ASIA

 

HOME | BIOLOGY | FILMS | GEOGRAPHY | HISTORY | INDEX | INVESTORS | MUSIC | SOLAR BOATS | SPORT

 

 

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area (or 29.4% of its land area) and, with almost 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population.

 

Chiefly in the eastern and northern hemispheres, Asia is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Africa-Eurasia – with the western portion of the latter occupied by Europe – lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas. It is bounded to the east by the Pacific Ocean, to the south by the Indian Ocean, and to the north by the Arctic Ocean.

 

 

Map of Asia

 

Map of Asia

 

 

 

Given its size and diversity, Asia – a toponym dating back to classical antiquity – is more a cultural concept incorporating a number of regions and peoples than a homogenius, physical entity (see Subregions of Asia, Asian people).

 

Etymology

 

The word Asia originated from the Ancient Greek word "Ασία", first attributed to Herodotus (about 440 BC) in reference to Anatolia or, for the purposes of describing the Persian Wars, to the Persian Empire, in contrast to Greece and Egypt. Herodotus comments that he is puzzled as to why three women's names are used to describe one land mass (Europa, Asia, and Libya, referring to Africa), stating that most Greeks assumed that Asia was named after the wife of Prometheus but that the Lydians say it was named after Asias, son of Cotys who passed the name on to a tribe in Sardis.

 

Even before Herodotus, Homer knew of a Trojan ally named Asios and elsewhere he describes a marsh as ασιος (Iliad 2, 461). The Greek term may be derived from Assuwa, a 14th century BC confederation of states in Western Anatolia. Hittite assu- = "good" is probably an element in that name.

 

Alternatively, the ultimate etymology of the term may be from the Akkadian word (w)aṣû(m), which means "to go outside" or "to ascend", referring to the direction of the sun at sunrise in the Middle East, and also likely connected with the Phoenician word asa meaning east. This may be contrasted to a similar etymology proposed for Europe, as being from Akkadian erēbu(m) "to enter" or "set" (of the sun). However, this etymology is considered doubtful, because it does not explain how the term "Asia" first came to be associated with Anatolia, which is west of the Semitic-speaking areas, unless they refer to the viewpoint of a Phoenician sailor sailing through the straits between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

 

It is interesting to note, in Icelandic Saga, ancient Teutons separated Asia from Europe by the river Tanakvisl (or Vanakvisl), which flows into the Black Sea. Eastward across the River (in Asia), so legend tells, was a land known as Asaheim or Asaland, where dwelt Odin, chief god, in his citadel named Asgard.  However, Aesir and all its forms are related to Sanskrit asura and Avestan ahura, the local reflexes of the name of a class of Proto-Indo-European divine beings.

 

 

Asia world location map

 

Asia - world location map

 

 

LINKS and REFERENCE

 

 

Asia as seen by satellite camera

 

Asia satellite photograph

 

 

 

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

 

 

 

Adelaide 

Aden - Yemen

Afghanistan

Africa

Alaska

Algeria

Amsterdam

Antarctic - Antarctica

Arctic - North Pole

Argentina

Asia

Athens

Australia

Austria

Aztecs - Mexico

Bahamas

Bangladesh

Baghdad

Bahrain

Barbados

Beachy Head, England

Belgium

Berlin

Bermuda

Black Rock Desert, Nevada

Bohemia

Bolivia

Bonneville, Utah - History

Brazil

Brighton - West Pier

British Columbia

Bulgaria

Canada

Canary Islands

Cape York - Au

Caribbean - Central America

Cayman Islands

Chichester Harbour

Chile

China - Beijing

Columbia - S. America

Columbo - Sri Lanka

Cowes, Isle of Wight

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czechoslovakia

Darwin - Australia

Daytona Beach - Florida USA

Denmark

Eastbounre Pier, England

Earthquakes

Egypt

Equador

Equator

Europe

Falkland Islands

Falmouth, Cornwall

Fiji

Finland

Florida

France

Galapagos Islands

Geography Links

Geography Records

Geography Resources

Geography Statistics

 

 

Germany

Gibraltar - Links

Greece

Greenland

Hampshire

Hawaii

Holland - Volendam

Hollywood, California, LA

Hong Kong

Hungary

Hurricanes

Iceland

India - Mumbai

Indonesia Links

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Isle of Man

Isle of Wight - The Needles

Israel

Italy

Jakarta - Java

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

Kent, England - Sandgate

Kenya

Korea

Kuwait

Kyoto - Japan

Lebanon

Libya

Life on Earth

London - Big Ben

London Eye - Madame Tussauds

London Houses Parliament

London - Buckingham Palace

London - Old Bailey

London - Overview

London - The City

London - Tower Bridge

London - Trafalgar Square

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Malta

Maya Empire - Central America

Melbourne, Australia

Mexico

Middle East

Morocco

Mountains

Naples- Italy

National Geographic

Nepal

Nertherlands - Eindhoven 

New York

New Zealand

North Africa

Norway

Nova Scotia

Oceans and Seas

Oman

Pakistan

Palermo - Sicily

Palestine

Palma - Malorca

Panama Canal - Links

 

 

Paris

Pendine Sands - Carmarthen

Peru

Philippines

Pisa

Planet Earth

Poland

Port Moresby - PNG

Port Said - Egypt

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Qatar

Quebec

Rio de Janeiro

Romania

Rome

Russia

Salt Lake City - Utah

Saudi Arabia

Scotland

Senegal West Africa

Singapore

Somalia

South Africa

South America

Southampton

Spain - Espana

Sri Lanka - Links

Stonehenge

Suez Canal

Sudan

Surrey, England Index

Sussex, England Index

Sweden

Switzerland

Sydney, Australia

Syria

Tahiti - Polynesia - Links

Taiwan

Thailand

Tokyo, Japan

Tonga - Polynesia

Toronto

Trinidad - Lesser Antilles

Tsunami

Tunbridge Wells, England

Tunisia

Turkey

UAE - United Arab Emirates

UK Statistics

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United Kingdom - Gov

USA

Venezuela

Venice

Vienna

Vietnam

Volcanoes

Wales

Washington D.C.

Wealden iron industry

Wendover, Utah

World Peace Supporters

Yemen

Yugoslavia

 

 

 



 

 

A taste for adventure capitalists

 

 

Solar Cola - a healthier alternative

 

This website is Copyright © 1999 & 2007  NJK.   The bird logo and name Solar Navigator are trademarks. All rights reserved.  All other trademarks are hereby acknowledged.       Max Energy Limited is an educational charity.

 AUTOMOTIVE  |  BLUEBIRD  |  ELECTRIC CARS  |  ELECTRIC CYCLES  |  SOLAR CARS