Asia consists of 50 countries with a total land area of 45 million km² (17 million square miles), representing 30% of the Earth’s habitable surface. Asia’s coastlines have a combined length of 220,266 km (136,896 miles). There are 4.69 billion people living in Asia — that’s 59.5% of the world’s population — and they account for around 38% of global economic output.
77% of Russia is also part of Asia. Since most of the inhabitants (85%) live in the European part of the country, Russia is listed in our overview of Europe. The border between Europe and Asia runs approximately along the Urals, located east of Moscow.
Turkey, on the other hand, is associated with the Near East. 88% of the population, 97% of the country’s territory and the capital Ankara are located on the Asian continent.
Semi-presidential republic
Independent since 1991
Official: Republic of Armenia
Local name: Հայաստան Hajastan
Region:Western Asia
Area: 29,740 km²
Capital: Yerevan
Semi-presidential republic
Independent since 1991
Local name: საქართველო / Sakartwelo
Region: Western Asia
Area: 69,700 km²
Capital:Tbilisi
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independent since 1946
Official: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Local name: الأُرْدُنّ / Al-Urdunn
Region: Western Asia
Area: 89,320 km²
Capital: Amman
Constitutional monarchy
Independent since 1961
Official:State of Kuwait
Local name: Al-Kuwayt
Region: Western Asia
Area: 17,820 km²
Capital: Kuwait City
Autonomous region
Official: State of Palestine
Local name: Filastin
Region: Western Asia
Area: 6,020 km²
Capital: Ramallah
Absolute monarchy
Independent since 1971
Official: State of Qatar
Local name: قطر / Qatar
Region: Western Asia
Area: 11,610 km²
Capital: Doha
Absolute monarchy
Independent since 1932
Official: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Local name: المملكة العربية السعودية / Al-´Arabiya as-Sa´
Region: Western Asia
Area: 2,149,690 km²
Capital: Riyadh
Presidential republic
Independent since 1941
Official: Syrian Arab Republic
Local name: Sūriyya / Suriya / الجمهورية العربية السورية
Region: Western Asia
Area: 185,180 km²
Capital: Damascus
Parliamentary republic
Independent since 1923
Official: Republic of Turkey
Local name: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti
Region: Western Asia
Area: 785,350 km²
Capital: Ankara
Republic
Independent since 1918
Official: Republic of Yemen
Local name: الجمهورية اليمنية / Al-Yaman
Region: Western Asia
Area: 527,970 km²
Capital: Sanaa
Presidential republic
Independent since 1991
Official: Republic of Tajikistan
Local name: Toçikiston / Тоҷикистон
Region: Central Asia
Area: 141,380 km²
Capital: Dushanbe
Presidential republic
Independent since 1991
Local name: Türkmenostan
Region: Central Asia
Area: 488,100 km²
Capital: Ashgabat
Presidential islamic republic
Independent since 1919
Official: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Local name: افغانستان Afghānestān
Region: South Asia
Area: 652,860 km²
Capital: Kabul
Federal parliamentary republic
Independent since 1769
Official: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Local name: Nepal
Region: South Asia
Area: 147,180 km²
Capital: Kathmandu
Presidential republic
Independent since 1948
Official: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Local name: ශ්රී ලංකා / இலங்கை
Region: South Asia
Area: 65,610 km²
Capital: Colombo
Absolute monarchy/sultanate
Independent since 1984
Official: Negara Brunei Darussalam
Local name: نݢارا بروني دار السلام
Region: Southeast Asia
Area: 5,770 km²
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Republic (communist one-party system)
Independent since 1953
Official: Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Local name: Lao
Region: Southeast Asia
Area: 236,800 km²
Capital: Vientiane
Presidential republic
Independent since 1946
Official:Republic of the Philippines
Local name: Pilipinas
Region: Southeast Asia
Area: 300,000 km²
Capital: Manila
Parliamentary republic
Independent since 1965
Official: Republic of Singapore
Local name: Singapore / Singapura / 新加坡共和国 / சிங்கப்பூர்
Region: Southeast Asia
Area: 719 km²
Presidential limited democracy (special administrative region of China)
Local name: 香港 / Xiānggǎng
Region: East Asia
Area: 1,110 km²
Capital: Hong Kong
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independent since 660 b.c.
Local name: 日本国
Region: East Asia
Area: 377,970 km²
Capital: Tokyo
Presidential limited democracy (special administrative region of China)
Local name: Macau, Aomen
Region: East Asia
Area: 30 km²
Capital: Concelho de Macau
Semi-presidential republic
Independent since 1921
Local name: Mongol Uls
Region: East Asia
Area: 1,564,120 km²
Capital: Ulaanbaatar
People’s republic (communist one-party system)
Independent since 1948
Official: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Local name: Choson Minjujuui In´min Konghwaguk (Bukhan)
Region: East Asia
Area: 120,540 km²
Capital: Pyongyang
Presidential republic
Independent since 1948
Official: Republic of Korea
Local name: 대한민국 / 大韓民國
Region: East Asia
Area: 100,339 km²
Capital: Seoul
