How Many Countries Are There in Asia?

Asia is the largest continent in the world both by area and population, and the continent covers an area of 17.212 million square miles, with a total population of 4.164 billion people. Asia is made up of 48 countries, as well as 6 non-UN states, and 6 dependent territories.

Geography of Asia

Cape Fligely, situated on Franz Josef Land in Russia, is the northernmost point in Asia. The southernmost point in Asia is located in Panama Island, Indonesia. Big Diomede in Russia is the easternmost point of the continent, while Turkey’s Cape Baba lies on the continent’s westernmost point. Asia is home to the highest peak on earth, Mount Everest, which is situated on the Nepal-China border. The longest river in Asia is China’s Yangtze River, which has a length of 3,915 miles.

The Largest and Smallest Countries of Asia by Size

Some of the largest countries in the world by area are located in Asia. The world’s biggest country, Russia, is the largest in Asia with an area covering 6.592 million square miles, which is equivalent to 38.63% of the continent’s total area. Asia’s second largest country is China, which covers an area of 3.705 million square miles. India is the third largest country in Asia, with an area covering 1.269 million square miles. The five smallest countries in Asia are Palestine, Brunei, Bahrain, Singapore, and Maldives. The Maldives, a small island country is Asia’s smallest country, covering an area of 115 square miles.

Population of Asian Countries

The total population of the Asia is estimated to be over 4.516 billion people. The top five countries with the largest population in Asia, arranged from largest to smallest, are China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Asia is home to the largest country in the world based on population, China, whose population is estimated to be about 1.387 billion people, which represents 31.35% of Asia’s total population. Timor-Leste, Bhutan, Maldives, Brunei, and Macau make up the bottom five countries with the lowest population (the sovereignty of Macau is yet to be established). Singapore has the highest population density of any Asian country, with a population density of 20,194 persons per square mile, followed by Bahrain, with a population density of 5,038 persons per square mile. Mongolia has the lowest population density of any country in Asia, with a population density of only five persons per square mile.

Boundaries of Asia

The boundaries within Asia have been a point of contention for hundreds of years. The Europe-Asia boundary, in particular, has historically been revised on numerous occasions. The modern definition of the Asia-Europe boundary includes some trans-continental countries, such as Russia and Turkey. Cyprus is the only country categorized as being within Asia’s boundaries, but is an official member of the European Union. The Africa-Asia boundary is delineated along the Red Sea and includes the Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula, which is part of Egyptian territory. The Bering Sea and the Bering Strait in Eastern Russia are used as the border separating Asia from North America. The Malay Archipelago is sometimes considered as the border separating Asia from Oceania.