In geographic literature, it is usual to split Asia into major sections, each including several nations.
North Asia, which includes the majority of Siberia and the continent’s northeastern edges; East Asia, which includes the continental part of Siberia’s Russian Far East region, the East Asian islands, Korea, and eastern and northeastern China.
Central Asia, which includes the Tibetan Plateau, the Junggar and Tarim basins, China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Gobi, and the Sino-Tibetan ranges; and Middle Asia, which includes the Gobi and the Sino.
Instead of being regarded as part of South Asia, the Philippines, the Malay Archipelago, and peninsular Southeast Asia are often lumped together as Southeast Asia.
Another frequent method of dividing Asia into cultural zones is to use a version of the main categories.
- Asia is made up of five distinct areas. We have Central Asia, East Asia, South Asian countries (including India), Southeast Asian countries (including Thailand), and Western Asian countries.
- Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan; Kazakhstan; Turkmenistan; and Kyrgyzstan make up Central Asia’s five official nations.
Taiwan and Macau are part of China, while the rest of East Asia is broken up into eight nations and regions by political boundaries. - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Iran, and the Maldives are the nine independent countries that makeup South Asia’s political divisions.
- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam are the 11 nations that makeup Southeast Asia.
Asia is the world’s biggest continent in terms of geographical area and population. It has a surface area of roughly 17 million square kilometers and a population of around four billion people. There are 48 nations in Asia, three of which are transcontinental.
Due to its vast size, Asia has been split into subregions based on a variety of variables, including cultural, political, and economic aspects.
Asia is divided into five primary physiographic areas. Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Western Asia are the regions concerned.
Another area may be characterized as North Asia, which encompasses the majority of Russia’s Siberia and Asia’s northeastern regions. Below are detailed descriptions of Asia’s five major divisions.
Table of Contents
1. Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan)
Central Asia is to the west of China, to the south of Russia, and the north of Afghanistan. The Caspian Sea forms the western boundary of this area. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan are the five nations that makeup Central Asia.
Central Asia is commonly referred to as The Stans since the names of each of these nations finish in “-stan.” The region has a population of slightly over 69.78 million people and encompasses a total area of 1,545,741 square miles.
During the Silk Road commerce history, Central Asia played a crucial role in the movement of products between China and Europe.
2. Asia (East)
(China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau)
East Asia is one of Asia’s five regions, situated east of Central Asia and bordering the East China Sea in the east. China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau are the eight nations and areas that makeup East Asia.
This region has a total area of 4,571,092 square miles and a population of over 1.641 billion people, accounting for 22% of the world population and 38% of Asia’s total population. Many East Asians live in big metropolises such as Beijing and Tokyo.
East Asia’s geography differs based on the zone. Mongolia is encompassed by the dry Gobi desert, whereas the interior continental region has a mild temperature.
China, the region’s biggest nation, has both hills and highlands, while Japan is known for its hundreds of islands and coasts. East Asia is now thought to contain some of the world’s most sophisticated technology, which aids economic progress.
3. The continent of Asia
(Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, The Maldives, Iran)
The Indian Ocean to the south, the Bay of Bengal to the east, and the Arabian Sea to the west form a peninsula-like shape that is bounded by three bodies of water: the Indian Ocean to the south, the Bay of Bengal to the east, and the Arabian Sea to the west.
The region encompasses the Indian subcontinent as well as neighboring nations. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Iran, and the Maldives are the nine independent nations that makeup South Asia.
The region spans over two million square miles and is home to more than 1.74 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of the world’s population. South Asia also boasts the distinction of being the world’s most densely populated region.
4. Southeast Asia
(Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam)
Southeast Asia is in the middle of the continent, between Australia and East Asia. It’s north of Australia, south of East Asia, west of the Pacific Ocean, and east of Bangladesh.
It includes various island and archipelago states that run between the northern and southern hemispheres, making it the only Asian area that spans both hemispheres.
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam are the 15 nations and territories that makeup Southeast Asia.
Southeast Asia has a population of approximately 641 million people and occupies a total area of 1,735,121 square miles. Southeast Asia’s geography is characterized by a high number of archipelagos.
The Indonesian Archipelago is the world’s largest and has the world’s greatest number of active volcanoes. The spice trade, which began before European discovery, established the region’s prominence in world commerce.
Southeast Asia’s economy is now growing at a fast pace. Indonesia is the region’s biggest economy and the sole member of the G20 from East Asia.
5. Western Asia
(Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia)
West Asia is situated south of Eastern Europe, between Central Asia and Africa. The bulk of the area is referred to as the Middle East, although it physically excludes Egypt’s mainland (which is culturally considered a Middle Eastern country).
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen are the 18 nations that makeup West Asia.
It also includes Egypt’s the Sinai Peninsula. The region has a population of 313.428 million people and occupies an area of roughly 2.415 million square miles.
There is a huge part of the region that is covered by desert conditions. The Black Sea, Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Caspian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea are just a few of the large bodies of water that West Asia has access to.