Asia

History

Usage of the term “Asia” became common in ancient Greece. In antiquity the continent was presumed not to extend past India. Asia’s coastal margin was home to some of the world’s earliest known civilizations, including those that developed in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and the Huanghe. These civilizations may have exchanged discoveries such as mathematics and the wheel, while other creations appear to have been developed individually in each area. Cities, states, and empires developed in these lowlands.

Geography

Because the borders of the landmass are ambiguous, typically Asia is defined from the standpoint of both a cultural concept and a physical entity. Asia is a subregion of the super-continent Eurasia, which contains portions of Europe and Asia. The continent is comprised of eight regions: Central Asia, the Iranian Plateau, East Asia, the Far East, North Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Asia.

It is characterized as the largest continent, containing...