Asia

Alternative meanings: Asia (mythology), Asia Minor.

Extent

1. The continent of Asia is defined by subtracting Europe and Africa from the great land mass of Africa-Eurasia. The boundaries are vague, especially between Asia and Europe: Asia and Africa meet somewhere near the Suez Canal. The boundary between Asia and Europe runs via the Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara, the Hellespont, the Black Sea, the ridges of the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, the Ural River and the Ural Mountains to Novaya Zemlya. See also Eurasia.

2. The region of Asia is the continent of Asia plus nearby islands.

Subregions of Asia include:

• Caucasus - Part of this region may be considered part of Europe
• Central Asia
• East Asia
• Southeast Asia
• South Asia
• Himalayan States
• Southwest Asia (sometimes synonymous with Middle East - The term "Middle East" can also refer to North African countries)
  • Anatolia
  • Levant
  • Mesopotamia
  • Arabia
• North Eurasia - The region extends into Asia and Europe
• Central Eurasia - The region extends into Asia and Europe

About 60% of the people in the world live in Asia.

List of countries/dependencies by population density

in inhabitants/km².

Unlike the figures in the country articles, the figures in this table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers) and may therefore be lower here.

The whole of Russia, Egypt, and Turkey are referred to in the table, although they are only partly in Asia. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been included, although they can also be considered part of Europe.

West Bank and Gaza Strip are not listed separately, but combined as Palestinian territories.