Proper noun

Singular Asia

Plural -

Asia

1. A continent located east of Europe, west of the Pacific Ocean, north of Oceania and south of the Arctic Ocean.
2. A female given name of modern usage, from the continent.
   • 1994 Blake Nelson, Girl: A Novel, Simon&Schuster, ISBN 0671897071, page 81

     And Scott Haskell started going out with this sophomore girl called Asia, who was this rich girl from Weston Heights.

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area (or 29.9% of its land area) and with approximately 4 billion people, it accounts for 60% of the world's current human population. It is located chiefly in the eastern and northern hemispheres.

Asia is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Eurasia—with the western portion of the latter occupied by Europe—lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas. It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the north by the Arctic Ocean. Given its size and diversity, Asia—a toponym dating back to classical antiquity—is more a cultural concept incorporating a number of regions and peoples than a homogeneous physical entity (see Subregions of Asia, Asian people).

The wealth of Asia differs widely between, and within, states. This is due to its vast size, and huge range of different cultures, environments, historical ties and government systems. In terms of nominal GDP, Japan has the largest economy on the continent and the second largest in the world. In purchasing power parity term, however, the People's Republic of China has the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world.

• Bangladesh (3)
• Cambodia (4)
• India (27)
• Nepal (12)

• Pakistan (3)
• Thailand (4)
• Vietnam (5)

See also:

• Regional: Asia: Society and Culture: Issues (2)

• [AF] Aschiana
  aschiana.com
  ASCHIANA is an Afghan Non-Government Organisation that provides services, support and programs to street working children and their families in Kabul.
• [AF] BBC News | Kabul's lost children
  news.bbc.co.uk
  Journalist Marzia Adil describes the plight of children working and begging on the streets of the war-ravaged Afghan capital. (January 27, 2002)
• [MN] Lotus Children's Centre - Mongolia
  lotuschild.org
  Provides residential and outreach services to the street children of Ulan Bator, Mongolia.

• Usenet soc.culture.asean - news: - Google Groups