dependencies
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{Collapsible list \|title=] \|] \|] \|] \|]}}
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Unrecognized Republics & Regions
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{Collapsible list \|title=] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] }}
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Languages
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{Collapsible list \|title=] \| more than 50 million native speakers: \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \| \|] \|] \|] \|] \|]\|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \| \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \| \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|]}}
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Time Zones
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{Collapsible list \|title=] to ] \| ] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|]}}
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Internet ]
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| ], ]
	\|-
	! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" \| Largest Cities
	\| style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top" \| {{Collapsible list \|title=] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] \|] }}
	\|-
	\|}
	</div><!-- --> </div>

	'''Asia''' is the world's largest and most populous ]. It covers 8.6% of the ]'s total surface area (or 29.4% of its land area) and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current ]. Chiefly in the ] and ]s, Asia is traditionally defined as part of the ] of ]—with the western portion of the latter occupied by ]—lying east of the ], ] of the ], and south of the ] and the ] and ]s. It is bounded on the east by the ], on the south by the ], and on the north by the ]. Given its size and diversity, Asia—a ] dating back to ]—is more a ] incorporating a number of ]s and peoples than a ]<ref>"". '']''. 2006. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.</ref><ref name=McG-H>"". ''].'' 2006. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc.</ref> (see '']'', '']'').

	==Etymology==
	{{wiktionary\|Asia}}
	The word ''Asia'' originated from the Ancient Greek word "Ἀσία", first attributed to ] (about 440 BC) in reference to ] or, for the purposes of describing the Persian Wars, to the Persian Empire, in contrast to ] and ]. Herodotus comments that he is puzzled as to why three women's names are used to describe one enormous and substantial land mass (], ], and ], referring to ]), stating that most Greeks assumed that Asia was named after the wife of ] but that the Lydians say it was named after ], son of Cotys who passed the name on to a tribe in Sardis.

	Even before Herodotus, ] knew of a Trojan ally named ] and elsewhere he describes a marsh as ασιος (Iliad 2, 461). The ] term may be derived from ], a 14th century BC confederation of states in Western ]. Hittite ''assu-''—"good" is probably an element in that name.

	Alternatively, the ] of the term may be from the ] word ''{{Unicode\|(w)aṣû(m)}}'', which means "to go outside" or "to ascend", referring to the direction of the ] at sunrise in the ], and also likely connected with the Phoenician word ''asa'' meaning east. This may be contrasted to a similar etymology proposed for ''Europe'', as being from Akkadian ''erēbu(m)'' "to enter" or "set" (of the sun). However, this etymology is considered doubtful, because it does not explain how the term "Asia" first came to be associated with Anatolia, which is ''west'' of the Semitic-speaking areas, unless they refer to the viewpoint of a ]n sailor sailing through the straits between the ] and the Black Sea.

	It is interesting to note, in Icelandic Saga, ancient ] separated Asia from Europe by the river Tanakvisl (or Vanakvisl), which flows into the Black Sea. Eastward across the River (in Asia), so legend tells, was a land known as Asaheim or Asaland, where dwelt ], chief god, in his citadel named Asgard.<ref>Rydberg, Viktor. ''Teutonic Mythology: Gods and Goddesses of the Northland'', London: Norroena Society, 1907. pp.33-34</ref> However, '']'' and all its forms are related to Sanskrit '']'' and Avestan '']'', the ].

	==Definition and boundaries==
	===Physical geography===
	:''See also: ], ], ]
	] of Asia (excluding ]).]]
	] of Asia.]]

	Medieval ] considered Asia as a continent – a distinct landmass. The European concept of the three continents in the ] goes back to ], but during the Middle Ages was notably due to ] (see ]). The demarcation between Asia and Africa (to the southwest) is the ] of Suez and the ]. The boundary between Asia and ] is conventionally considered to run through the ], the ], the ], the Black Sea, the Caucasus Mountains, the Caspian Sea, the ] to its source, and the Ural Mountains to the ] near Kara, ]. While this interpretation of tripartite continents (i.e., of Asia, Europe, and Africa) remains common in modernity, discovery of the extent of Africa and Asia have made this definition somewhat anachronistic. This is especially true in the case of Asia, which would have several ] that would be considered distinct landmasses if these criteria were used (for example, ] and ]).

	In the far northeast of Asia, ] is separated from ] by the ]. Asia is bounded on the south by the ] (specifically, from west to east, the ], ], and ]); on the east by the waters of the ] (including, counterclockwise, the ], ], ], ], ], and ]); and on the north by the ]. ] (or ]) is to the southeast.

	Some geographers do not consider Asia and Europe to be separate continents,<ref>"." '']''. 2007.</ref> as there is no logical physical separation between them.<ref name=McG-H /> Geographically, Asia is the major eastern constituent of the continent of Eurasia – with Europe being a northwestern ] of the landmass – or of ]: geologically, Asia, Europe, and Africa comprise a single continuous landmass (save the Suez Canal) and share a common ]. Almost all of Europe and most of Asia sit atop the ], adjoined on the south by the ] and ]s, and with the easternmost part of Siberia (east of the ]) on the ].

	In geography, there are two schools of thought. One school follows historical convention and treats Europe and Asia as different continents, categorizing ]s within them for more detailed analysis. The other school equates the word "continent" with a geographical region when referring to Europe, and use the term "region" to describe Asia in terms of physiography. Since, in linguistic terms, "continent" implies a distinct landmass, it is becoming increasingly common to substitute the term "region" for "continent" to avoid the problem of disambiguation altogether.

	Given the scope and diversity of the landmass, it is sometimes not even clear exactly what "Asia" consists of. Some definitions exclude ], the Middle East, ], and Russia while only considering the Far East, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent to compose Asia,<ref>Welty, Paul Thomas. ''The Asians Their Evolving Heritage,'' 6th ed., p. 21. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1984. ISBN 0-06-047001-1.</ref><ref>World University Service of Canada. Asia-WUSC WorldWide. 2006. October 7, 2006. <http://www.wusc.ca/expertise/worldwide/asia/>.</ref> especially in the United States after World War II.<ref>Menon, Sridevi. Duke University. "Where is West Asia in Asian America?Asia and the Politics of Space in Asian America." 2004. April 26, 2007. page 71 </ref> The term is sometimes used more strictly in reference to the ] region, which does not include the Middle East or Russia,<ref>BBC News 2006. September 9, 2006. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/>.</ref> but does include islands in the Pacific Ocean—a number of which may also be considered part of ] or ], although Pacific Islanders are commonly not considered Asian.<ref>American Heritage Book of English Usage. Asian. 1996. September 29, 2006. <http://www.bartleby.com/64/C006/007.html>.</ref>

	===Political geography===
	{{Asia.png\|float=left}}
	{{-}}

	==="Asian" as a demonym===
	:''See also: ].''
	The ] "]" is often used colloquially to refer to people from a subregion of Asia instead of for anyone from Asia. Thus, in ], "Asian" can mean ], but may also refer to other Asian groups.<ref>Color Q World. Clarifying the Definition of Asian. 2005. October 1, 2006. <http://www.colorq.org/PetSins/article.asp?y=2005&m=5&x=5_7>.</ref> In the ], "]" can mean ]s, due to the historical and cultural influences of ] and ] on the U.S. up to the 1960s and in preference to the terms "]" and "Asiatic". However, the term is increasingly taken to include ]s and ]s, due to the increasing numbers of them.<ref> Accessed ]-].</ref>

	==Territories and regions==
	<!--{{editnote \| NOTE: The countries in this table are categorized according to the scheme for geographic subregions used by the United Nations etc., and data included are per sources in cross-referenced articles. Where they differ, provisos are clearly indicated. If you have arguments or evidence to the contrary, please provide them on the talk page and await until the consensus supports making proposed edits. Thank you!}}-->
	] subregions of Asia:
	{{legend\|#FA8072\|Eastern Asia}}
	{{legend\|#9370DB\|Central Asia}}
	{{legend\|#FFA500\|Southern Asia}}
	{{legend\|#90EE90\|Southeastern Asia}}
	{{legend\|#F0E68C\|Western Asia}}
	{{legend\|#6495ED\|Russia (Asia)}}]]
	<div style="clear:both"/>
	{\| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="border:1px solid #aaa; border-collapse:collapse"
	\|- bgcolor="#ECECEC"
	! Name of ]<ref>  Continental regions as per ], except 12. Depending on definitions, various territories cited below (notes 6, 11-13, 15, 17-19, 21-23) may be in ] Asia and ], Africa, or ].<br/></ref> and<br/>territory, with ]
	! ]<br/>(km²)
	! ]<br/>(1 July 2008 est.)
	! ]<br/>(per km²)
	! ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Kazakhstan}}<ref>  ] is sometimes considered a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe; population and area figures are for Asian portion only.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 2,346,927
	\| align="right" \| 15,340,533
	\| align="right" \| 5.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Kyrgyzstan}}
	\| align="right" \| 198,500
	\| align="right" \| 5,356,869
	\| align="right" \| 24.3
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Tajikistan}}
	\| align="right" \| 143,100
	\| align="right" \| 7,211,884
	\| align="right" \| 47.0
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Turkmenistan}}
	\| align="right" \| 488,100
	\| align="right" \| 5,179,573
	\| align="right" \| 9.6
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Uzbekistan}}
	\| align="right" \| 447,400
	\| align="right" \| 28,268,441
	\| align="right" \| 57.1
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|People's Republic of China}}<ref>  The ] is commonly known as simply "China", which is subsumed by the ]. Figures given are for ] only, and do not include ], ], and ].<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 9,584,492
	\| align="right" \| 1,322,044,605
	\| align="right" \| 134.0
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Hong Kong}} <ref>  ] is a ] (SAR) of the PRC.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 1,092
	\| align="right" \| 7,903,334
	\| align="right" \| 6,688.0
	\| —
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Japan}}
	\| align="right" \| 377,835
	\| align="right" \| 127,288,628
	\| align="right" \| 336.1
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Macau}} <ref>  ] is a ] (SAR) of the PRC.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 25
	\| align="right" \| 460,823
	\| align="right" \| 18,473.3
	\| —
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Mongolia}}
	\| align="right" \| 1,565,000
	\| align="right" \| 2,996,082
	\| align="right" \| 1.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|North Korea}}
	\| align="right" \| 120,540
	\| align="right" \| 23,479,095
	\| align="right" \| 184.4
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|South Korea}}
	\| align="right" \| 98,480
	\| align="right" \| 49,232,844
	\| align="right" \| 490.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|ROC\|name=Republic of China (Taiwan)}}<ref>  Figures are for ] under the ''de facto'' control of the ] (ROC) government, commonly referred to as ]. Claimed in whole by the PRC; see ].<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 35,980
	\| align="right" \| 22,920,946
	\| align="right" \| 626.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Egypt}}<ref>  ] is generally considered a transcontinental country in Northern Africa and Western Asia; population and area figures are for Asian portion only, east of the ] (]).<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 980,869
	\| align="right" \| 81,713,517
	\| align="right" \| 21.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Russia}}<ref>  ] is a ]; population and area figures are for Asian portion only.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 13,115,200
	\| align="right" \| 140,702,092
	\| align="right" \| 3.0
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''<ref name="ccau">Excludes ] and ] (] in the ] southwest of ]).<br/></ref>
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Brunei}}
	\| align="right" \| 5,770
	\| align="right" \| 381,371
	\| align="right" \| 60.8
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Cambodia}}
	\| align="right" \| 181,040
	\| align="right" \| 14,241,640
	\| align="right" \| 70.6
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|East Timor\|name=East Timor (Timor-Leste)}}<ref>  ] is often considered a transcontinental country in Southeastern Asia and ].<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 15,007
	\| align="right" \| 1,108,777
	\| align="right" \| 63.5
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Indonesia}}<ref>  ] is often considered a transcontinental country in Southeastern Asia and ]; figures do not include ] and ], frequently reckoned in Oceania (]/]).<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 1,419,588
	\| align="right" \| 237,512,355
	\| align="right" \| 159.9
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Laos}}
	\| align="right" \| 236,800
	\| align="right" \| 6,677,534
	\| align="right" \| 24.4
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Malaysia}}
	\| align="right" \| 329,750
	\| align="right" \| 25,274,135
	\| align="right" \| 68.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Myanmar\|name=Myanmar (Burma)}}
	\| align="right" \| 678,500
	\| align="right" \| 47,758,224
	\| align="right" \| 62.3
	\| ]<ref>  The administrative capital of ] was officially moved from ] to a militarised greenfield just west of ] on 6 November 2005.</ref>
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Philippines}}
	\| align="right" \| 300,000
	\| align="right" \| 92,681,453
	\| align="right" \| 281.8
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Singapore}}
	\| align="right" \| 704
	\| align="right" \| 4,608,167
	\| align="right" \| 6,369.0
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Thailand}}
	\| align="right" \| 514,000
	\| align="right" \| 65,493,298
	\| align="right" \| 121.3
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Vietnam}}
	\| align="right" \| 331,690
	\| align="right" \| 86,116,559
	\| align="right" \| 246.1
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Afghanistan}}
	\| align="right" \| 647,500
	\| align="right" \| 32,738,775
	\| align="right" \| 42.9
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Bangladesh}}
	\| align="right" \| 144,000
	\| align="right" \| 153,546,901
	\| align="right" \| 926.2
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Bhutan}}
	\| align="right" \| 47,000
	\| align="right" \| 682,321
	\| align="right" \| 14.3
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|India}}<ref>  Includes ], a contested territory among India, ], and the ].<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 3,167,590
	\| align="right" \| 1,147,995,226
	\| align="right" \| 318.2
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Iran}}<!--{{editnote \| NOTE: Do not alter or move this entry without discussion -- in the UN scheme for countries/regions (used in the table), Iran is in Southern Asia, not Western Asia.}}-->
	\| align="right" \| 1,648,195
	\| align="right" \| 65,875,223
	\| align="right" \| 42
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Maldives}}
	\| align="right" \| 300
	\| align="right" \| 379,174
	\| align="right" \| 1,067.2
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Nepal}}
	\| align="right" \| 140,800
	\| align="right" \| 29,519,114
	\| align="right" \| 183.8
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Pakistan}}
	\| align="right" \| 803,940
	\| align="right" \| 167,762,049
	\| align="right" \| 183.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Sri Lanka}}
	\| align="right" \| 65,610
	\| align="right" \| 21,128,773
	\| align="right" \| 298.4
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| colspan=5 style="background:#eee;" \| ''']:'''
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Armenia}}<ref>  ] is sometimes considered a transcontinental country: physiographically in ], it has historical and sociopolitical connections with Europe.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 29,800
	\| align="right" \| 2,968,586
	\| align="right" \| 111.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Azerbaijan}}<ref>  ] is often considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia and Eastern Europe; population and area figures are for Asian portion only. Figures include ], an autonomous ] of Azerbaijan bordered by ], ], and ].<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 46,870
	\| align="right" \| 3,845,127
	\| align="right" \| 82.0
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Bahrain}}
	\| align="right" \| 665
	\| align="right" \| 718,306
	\| align="right" \| 987.1
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Cyprus}}<ref>  The island of ] is sometimes considered a transcontinental territory: in the Eastern Basin of the ] south of ], it has historical and socio-political connections with Europe. The ] (TRNC), distinct from the ''de jure'' Republic of Cyprus in the south (with a predominantly Greek population), is recognized only by Turkey.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 9,250
	\| align="right" \| 792,604
	\| align="right" \| 83.9
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flagicon\|Palestine}} ]<ref name = "Palestine">  ] and ], collectively referred to as the "Occupied Palestinian Territory" by the UN, are ] partially occupied by ] but under ''de facto'' administration of the ].<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 363
	\| align="right" \| 1,537,269
	\| align="right" \| 3,315.7
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Georgia}}<ref>  ] is often considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia and Eastern Europe; population and area figures are for Asian portion only.<br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 20,460
	\| align="right" \| 4,630,841
	\| align="right" \| 99.3
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Iraq}}
	\| align="right" \| 437,072
	\| align="right" \| 28,221,181
	\| align="right" \| 54.9
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Israel}}
	\| align="right" \| 20,770
	\| align="right" \| 7,112,359
	\| align="right" \| 290.3
	\| ]<ref>In 1980, ] was proclaimed Israel's united capital, following its annexation of Arab-dominant ] during the ]. The ] and many countries do not recognize this claim, with most countries maintaining embassies in ] instead.</ref>
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Jordan}}
	\| align="right" \| 92,300
	\| align="right" \| 6,198,677
	\| align="right" \| 57.5
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Kuwait}}
	\| align="right" \| 17,820
	\| align="right" \| 2,596,561
	\| align="right" \| 118.5
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Lebanon}}
	\| align="right" \| 10,452
	\| align="right" \| 3,971,941
	\| align="right" \| 353.6
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Oman}}
	\| align="right" \| 212,460
	\| align="right" \| 3,311,640
	\| align="right" \| 12.8
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Qatar}}
	\| align="right" \| 11,437
	\| align="right" \| 928,635
	\| align="right" \| 69.4
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Saudi Arabia}}
	\| align="right" \| 1,960,582
	\| align="right" \| 23,513,330
	\| align="right" \| 12.0
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Syria}}
	\| align="right" \| 185,180
	\| align="right" \| 19,747,586
	\| align="right" \| 92.6
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Turkey}}<ref>  ] is generally considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia and Southern Europe; population and area figures are for Asian portion only, excluding all of ].</small><br/></ref>
	\| align="right" \| 756,768
	\| align="right" \| 71,892,807
	\| align="right" \| 76.5
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|United Arab Emirates}}
	\| align="right" \| 82,880
	\| align="right" \| 4,621,399
	\| align="right" \| 29.5
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| {{flagicon\|Palestine}} ]<ref name = "Palestine"/>
	\| align="right" \| 5,860
	\| align="right" \| 2,611,904
	\| align="right" \| 393.1
	\| —
	\|-
	\| {{flag\|Yemen}}
	\| align="right" \| 527,970
	\| align="right" \| 23,013,376
	\| align="right" \| 35.4
	\| ]
	\|-
	\|- style=" font-weight:bold; "
	\| Total
	\| align="right" \| 43,810,582
	\| align="right" \| 4,050,404,193
	\| align="right" \| 89.07
	\|}

	See Also: ]

	===Country name changes===
	Various Asian countries have undergone name changes during the previous century as the result of consolidations, ]s, territories gaining ], and ]s.

	{\|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%"
	! Previous Name !! Year !! Current Name
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1971
	\| ], People's Republic of
	\|-
	\| ], Democratic
	\| 1975
	\| ], Kingdom of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1911
	\| ], Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1975
	\| ], Democratic Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1949
	\| ], Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1935
	\| ], Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1946
	\| ], Kingdom of
	\|-
	\| ] (USSR)
	\| 1991
	\| ], Republic
	\|-
	\| ], ], ] and ]
	\| 1963
	\| ] and ]
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1989
	\| ], Union of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1971
	\| ], Sultanate of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1971
	\| ], Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]-], The Kingdom of
	\| 1932
	\| ], Kingdom of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1970
	\| ], People's Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1972
	\| ], Democratic Socialist Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1991
	\| ], Republic of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1939
	\| ], Kingdom of
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1923
	\| ], Republic of
	\|-
	\| ] (USSR)
	\| 1991
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| ] & ]
	\| 1971
	\| ]
	\|-
	\| ]
	\| 1949
	\| ], Socialist Republic of
	\|-
	\| ], People's Democratic & ]
	\| 1970
	\| ], Republic of
	\|}

	==Economy==
	{{update}}
	{\| class="wikitable" style="width:300px;margin-left:1.5em;" align="right"
	\|+ <big>'''Economy of Asia'''</big><br/><small>During 2003 unless otherwise stated</small>
	\|-
	\|Population:
	\| 3,958,768,100 (2006 Estimate)
	\|-
	\|] (]):
	\|]18.077 trillion
	\|-
	\|] (]):
	\| $8.782 trillion
	\|-
	\|GDP/capita (]):
	\| $4,518
	\|-
	\|GDP/capita (]):
	\| $2,143
	\|-
	\| ]s:
	\| 2.0 million (0.05%)
	\|-
	\| align="center" colspan="2" \| <small>Most numbers are from the ] from 2002, some numbers exclude certain countries for lack of information.</small>
	\|-
	\| align="center" colspan="2" \| {{World economy infobox footer}}
	\|}
	{{main\|Economy of Asia}}

	Asia has the third largest ] GDP of all continents, after North America and Europe, but the largest when measured in ]. As of 2007, the largest national economy within Asia, in terms of ] (GDP), is that of ] followed by that of ], ], ] and ]. However, in nominal (exchange value) terms, they rank as follows: Japan, China, India, South Korea, ], ], ]. Since the 1960s, South Korea had maintained the highest economic growth rate in Asia, nicknamed as an ], becoming a ] in the 1980s and a ] by the 21st century. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the economies of the PRC<ref>, Legal Issues of Economic Integration, Kluwer Law International, Volume 33, Number 3, pp. 263-304, 2006. by </ref> and India have been growing rapidly, both with an average annual growth rate of more than 8%. Other recent very high growth nations in Asia include the ], ], ], ], ] and mineral-rich nations such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].

	Historically, Japan has had the largest economy in Asia and second-largest of any single nation in the world, after surpassing the ] (measured in net material product) in 1986 and ] in 1968. (NB: A number of supernational economies are larger, such as the ] (EU), the ] (NAFTA) or ]). In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Japan's GDP was almost as large (current exchange rate method) as that of the rest of Asia combined. In 1995, Japan's economy nearly equalled that of the USA to tie as the largest economy in the world for a day, after the Japanese currency reached a record high of 79 ]. Economic growth in Asia since ] to the 1990s had been concentrated in the four countries of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore located in the ], known as the ], which have now all received developed country status, having the highest ] in Asia.

	It is forecast that the People's Republic of China will surpass Japan to have the largest nominal and PPP-adjusted GDP in Asia within a decade. India is also forecast to overtake Japan in terms of Nominal GDP by 2020.<ref>. Retrieved on April 12, 2007.</ref> In terms of GDP per capita, both nominal and PPP-adjusted, South Korea will become the second wealthiest country in Asia by 2025, overtaking ], the ] and ]. By 2050, it is expected that China will have the largest economy in the world and Asia, followed by India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

	===Trade blocs===
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]

	===Natural resources===
	Asia is the largest continent in the ] by a considerable margin, and it is rich in natural resources, such as ] ]s, fish, water, and metal.

	===Manufacturing===
	Manufacturing in Asia has traditionally been strongest in East and Southeast Asia, particularly in mainland China, ], Japan, South Korea and ]. Japan and South Korea continue to dominate in the area of ], but increasingly mainland China, Taiwan, and India are making significant inroads. Many companies from ], North America, South Korea and Japan have operations in Asia's developing countries to take advantage of its abundant supply of cheap labour and relatively developed infrastructure.

	===Financial and other services===
	Asia has four main financial centres: ], ], ], and ]. ] is growing fast as a financial hub for ]. ]s and ] (BPOs) are becoming major employers in India and the Philippines due to the availability of a large pool of highly-skilled, ] workers. The increased use of ] has assisted the rise of India and the People's Republic of China as financial centres. Due to its large and extremely competitive ] industry, India has become a major hub for '''outsourcing'''.

	==Early history==
	{{main\|History of Asia}}
	]
	The history of Asia can be seen as the distinct histories of several peripheral coastal regions: East Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East, linked by the interior mass of the ] ].

	The coastal periphery was home to some of the world's earliest known civilizations, each of them developing around fertile river valleys. The civilizations in ], the ], and the ] shared many similarities. These civilizations may well have exchanged technologies and ideas such as ] and the wheel. Other innovations, such as writing, seem to have been developed individually in each area. Cities, states, and empires developed in these lowlands.

	The central steppe region had long been inhabited by horse-mounted nomads who could reach all areas of Asia from the steppes. The earliest postulated expansion out of the steppe is that of the ], who spread their languages into the Middle East, South Asia, and the borders of China, where the ] resided. The northernmost part of Asia, including much of Siberia, was largely inaccessible to the steppe nomads, owing to the dense forests, climate, and ]. These areas remained very sparsely populated.

	The center and the peripheries were mostly kept separated by mountains and deserts. The ] and ] mountains and the ] and ] deserts formed barriers that the steppe horsemen could cross only with difficulty. While the urban city dwellers were more advanced technologically and socially, in many cases they could do little in a military aspect to defend against the mounted hordes of the steppe. However, the lowlands did not have enough open grasslands to support a large horsebound force; for this and other reasons, the nomads who conquered states in China, India, and the Middle East often found themselves adapting to the local, more affluent societies.

	==Languages and literature==
	{{main\|Languages of Asia}}
	Asia is home to several ] and many ]s. Most Asian countries have more than one language that is natively spoken. For instance, according to ], more than 600 languages are spoken in Indonesia, more than 415 languages spoken in India, and more than 100 are spoken in the Philippines. The People's Republic of China has many languages and dialects in different provinces.

	===Nobel prizes===

	]]]

	The ] ], a ] ], ]tist, and ] from ], now in ], India, became in 1913 the first Asian ]. He won his ] for notable impact his prose works and poetic thought had on ], ], and other national literatures of ] and the ]. He is also the writer of the national anthems of Bangladesh and India.

	Tagore is said to have named another Bengali Indian Nobel prize winner, the 1998 laureate in Economics, ]. Sen's work has centered around global issues including famine, welfare, and third-world development. Amartya Sen was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University, UK, from 1998-2004, becoming the first Asian to head an 'Oxbridge' College.

	Other Asian writers who won Nobel Prizes include ] (Japan, 1966), ] (Japan, 1994), ] (People's Republic of China, 2000) and ] (Turkey, 2006).

	Also, ] of India and ] of Iran were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially for the rights of women and children. Ebadi is the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to receive the prize. Another Nobel Peace Prize winner is ] from ] for her peaceful and non-violent struggle under a military dictatorship in Myanmar. She is a nonviolent pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), and a noted prisoner of conscience. She is a ] and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

	Other Asian Nobel Prize winners include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], Yaser Arafat, and ]. Most of the said awardees are from ] except for Chandrasekhar and Raman (India), Salam (Pakistan), Arafat (Palestinian Territories), and Kim (South Korea).

	In 2006, Dr. ] of Bangladesh was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the establishment of ], a community development bank that lends money to poor people, especially women in Bangladesh. Dr. Yunus received his Ph.D. in economics from Vanderbilt University, United States. He is internationally known for the concept of micro credit which allows poor and destitutes with little or no collateral to borrow money. The borrowers typically pay back money within specified period of time and the incidence of default is very low.

	==Beliefs==
	===Mythology===
	{{See Also\|List of Asian mythology}}
	Asian mythology is diverse. The story is first found in ], in the '']''. ] tells about an ] of ] in the form of a ] who warned ] of a terrible flood. In ancient ], ], the Chinese ruler ], had to spend 10 years to control a deluge which swept out most of ancient China and was aided by the goddess ] who literally fixed the broken sky through which huge rains were pouring.

	===Religions===
	{{see also\|Eastern philosophy}}
	Asian philosophical traditions originated in ] and cover a large spectrum of philosophical thoughts and writings. ] includes ] and ]. They include elements of nonmaterial pursuits, whereas another school of thought from India, ], preached the enjoyment of material world. ] is also present in most Asian countries.

	====Abrahamic====
	The ]s of ], ] and ] originated in ]. Judaism, the oldest of the Abrahamic faiths, is practiced primarily in Israel (which has either the largest or second largest ] population in the world), though small communities exist in other countries, such as the ] in India. In the Philippines and ], ] is the predominant religion; it was introduced by the ]s and the ], respectively. In ], ] is the predominant religion. Various ] ]s have adherents in portions of the Middle East, as well as China and India. The world's largest Muslim community (within the bounds of one nation) is in Indonesia. ] (mainly ], ] and ]) holds 30% of Muslims. There are also significant Muslim populations in China, ], ], the Philippines, Russia and most of West Asia and ].

	====Indian====
	The ] of ], ], ] and ] originated in ], South Asia. In East Asia, particularly in China and Japan, ], ] and ] took shape. During the 20th century, in the two most populous countries of Asia, two dramatically different political philosophies took shape. ] gave a new meaning to ], and redefined the concepts of ] and ].

	====Other====
	Other religions of Asia include the ], ] practiced in Iran and Siberia respectively, ] practiced in ] (usually with ]) and ] practiced in the eastern parts of the ] and in ].

	==See also==
	{{portal}}
	{{commons\|Asia}}
	{{columns-list\|2
	\|
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* Asian ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	}}

	==References==
	{{reflist\|2}}
	* "Asia". ''''. 2005. New York: Columbia University Press.
	* World Conflicts: Asia and the Middle East ''''. Edited by Carl L. Bankston III. New York: Salem Press.

	==Further reading==
	'''Reference works'''
	* Higham, Charles. ''Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations''. Facts on File library of world history. New York: Facts On File, 2004.
	* Kapadia, Feroz, and Mandira Mukherjee. ''Encyclopaedia of Asian Culture and Society.'' New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 1999.
	* Levinson, David, and Karen Christensen. ''Encyclopedia of Modern Asia''. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002.

	==External links==
	*
	*
	*
	*

	{{Template group
	\|list =
	{{Asia topics}}
	{{Countries of Asia}}
	{{Continents of the world}}
	{{Regions of the world}}
	}}

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Revision as of 19:14, 29 September 2008