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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 4.7 billion people constitute roughly 60% 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 the boundary between 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...)

The Heian Palace (平安宮, Heian-kyū) was the original imperial palace of Heian-kyō (present-day Kyoto), then the capital of Japan. Both the palace and the city were constructed in the late 700s and were patterned on Chinese models and designs. The palace served as the imperial residence and the administrative centre for most of the Heian period (794–1185).

Located in the north-central section of the city, the palace consisted of a large, walled, rectangular Greater Palace (the Daidairi), which contained several ceremonial and administrative buildings including the government ministries. Inside this enclosure was the separately walled residential compound of the emperor, or the Inner Palace (Dairi). In addition to the emperor's living quarters, the Inner Palace contained the residences of the imperial consorts and buildings more closely linked to the person of the emperor. (Full article...)

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Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. With a coastline of approximately 500 km (311 mi), Kuwait also shares a maritime border with Iran, across the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is a city-state, most of the country's population reside in the urban agglomeration of Kuwait City, the capital and largest city. As of 2024, Kuwait has a population of 4.82 million, of which 1.53 million are Kuwaiti citizens while the remaining 3.29 million are foreign nationals from over 100 countries. Kuwait has the world's third largest number of foreign nationals as a percentage of the population, where its citizens make up less than 30% of the overall population.

The territory of modern-day Kuwait has been occupied by humans since antiquity, particularly due to its strategic location at the head of the Persian Gulf near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In the early 18th century, the territory of modern-day Kuwait was under the jurisdiction of the Bani Khalid Emirate of the Bani Khalid clan; then the territory became known as the Sheikdom of Kuwait, it became a British protectorate in 1899. Prior to the discovery of oil reserves in 1938, the territory of modern-day Kuwait contained a regional trade port. The protectorate agreements with the United Kingdom ended in June 1961 when Kuwait officially became an independent state. From 1946 to 1982, Kuwait underwent large-scale modernization, largely based on income from oil production. In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash. (Full article...)

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Unas being suckled by the goddess Iat, Egyptian Museum

Unas /ˈjuːnəs/ or Wenis, also spelled Unis (Ancient Egyptian: wnjs, hellenized form Oenas /ˈiːnəs/ or Onnos; died c. 2345), was a king, the ninth and last ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Unas reigned for 15 to 30 years in the mid-24th century BC (c. 2345–2315 BC), succeeding Djedkare Isesi, who might have been his father.

Little is known of Unas' activities during his reign, which was a time of economic decline. Egypt maintained trade relations with the Levantine coast and Nubia, and military action may have taken place in southern Canaan. The growth and decentralization of the administration in conjunction with the lessening of the king's power continued under Unas, ultimately contributing to the collapse of the Old Kingdom some 200 years later. (Full article...)

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

Image 1Map of Vietnam showing the conquest of the south (the Nam tiến, 1069–1757). (from History of Asia)
Image 2Daian-ji temple at Nara, Japan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 3Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jeruslam (from Culture of Asia)
Image 4The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 (from Asian Century)
Image 5The Qing Empire in 1832. (from History of Asia)
Image 6The Delhi Sultanate. (from History of Asia)
Image 7Detail 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 8Kabsa also called Majboos, famous in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates (from Culture of Asia)
Image 9The Qing conquest of the Ming and expansion of the empire (from History of Asia)
Image 10Badshahi Mosque built under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Lahore, Pakistan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 11The Great Wave off Kanagawa, c. 1830 by Hokusai, an example of art flourishing in the Edo Period (from History of Asia)
Image 12Indonesian Balinese cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 13Machiya in Heian period (from History of Asia)
Image 14Projected shares of global GDP by region to 2050 (from Asian Century)
Image 15Detail of Chinese silk from the 4th century BCE. The characteristic trade of silk through the Silk Road connected various regions from China, India, Central Asia, and the Middle East to Europe and Africa. (from History of Asia)
Image 16Hinduism expansion in Asia, from its heartland in Indian Subcontinent, to the rest of Asia, especially Southeast Asia, started circa 1st century marked with the establishment of early Hindu settlements and polities in Southeast Asia. (from History of Asia)
Image 17Political cartoon depicting the Afghan Emir Sher Ali with the rival "friends" the Russian Bear and British Lion (1878) (from History of Asia)
Image 18The global contribution to world's GDP by major economies from 1 AD to 2003 AD according to Angus Maddison's estimates. Before 18th century, China and India were the two largest economies by GDP output. (from Asian Century)
Image 19A stone image of the Buddha (from Culture of Asia)
Image 20Map of Marco Polo's travels (from History of Asia)
Image 21Map of Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 22Đại Việt, Champa, Angkor Empire and their neighbours, late 13th century (from History of Asia)
Image 23Invasions, destruction and possible population movements during the Late Bronze Age collapse, beginning c. 1200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 24The Mughal ambassador Khan’Alam in 1618 negotiating with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. (from History of Asia)
Image 25Here a Jesuit, Adam Schall von Bell (1592–1666), is dressed as an official of the Chinese Department of Astronomy. (from History of Asia)
Image 26Battle of Talas between Tang dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate c. 751 (from History of Asia)
Image 27Korean peninsula in 476 AD. There are three kingdoms and Gaya Union in the picture. This picture shows the heyday of Goguryeo (from History of Asia)
Image 28the Goryeo ware, which shows splendid culture of Goryeo in mediaeval Korea. (from History of Asia)
Image 29Deoksugung, the palace where Emperor Gojong established Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 30Map of Asia for early 20th century (from History of Asia)
Image 31The Russian Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen built in 1768 (from Culture of Asia)
Image 32Gojong (1852–1919), the 26th king of Joseon dynasty and the first emperor of Korean Empire. (from History of Asia)
Image 33The Silk Road in Asia (from History of Asia)
Image 34Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 35Political map of Asia in 1860 (from History of Asia)
Image 36Tang dynasty Chinese poet Li Bai, in a 13th-century depiction by Liang Kai (from Culture of Asia)
Image 37The Song dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 1200 (from History of Asia)
Image 38A view of the Fort St George in 18th-century Madras. (from History of Asia)
Image 39The Grand Mosque in Kuwait City, one of the largest mosques in the region (from Culture of Asia)
Image 40Philippine cuisine (from Culture of Asia)
Image 41Robert Clive and Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey, 1757 by Francis Hayman (from History of Asia)
Image 42A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 43The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling (from Culture of Asia)
Image 44The Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. (from History of Asia)
Image 45Eunpyeong Hanok Village in Seoul, South Korea (from Culture of Asia)
Image 46Ancient ziggurat, Iraq (from Culture of Asia)
Image 47A typical example of Dravidian architecture (from Culture of Asia)
Image 48The Taj Mahal, Agra, India (from Culture of Asia)
Image 49Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in Jerusalem. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 50Chicken tikka, a well-known dish across the globe, reflects the South Asian cooking style. (from Culture of Asia)
Image 51Daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng (from History of Asia)
Image 52Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty in China (from History of Asia)
Image 53East Asian cultural sphere (from Culture of Asia)
Image 54British troops taking Zhenjiang from Qing troops (from History of Asia)
Image 55The First Persian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 500 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 56Gyeonghoeru of Gyeongbokgung, the Joseon dynasty's royal palace. (from History of Asia)
Image 57The 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 58India's middle-class population of 300 million is growing at an annual rate of 5%. Shown here is an upmarket area in South Mumbai. (from Asian Century)
Image 59The early Muslim conquests, 622–750 (from History of Asia)
Image 60The Han dynasty and main polities in Asia c. 200 BC (from History of Asia)
Image 61Borobudur, a Buddhist temple in Indonesia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 62The 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 63Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire (from Culture of Asia)
Image 64Traditional Rajasthani garments from Jaipur, Rajasthan (from Culture of Asia)
Image 65Balhae in the north, Later Silla in the south (from History of Asia)
Image 66Some 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 67Language families in South Asia (from Culture of Asia)
Image 68Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku (from History of Asia)
Image 69Byzantine and Sassanian Empires in 600 AD (from History of Asia)

Guhyasamāja tantra

Credit: Unknown

A 17th century Central Tibetan thangka (painted or embroidered banner) of Guhyasamaja Akshobhyavajra, from the Guhyasamāja tantra, a tantra whose practice is important to many schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Guhyasamaja ("Secret Assembly") tantra was developed at an early date in history to aid the Buddhist practitioner in understanding and practicing Tantric Buddhism to attain enlightenment. These are the basic texts of the Tantric—an esoteric and highly symbolic—form of Buddhism, which developed in India and became dominant in Tibet.

... that Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong's phrase "mee siam mai hum" was described as "Singlish for being out of touch"?
... that the Taiwanese restaurant chain Formosa Chang drew inspiration from McDonald's for its non-greasy atmosphere and corporate practices?
... that former Kuwaiti foreign minister Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah interrupted his studies in France to volunteer during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait?
... that Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann declined a request from Lee Kuan Yew to help design Singapore?
... that in Thailand and Cambodia, cats are used in a procession to ask for rain?
... that a rickshaw puller inspired Helal Hafiz to write "Nishiddho Sompadokiyo" during the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising?
... that the investigation of Team Jorge, an Israeli disinformation outfit, led to the suspension of a prominent French news anchor?
... that Abdillah was sworn in as the mayor of Medan, Indonesia, in an abrupt and secretive ceremony?
... that Taiwanese long jumper Lin Yu-tang qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics by switching out his broken track shoes between attempts?
... that W. A. F. J. Tumbelaka once expelled his children from the University of Indonesia after they failed to pass an evaluation?

Updated: 21:05, 18 June 2025

19 June 2025 – Gaza war: According to witnesses, Israeli gunfire and airstrikes kill at least 84 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, including 16 people waiting for aid assistance near the Netzarim Corridor. (Al Jazeera)
19 June 2025 – Iran–Israel war: Airstrikes during the Iran–Israel war; The death toll from Israel’s strikes on Iran rises to more than 240, including 70 women and children. At least 24 people have been killed by Iranian strikes on Israel. (Al Jazeera); Iran strikes four sites in central and southern Israel. The Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, is hit by an Iranian ballistic missile, injuring at least 240 people. Iran says it was targeting a military site, striking a Israeli military and intelligence centre located near the hospital. (Al Jazeera) (AP); The Israeli Air Force strikes the Arak Nuclear Complex, a heavy-water reactor near Arak, Iran. (The Times of Israel)
18 June 2025 – Middle Eastern crisis: Iran–Israel war

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Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters (26,660 ft).

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