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Revision as of 00:48, 2 October 2003

This article is about the continent and region, for the sea-nymph named Asia in Greek mythology, see Asia (mythology).

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: 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:

• Central Asia
• East Asia
• Southeast Asia
• South Asia
• Middle East
  • Anatolia
  • Levant
  • Mesopotamia
  • Arabia

Map

See also: World map

List of countries/dependencies by population density

in inhabitants/km.

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 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.

Satellite image