Asia - The Largest Continent

Asia is the largest of the 7 continents, it covers more than 17 million square miles. It is almost two times the size of North America. It takes up about 30 per cent of the land on Earth and it is so large it's separated into six areas. In this article, we will explore the Asia Continent and learn as much as possible about the Geography, Climate, and Countries of Asia Continent.

Geography of Asia

The 6 areas of the Asia continent are Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, Southern and Southeast Asia. Most people live in Eastern, Southern and Southeast Asia. This continent is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Ural mountains to the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the south.

It is also home to the highest point on earth, Mount Everest, situated in the Tibetan region of the Himalayan Mountains. Many people come from all over the world each year to try to hike to its peak. The continent of Asia is also home to the lowest point of land, the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is between the Israel and Jordan. There are a lot of natural salt in the Dead Sea and due to this, a person can float in it.

Rivers and Mountains in Asia

The longest river in Asia is the Yangtze River, it is the third-largest river in the world but it is the longest river flowing through a single country, China. Asia is home to the largest lake the Caspian Sea. Its coastline is shared by five countries. It is also one of the deepest lakes in the world with a depth of 3,300 feet. Another famous landmark in Asia is the Gobi Desert. It is a cold desert which is located in parts of Mongolia and China. It is the driest place in Asia and is the fifth-largest desert in the world.

The continent was the place where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered. It is said that dinosaur fossils have been found in this desert.

Because of its large size, Asia is a diverse country rich in cultures and languages. Many of the world's major religions originated in Asia including Hinduism, Christianity, Jainism, Islam and Buddhism. There are more than 2300 languages spoken in Asia.

Natural Resources in Asia

Asia isn't just known for its incredible landmarks. The continent is also the land of the world's major resources. These are things like minerals, tin, coal, aluminium, gold, iron and oil. Several oil-producing nations like Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia which are the world's largest oil producers are found in Asia.

Climate of Asia

The continent is geographically diverse and so it has eight different climate types coniferous forests, alpine mountains, deciduous forests, rainforests, deserts, Tundra, Grassland, and savannah. Because these areas are very different, the continent of Asia grows a wide variety of plant life including grasses, shrubs, cacti, pine, fur, spruce and mosses as well as jungles of thick wet forests.

These 8 different climates are home to a variety of animals Reindeer, foxes, and wolves are found in the tundra region. camels and lizards live in the desert. Bears are found in the coniferous forest and the mountainous region of China is home to the giant panda. Other animals include snow leopards, polar bears, komodo dragons and Asian elephants.

Countries in Asia Continent

Now let's take a closer look at some of the countries in the Asia continent. There are almost 48 to 49 countries in the Asia Continent. Two of the most populated countries in the world China and India help add to Asia's population of over 4 billion people, about 60 per cent of the world's population. In other words, 6 out of every 10 people on earth live in Asia. Two countries in the Asia continent have land in Europe and Asia both, these 2 countries are Russia and Turkey.

China

China has the largest number of people living in a single country or 1.4 billion people living in this country. Beijing is the capital of China some of China's famous sites include The Great Wall of China, Three Pagodas, Longii Terraces, Hanging Monasteries and The Forbidden City. China is the most developed country in the Asian continent.

India

India is one-third the size of the United States but it has the second largest population in the world, 1.3 billion. The capital of India is New Delhi. The Taj Mahal and the Ganga River are the key highlights of India. It is also where Mahatma Gandhi was born who fought for India's freedom.

Maldives

The smallest country in Asia is the Maldives, which consists of 1192 coral islands located in the Indian Ocean. The country is famous for its white sandy beaches and clear blue waters.

Japan

Another country in Asia is Japan which is about the same size as California however about three times as many people live in Japan. Here are some cool sights you could see if you visit Japan: Mount Fuji, The Dotonbori District, Tokyo Sky Tree, and The Great Buddha of Kamakura. Japa is also called as 'Land of the Rising Sun'.

Armenia, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Laos, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are landlocked countries in Asia.

There are many other countries in Asia as well. People of many different cultures and languages live in Asia. Some areas are home to very wealthy people while other places are filled with poverty and people who are very poor.

Some FAQs about the Asia Continent

Conclusion

Asia is a huge and diverse continent with a long interesting history with its population of over 4 billion people and its resources and attractions. Asia will continue to be an important focus and resource for many countries worldwide. Which countries would you want to visit in Asia? Hope you had a great learning with us. Visit us at informantra.com for thousands of resources and learnings.

In our next article, we will explore African continent.