The Asia Portal

Asia is considered one of the most populous regions in the world, containing approximately 60% of the world's human population. Of these only 2% live in the northern and interior half (Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, western Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan).

The wealth of Asia differs widely between, and within, states. This is due to its vast size, meaning a huge range of different cultures, environments, historical ties and government systems. The largest economies in Asia in terms of nominal GDP are Japan, People's Republic of China and India, the smallest East Timor. In terms of Purchasing Power Parity however, the People's Republic of China has the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world, followed by Japan and India as the world's third and fourth largest economies respectively.

Asia is also known for its rich history and culture. Asian art, music, and cuisine, as well as literature, are important parts of Asian culture. Eastern philosophy and religion also plays a major role, with Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity all playing major roles. One of the most complex parts of Asian culture is the relationship between traditional cultures and the Western world.

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The Communist Party of China (CPC) has led the PRC under a single-party system since the state's establishment in 1949. The PRC is involved in a long-running dispute over the political status of Taiwan. The CPC's rival during the Chinese Civil War, the Kuomintang (KMT), retreated to Taiwan and surrounding islands after its civil war defeat in 1949, claiming legitimacy over China and Mongolia while it was the ruling power of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The CPC regards the KMT's claims as illegitimate. The term "Mainland China" is often used to denote the areas under PRC rule, but sometimes excludes its two Special Administrative Regions: Hong Kong and Macau.

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Countries in Asia

Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Bhutan · British Indian Ocean Territory (United Kingdom) · Brunei · Cambodia · People's Republic of China (mainland China) · Taiwan (Republic of China) · Christmas Island (Australia)(British) · Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia) · Georgia · Hong Kong (PR China) · India · Indonesia · Iran · Cyprus · Iraq · Israel · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) · Republic of Korea (South Korea) · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Macau (PR China) · Malaysia · Maldives · Mongolia · Myanmar (Burma) · Nepal · Oman · Pakistan · Palestine · Philippines · Qatar · Russia · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · Sri Lanka · Syria · Tajikistan · Thailand · Timor-Leste (East Timor) · Turkey · Turkmenistan · United Arab Emirates · Uzbekistan · Vietnam · Yemen

WikiProjects

If you know of a project involving Asia, please list it here and on Wikipedia:WikiProject.

Azerbaijan: Azeri

Bangladesh: Bangladesh • Bengal

Central Asia: Afghanistan • Kazakhstan • Kyrgyzstan • Mongolia • Pakistan • Tajikistan • Turkmenistan • Uzbekistan

India: Indian States • Indian Cities • Indian Districts • Hinduism • Hindu mythology • Sikhism • Buddhism • Indian cinema • History of India • Politics of India • Indian military history • Islam in India

Japan: Anime and manga • Japanese Bibliography • Task forces: Districts and municipalites • Gappei • Military history • Japanese mythology • Owarai • Prefectures • Shinto • Japan update

Korea: History • North Korea • South Korean geography • Films • Arts • Cuisine • Popular culture

Middle East: Iran • Hebrew • Arab-Israeli conflict • Islam

Nepal: Nepal

People's Republic of China: Chinese provinces •Tibet • Chinese cities • Transportation in China • Uyghurs of Western China • Chinese military history

Southeast Asia: Indonesia • Myanmar (Burma) • Philippine LGUs • Singaporean places • Thai provinces • Vietnamese provinces

Taiwan: Baseball

Things you can do

Azerbaijan • People's Republic of China • Hong Kong (China) • Indonesia • India • Iran • Japan • Korea • Malaysia • Philippines • Russia • Singapore • Taiwan • Thailand

• Wikify: Ali Akbar ibn Husayn, China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company, Zhuang characters, Backlog...
• Cleanup: Al jawaher wal la'li, Dham Talwandi Khurd, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Japanese Army and Navy Strategies for South Seas areas, Backlog...
• Stubs: Guoyue, Haranga, Rangzen Shonu, Ahmedabad Railway Station, Anwar Saifullah Khan, Carmel City, Chuncheon Polytechnic College Baten Kaitos Origins, Gideon Hausner, More...
• Copyedit: Balikpapan, Empire of Japan, Ha Nam Province, History of Shaivism, Tüfekçi, Urban planning in Singapore, Varnashrama dharma, More...
• Expand: Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Chinese astronomy, Grey (manga), Islamic architecture, Kazuhide Uekusa, Masashi Tashiro, Ngo Dinh Diem, Wakizashi, More...
• Requests: Hua'er, India Import Tax, Jamiat-ul-Ansar, Mamed Seid Ordubadi More...

In the news

• January 15: Sixteen civilians killed by bomber in southern Afghanistan
• January 14: Suspected US drone attack kills at least fourteen in Pakistan
• January 14: Sri Lankan reporter Tissanayagam released on bail
• January 13: Indian hockey players return to training camp after strike
• January 13: Google may shut down Chinese operations due to censorship and cyber attacks
• January 12: India test-fires 'Astra' missile
• January 12: Iranian media: Professor of Tehran University killed in bombing
• January 10: Explosion in Afghanistan kills two
• January 10: Two suspected rebels killed in gunfight with authorities in Kashmir
• January 10: China overtakes Germany as world's biggest exporter

Did you know...

• ...that Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi gave the first accurate explanation for the formation of a rainbow?
  
• ...that family registers are known as Koseki in Japan?
  
• ...that the first head of the House of Saud was Muhammad bin Saud ?
  
• ...that Fataluku is a language commonly used on the eastern part of East Timor?
  
• ...that Guozijian was the national central institute of learning in Chinese dynasties after the Sui Dynasty?
  Did you know archive

Map of Asia

Lists and categories

The following are categories relating to Asia:

Airports • Comics • Companies • Countries • Culture • Dinosaurs • Economy • Ethnic groups • Fiction • Games • Geography • Hiking trails • History • Images • Indigenous peoples • Lakes • Languages• Law enforcement agencies • Lists • Mythology • Natural gas pipelines • Natural history • Newspapers • People • Politics • Religion • Royalty • Sports • Stock exchanges • Stubs • Swords • Transportation • Women in war

Related portals

Topics related to Asia