Asia is the largest continent in the world.
The continent with the largest number of inhabitants and the largest area is Asia . It develops between the Indian Ocean (to the south), the Arctic Ocean (to the north), the Pacific Ocean (to the east) and the Ural Mountains (to the west).
Due to its geographical location, Asia is located in the northern hemisphere of planet Earth . It is important to mention that, together with Europe , it makes up a unit known as Eurasia . If we also add Africa , linked to Eurasia through the Isthmus of Suez , a supercontinent is created that is called Euphrasia .
Main characteristics of Asia
The area of Asia exceeds 44 million square kilometers. Almost 4.6 billion people live in this territory, so it can be said that about 60% of human beings live on this continent.
In Asia there are 49 countries with political sovereignty and general recognition. Six other States , however, have limited recognition. On the other hand, there are two Asian territories that are incorporated into Australia and two others that depend on the United Kingdom .
It is important to note that the United Nations Organization ( UN ) distinguishes six regions in Asia . From the largest to the smallest number of States in each, we find Western Asia , Southeast Asia , South Asia , East Asia , Central Asia and North Asia .
The country with the largest number of inhabitants in Asia, and also in the entire world, is China.
Most important countries
Although it is difficult to define criteria that give more or less importance to countries , it is possible to affirm that Asia is home to many areas with global relevance for historical, cultural and economic reasons.
China , for example , is the most populous state in the world and a world power . In terms of population, India is behind.
History and economics also highlight Japan . Various reasons also give notoriety to South Korea , North Korea , Turkey , Israel , Iran , Saudi Arabia , Indonesia , Thailand , Qatar and the United Arab Emirates , to mention other Asian nations.
The historical development of Asia
Different records have shown that humanity was born in Africa , where the first Homo sapiens appeared. However, it is often noted that the civilization originated in Asia .
This is linked, above all, to the enormous territorial extension of Asia . This particularity contributed to many cultures developing autonomously and, in many cases, simultaneously.
The Persian Empire , the Mongol Empire , the different Chinese dynasties and the Japanese regimes throughout the different eras have made valuable contributions to the advancement of man .
The continent today
Statistics indicate that Asia is the largest food producer on Earth . In turn, it is the largest consumer. Many of the largest reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons, meanwhile, are found in Asian lands.
At an industrial level, Asia also has preponderance, especially in specific sectors. If we focus on vehicle manufacturing, currently four of the first six producers are Asian: China , Japan , South Korea and India .
It cannot be ignored, however, that economic and social development is uneven on the continent. Therefore, living conditions are very different depending on the country.