Asia is the largest and most populous continent in the world. It is home to some of the oldest civilisations, and some of the most diverse cultures, languages, and religions. It is a continent of great economic and cultural importance. We will be exploring the Top 10 Facts about Asia. From its incredible wildlife to its historical and cultural landmarks, there is so much to discover about this unique continent.
Asia is one of the world’s 7 continents. To find out about the continents head to out Top 10 Facts about Continents.
1. There are 49 countries in Asia.
These include India, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and many more.
2. Two countries in Asia are also in Europe.
Russia and Turkey have both land in Europe and land in Asia.
3. More than 4.7 billion people live on the continent.
This makes Asia the continent with the most people living in it.
4. Asia is home to around 2,300 languages.
The most widely spoken Asian languages are Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Bengali and Japanese. Hindi is also one of the world’s oldest languages.
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5. There are 12 landlocked countries in Asia.
Landlocked means countries which do not have a coastline so are not on the sea.
The landlocked countries in Asia are Armenia, Bhutan, Laos, Nepal, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
6. The continent covers one-third of the Earth’s surface.
This makes it the biggest continent in the world.
7. Asia has the highest mountain in the world.
Mount Everest is part of the Himalaya mountain range. The Himalayas are spread across five Asian countries; Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
8. The biggest island in Asia is Borneo.
Borneo in South-East Asia is the third largest island in the world and the largest in Asia.
The island belongs to three countries: Malaysia and Brunei in the north and Indonesia in the south.
Borneo is known for its rainforests. Many animals only live on this island such as the Bornean Orangutan.
9. Asia is the birthplace of all major religions.
Asia is the birthplace of all the world’s major religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism
Buddhism for example began in India and is now a key religion in China, South Korea, Japan, the Southeast Asian countries, and Sri Lanka.
10. Asia has a very varied climate.
Some parts of Asia are very cold like Siberia in Russia, whereas countries like Thailand and the Maldives are known for tropical weather.
This means there is varied animals and wildlife across Asia from jungles with monkeys to polar bears in colder regions.
📖 Words to know
- Monsoon
- A wind that changes direction with the seasons, bringing months of heavy rain or months of dry weather.
- Desert
- A place that gets very little rain. It doesn’t have to be hot.
- Landlocked
- A country with no coastline, surrounded by land.
- Mountain range
- A group of mountains joined together. The Himalayas are the highest on Earth.
⚠️ Watch out!
How much do you know about Asia?
What is the highest mountain in the world?
- Mount Everest
- K2
- Kilimanjaro
- Mont Blanc
The Gobi Desert is in China and Mongolia. What is it like in winter?
- Freezing cold
- Very hot
- Steamy and tropical
- Rainy every day
Which two countries have the most people in the world?
- India and China
- The USA and Russia
- Japan and Brazil
- Nigeria and Indonesia
Where in the world?
Asia is the largest of the seven continents, and home to more people than all the others put together.
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