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List of Asian Countries

Asia is the largest and most populous continent, with populations concentrated in the Eastern and Northern Hemispheres. It shares Europe’s Eurasia continental landmass and Europe’s and Africa’s Afro-Eurasia continental landmasses. Asia encompasses 44,579,000 square kilometers (17,212,000 square miles), or roughly 30% of the Earth’s total land area and 8.7% of its total surface area. Its 4.5 billion people account for nearly 60% of the world’s population (as of June 2019).

Many of the world’s first civilizations were founded in this continent, which has long been home to the majority of humanity. Asia is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, east by the Pacific Ocean, south by the Indian Ocean, and on the west by Europe. Because there is no apparent physical or geological divide between Asia and Europe, the border is a historical and cultural construct.

Etymology

The word “Asian” comes from the Assyrian term “asu,” which meaning “east.” Another possibility is that it was once a term given to the Ephesus plains by locals. The English word “Asia” is derived from Latin literature, which uses the same form. It’s considerably uncertain whether “Asia” in other languages derives from Latin of the Roman Empire, and the final origins of the Latin word are unknown, despite various possibilities being published. Pliny was one of the earliest classical writers to use Asia as a generic term for the entire continent. This metonymical shift in connotation is typical, as seen by the names of various other countries, such as Scandinavia (from Scania).

History

The history of Asia can be split into several peripheral coastal regions: East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, all of which are connected by the inner bulk of the Central Asian steppes. Some of the world’s earliest known civilizations arose along the coast’s periphery; each centered on lush river valleys.

Before knowing the list of Asian countries, you might be interested in learning some fascinating facts about this vast continent.

i) Languages

Several language families and many language dialects can be found throughout Asia. In most Asian countries, more than one language is spoken natively. According to Ethnologue, Indonesians speak more than 600 languages, Indians speak more than 800 languages, and Filipinos speak more than 100 languages. Different provinces in China speak a variety of languages and dialects.

ii) Climate and geography

It is the world’s largest continent. It has the world’s longest coastline, covering 62,800 kilometers and accounting for 9% of the planet’s total surface area (or 30% of its land area) (39,022 mi). Asia is the name given to the eastern four-fifths of Eurasia. It is situated east of the Suez Canal and the Ural Mountains and to the south of the Caucasus Mountains (also known as the Kuma-Manych Depression), the Caspian, and the Black Seas. The Pacific Ocean borders it on the east, the Indian Ocean on the south, and the Arctic Ocean on the north. Asia is divided into 48 countries, five of which are transcontinental in Europe (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey).

iii) Religions

Many of the world’s major religions originated in Asia, including the five most widely practiced (excluding irreligion), namely Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Chinese folk religion (classified as Confucianism and Taoism), and Buddhism. The mythology of Asia is vast and intricate.

The Asian Continent’s Population:

Asia currently has a population of 4,554,054,441. China and India, the world’s two most populous countries, dominate this continent. However, some other countries have enormous populations, such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Japan, and others.

Asia has a large population and has spent decades establishing itself as a continent capable of handling all of the world’s manufacturing products. Two of Asia’s most populated countries have the world’s greatest economies and lead the globe in goods manufacture.

Many companies in Asia have been serving multi-million clients all over the world for many years. China has a large population, and companies employ thousands of people.

Asia’s Most Populous Countries and Capitals

Before I continue with the list of Asian countries, I’d want to say a few words about each of them. The following is a list of Asia’s ten most populous countries, along with their capitals in bracket followed by their population.

• India (New Delhi) – 1,189,172,906
• China (Beijing) – 1,370,793,000
• Indonesia (Jakarta) – 237,774,520
• Pakistan (Islamabad) has 207,310,000 people
• Bangladesh (Dhaka) has 142,319,000 people
• Japan (Tokyo) has 126,475,664 people
• Philippines (Manila) has 105,509,230 people
• 89,316,000 in Vietnam (Hanoi) – 89316000
• 75,330,000 in Iran (Tehran) – 75330000
• Thailand (Bangkok) – 64262000

Palestine, Brunei, Bahrain, Singapore, and the Maldives are Asia’s five smallest countries.

In Asia, how many countries are there?

According to the United Nations, Asia is the world’s largest continent, with 48 countries, three of which are considered transcontinental because they have part of their land officially in Europe. These countries are Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.

The list of Asian countries

Asia is the world’s largest continent, with 50 separate countries occupying the eastern half of the single Eurasian landmass. Russia is Asia’s largest country in land area, covering over a third of the continent’s total land area. The Maldives is the tiniest of the island nations. It’s a group of islands known for their beach resorts.

The countries and territories of Asia are listed below. Asia covers a total area of 44,526,316 km2.

So, here is the explanation about few countries which are given in the above table.

1. Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked Central Asian country that is at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. Pakistan borders it on the east and south, Iran on the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan on the north, and China on the northeast.

The country is mostly mountainous, with lowlands in the north and southwest, covering 652,864 square kilometers (252,072 square miles). As of 2020, it has 31.4 million people, with 4.6 million living in Kabul, the country’s capital and largest city.

2. Iran

Iran is a south-western Asian country that is mountainous, dry, and ethnically diverse. A large portion of Iran is made up of a central desert flat surrounded by towering mountain ranges with high passes that provide access to the interior.

The vast majority of the population lives on the outskirts of this arid, devoid of water wasteland. Tehran, the country’s capital, is a sprawling, chaotic metropolis at the southern foot of the Elburz Mountains. The city, formerly noted for its gorgeous architecture and lush gardens, fell into disrepair in the decades following the Iranian Revolution of 1978-79. However, efforts were later made to restore historic structures and expand the city’s park network.

3. China

China is an East Asian country. With a population of over 1.4 billion people, it is the world’s most populated country. Despite spanning five geographical time zones and bordering 14 nations, China uses a single standard time offset of UTC+08:00, the second most of any country after Russia.

Beijing (capital), Tianjin, Shanghai (largest city), and Chongqing, as well as Hong Kong and Macau, are divided into 23 provinces, five autonomous areas, and four direct-control municipalities.

4. India

India is the world’s seventh-largest country and the world’s most populous democracy. It lay in South Asia and was given the Republic of India after gaining independence from British domination. The plains of central India, the rain forests of the northeast, the extremely cold Himalayan area, and the dry arid desert of the west, to name a few, are all unique geographical aspects of India. India’s cultural, linguistic, and religious richness reveals its geographical diversity.

One of India’s most notable characteristics is its vast cultural and linguistic diversity. Indian culture varies from region to region and is a synthesis of various cultures found throughout the continent. Although India’s Constitution lists 22 languages, the country has over 1900 dialects or mother tongues.

5. Turkey

Turkey is also known as Asia Minor, and the capital of the country is Ankara. It has an area of 783,602 square kilometres. So here is the meaning of Turkey’s name; it refers to nationalism, and the ruling regime is a central parliamentary constitutional republic. Turkey has a long and illustrious cultural history. Turkey has a history of natural disasters, including earthquakes and floods. Turkey is a multifaceted country with numerous borders. Turkey’s surface features a variety of features, including coastal regions. The mountains, particularly the 5137-meter-high Ararat Mountain. The Bosporus and Dardanelles are the two most important waterways. The island of Amors is one of the most famous Forestry.

According to 2007 figures, Turkey has a population of 70,586,256 people. Turkey’s economy is large and diverse. The industry contributes the most to the economy’s development. It is well-known for its excellent textiles, leather, and food and drinks, particularly sweets. Chemicals, autos, and metal industries are also established here. Turkey’s mineral resources include charcoal, coal, iron, zinc, silver, copper, and lead. Agriculture is also very diverse and successful here; cotton, olives, pears, grapes, tea, citrus, barley, and hazelnuts are among the crops farmed and exported in the country.

6. Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the largest countries in Southeast Asia, in terms of both land area and people. As the world’s third-largest democracy and home to the world’s largest Muslim population, they have faced many challenging issues, including government corruption, poverty alleviation, terrorism prevention, democratic consolidation after decades of authoritarianism, human rights violations, and so on.

In 2009, Transparency International rated Indonesia 111th out of 180 nations, followed by Mali and Togo, both of which had a Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of 2.8. (International Transparency, 2009).

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