Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia

  • Name: Asia
  • Land Area: 44,579,000 km² (17,212,000 sq mi)
  • Total Population: 4,560,667,108 
  • Countries: 49 UN members, 1 UN observer, 5 other states
  • Largest Country (of people): China
  • Largest City: Tokyo
  • Highest Peak: Mount Everest
  • Longest River: Yangtze River
  • Largest Lake: Baikal Lake
  • Religion: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism
  • Time Zones: UTC+2 to UTC+12

 

Asia, as the largest and most populous continent on earth, is a mysterious place with stunning landscapes, historical relics and splendid culture. Asia owns the most varied landscapes, providing amazing travel experiences for tourists with various requirements. Moreover, the world's tallest buildings and largest malls seem attractive enough. If you're crazy about history and culture, Asia will never let you down. What else to know about Asia? For those who're planning to visit Asia soon, the following 15 interesting facts about Asia will show you more information.

 

1. "Asia" is a Female Name

The word "Asia" means "sunrise", and it is often used as a female name. This word itself is a mystery, as no one is quite sure about where the word origins. But it's said that the idea of the name "Asia" was a concept of Greek civilization.

 

2. Asia Occupies 30% of Earth's Total Land Area

With a total land area of 44,579,000 square kilometers (17,212,000 sq mi), Asia is the largest continent among the seven continents on Earth, occupying 30% of Earth's total land area. According to geographical orientation, Asia can be divided into six regions, including East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, and North Asia.

Asia is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east, by the Indian Ocean on the south, and by the Arctic Ocean on the north. Covering about 9% of the Earth's total surface area, Asia has the longest coastline in the world.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
Bali Island

 

3. Asia is the Most Populous Continent in the World

Even though Asia is the world's largest continent, about 60% of the people in the world live in Asia, with a total population of more than 4.5 billion (2019). In a word, Asia has the highest population density in the world. Let's take a look at the four most populous countries in the world, three of four are in Asia.

  • China
  • India
  • United States
  • Indonesia

 

4. The World's Highest Peak is in Asia

Because of the rugged terrain, Asia is high in the middle and low around the center. It is the highest continent except Antarctica, and you can find many high mountains in Asia. Furthermore, 14 of the world's tallest mountains can be found in Asia, which are all over 8,000 meters high. Those high mountains are mainly distributed in the Karakoram and Himalayas. Located on the border of China and Nepal, Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world, which is 8848 meters above sea level. There is no doubt that Mount Everest is a challenge for mountaineers.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
Mount Everest

 

5. Asia Owns the Most Varied Landscapes in the World

As we mentioned above, Asia has extreme land undulations. However, the ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean and the arcuate islands on the eastern edge of the continent also show extreme undulations. As a result, there are mountains on the islands, accompanied by bottomless trenches.

It's no exaggeration to say that Asia owns the most varied landscapes in the world. With Mount Everest as the highest point, Asia is also the home to the lowest point on Earth, which is the Dead Sea (-395 meters). No matter you're looking for mountain views, river sceneries, or seascapes, Asia will meet all your expectations.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
Phi Phi Island in Thailand

 

6. Asia is a Dream Destination for Tourists

When it comes to travel, Asia is always a dream destination for tourists around the world. Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia are popular tourist destinations in Asia. Landlocked countries in Asia also show different aspects of beauty to the world, such as Nepal, Laos and Bhutan.

In fact, Asia has lots of popular attractions. When you travel in Asia, you've got various options, no matter what kind of tourist you are. It will be great to choose from the Great Wall of China, Jeju Island in South Korea, Taj Mahal in India, Bali Island in Indonesia, Grand Palace in Thailand and plenty more famous attractions.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
The Great Wall of China

 

7. Asia is Incredibly Biodiverse

Asia has not only a large population, but also a wide range of plants and animals. Here in Asia, you can find many wild elephants, tigers, monkeys and snakes. More significantly, the tiger is endemic to Asia, while panda is China's own animal. Also, Asia has the most venomous snakes in the world.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
Pandas

 

8. More than 2,300 Languages are Recognized in Asia

As a densely populated continent, the racial and ethnic composition in Asia is very complicated, especially in South Asia. In Asia, there are more than a thousand different ethnic groups, accounting for about 80% of the world's total amount. Therefore, many places have their own language that is natively spoken. There is no specific definition of Asian culture, because each place has its distinctive language, culture and customs.

More than 2,300 languages are recognized in Asia, and it's interesting to know that there are over 800 languages spoken in India and more than 600 languages spoken in Indonesia. Mandarin Chinese is no doubt to be the most spoken language in the whole world, with billions of speakers. In addition, languages and dialects in China may differ from province to province.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
Japan

 

9. 90% of the World's Rice is Consumed in Asian Countries

Eating habit indeed varies from country to country, but eating rice is quite a common thing in Asia. As people in Asia love to eat rice so much, almost 90% of the world's rice is consumed and eaten in Asian countries. People could barely live without rice, and some people eat rice every day for three meals. What's more, Asians also use rice to make rice noodles and some snacks. In some countries like Thailand, China and Laos, sticky rice is also popular among people.

Asia Facts: 15 Interesting Facts about Asia
Khao Pad in Thailand

 

10. The Top 3 Countries with the Highest IQ on Average are in Asia

The world's top 3 countries with the highest IQ on average are Singapore, South Korea and Japan, and these three countries are all Asian countries. Here we have to mention Japan, as Japan has a high reputation in cultural, artistic and technological fields. And Japan has produced 22 Nobel Laureates. Except for the distribution to science, there are many millionaires in Japan than in other countries. For economy, China and Japan are the world's second and third-largest economies, respectively.

 

11. People in Asia Live Longer

At the mention of average life expectancy, many Asian countries are on the top list, such as Japan, China, Singapore and South Korea. Additionally, Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world, with an average life span of 84 years old.

 

12. Asia has the World's Tallest Buildings

According to the list of the 10 tallest buildings in the world, 9 of 10 are located in Asia. If you love to take pictures of modern skyscrapers, it will be a fantastic experience for you to explore buildings like Burj Khalifa Shanghai Tower, Lotte World Tower, Taipei 101, and the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower. By the way, a visit to China will be great, as 6 of the world's tallest buildings can be found in China.
 


Skyscrapers in Shanghai

 

13. Asia is Home to the 10 Largest Shopping Malls in the World

Despite the tallest buildings, Asia is home to the 10 largest shopping malls in the world. In recent years, the rapid development of the economy in Asia stimulate the construction of big shopping malls. Most of the largest shopping malls are located in Malaysia, China and the Philippines. The largest one is the New South China Mall, located in Dongguan, Guangzhou, China.

 

14. There are Many Unexplored Places in Asia

Although Asia has the highest population density in the world, the racial and ethnic composition of Asia is very complicated, especially in South Asia. And many tribes have little or even no contact with the outside world, some are still living in the jungles. There are still many unexplored places in Asia.  

 

15. Insects are Delicious Snacks in some Places

Speaking of Asia, delicious food in Asia will always be one of the most important reasons for choosing Asia as a holiday destination. There are so many famous dishes and snacks in Asia, with diverse flavors. In Asia, you'll be surprised by the rich ingredients, especially when you visit a market in some places. Do you know that insects are delicious snacks in some places of Asia? Normally, silkworms and crickets are common to see in the Asian markets.

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