Asia is the largest part of the world on our planet. The population of Asia is characterized by ethnic diversity, an extremely high growth rate and the largest number in the world. Learn more about the inhabitants of the region later in the article.
Geography
Asia is a large part of the continent of Eurasia. Among all parts of the world, it covers the largest territory, whose area is 44.5 million square kilometers. It is the largest developing region in the world, occupying about 30% of the Earth’s land.
The main territory is located in the northern and eastern hemispheres, some Asian islands are in the southern hemisphere. Due to its considerable size, almost all types of climate are present in the region - from the equatorial in the south to the arctic in the north.
From the north, east and south, Asia is washed by the Arctic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The waters of the Atlantic Ocean touch this part of the world through the seas (Black, Aegean, Marmara, Azov) in the south-west. In the west, there is a conditional land border with Europe (along the Ural Mountains, the Manych and Kume rivers). Numerous islands are located in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Based on physical and geographical features, the region is divided into North, East, South, West, Middle, Southeast and South-West Asia. According to the UN - to East, Central, West, Southeast and South Asia. However, there are other classifications.
The population of Asia is very diverse and has a record number. Within its limits live more than one thousand different peoples and nationalities.
Political map of Foreign Asia
In many sources you can find the concept of "Foreign Asia". It arose even in Soviet times and was firmly entrenched in Russian geography. Now the term is used to refer to Asian countries that are not members of the CIS. Four subregions are distinguished in Overseas Asia: South, East, Southwest and Southeast Asia.
The political map of the region has changed many times, mainly due to wars and colonial conquests. For a long time, Jordan, India, Pakistan, Israel, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other countries were controlled by the UK. The territories of Indochina were colonies of France, Indonesia belonged to the Netherlands, the Philippines to the USA, etc. After the end of World War II, the decolonization process began in this part of the world. In 1984, Brunei became the last country freed from its colonizer - Great Britain.
Currently, the region consists of 39 sovereign states. Most of them are republics (China, Syria, Israel, Pakistan, etc.). In 13 countries - the monarchical system. At the same time, five of them (Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates) are absolute, the remaining nine are constitutional monarchies. In Brunei and Saudi Arabia, the ruler of the state is also the head of the church.
Asian Population: General
In total, about 7 billion people live on Earth, and 60% of them are residents of the Asian region. The population of Asia is 4.2 billion. In terms of quantity, India and China are leading. Only their inhabitants make up 40% of all humanity. Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Japan have a high number.
The total population density in Asia is 87 people. per square meter km Of course, in different countries the numbers can vary significantly. For example, in Mongolia, there are only 2 people per square kilometer, and in Singapore - 7 607. Singapore is the second most populous country in the world and the first among Asian countries.
In many states, such as Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar, several tens of millions of people live. The population of Asian countries is growing extremely rapidly, in some states there is even a population explosion. The highest growth rate is observed in South-West Asia (Palestine, Oman, Afghanistan, Jordan). The lowest indicators are in East Asia, especially China and Japan (due to an active demographic policy).
Ethnic composition
The population of overseas Asia is characterized by extreme diversity. More than a thousand ethnic groups speak five hundred different languages. About 107 peoples number several million people. The largest nations are Chinese, Bengalis, Japanese, and Hindustanis. After them come Telugu, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Koreans, Javanese.
The most colorful ethnic composition is observed in India. The country is home to more than 500 nations and tribal groups, which makes it the most multinational, not only in Asia, but also in the world. Ethnic diversity is also represented in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines, Indonesia. Bangladesh and Japan have the most homogeneous composition.
The nationalities that make up the population of Asia are not limited to one state. Bengalis, for example, live in India and Bangladesh. An estimated 40 million ethnic Chinese inhabit many countries in Southeast Asia. Kurds do not have their own country; they live in Syria, Turkey, Iraq.
Religion
Three world religions arose in Asia: Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. The population of overseas Asia, which adheres to Islam, is 20%. These are mainly residents of West and Southwest Asia. In many countries, Islam is the state religion. A large number of Muslims are also located in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia.
Buddhism and its branches are widespread in the southern, eastern, and southeastern parts of the region. There are approximately 550 million adherents of this religion in Asia. There are few supporters of Christianity in this part of the world. It is practiced in Cyprus, the Philippines, Lebanon and Indonesia.
Confucianism is widespread among other national religions in China, and Shintoism in Japan. Adherents of Hinduism live mainly in India, Nepal, Bangladesh. The main religion of Israel is Judaism.
Conclusion
There are 39 independent states in Asia. In terms of population and color, Foreign Asia is not inferior to any of the regions of the modern world. The population of Asia is striking in its ethnic diversity. Hundreds of peoples live here, each of which has its own culture, language and religion.