The world’s biggest continent, Asia stretches almost halfway around the globe and covers one- third of earth’s landmass. It has the world’s tallest mountains, the world’s largest lake and the world’s lowest point on land. The tallest mountain is Mount Everest, the Dead Sea is the world’s lowest point on land, and the world’s largest lake by area is the Caspian Sea.
Asia is also the most populous continent and home to 60% of the people on earth. China has the world’s largest population and India has the second largest. Shanghai in China is the world’s most populous city, followed by Beijing, the capital city of China.
Asia was the birthplace of many great religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.
Most Asians live in the east and south, where the climate is warm and wet and there are large areas of forest, fertile plains and hundreds of tropical islands. Deserts and barren mountain ranges dominate the southwest and centre of the continent. To the north, the grasslands, or steppes, of central Asia give way to the immense coniferous forests of Russia. A belt of freezing tundra extends along the continent’s north coast.
Asia has the longest coastline of any continent. It has the world’s widest climatic extremes, and consequently produces the most varied forms of vegetation and animal life on earth.
- Vocabulary
Please make sentences with the following words. Your sentences should demonstrate that you understand the meaning of the word.
Stretch – to extend, to reach, to spread
Landmass – a large area of land
Populous – having a large population
Fertile – land which is capable of producing good quality crops
Barren – land which is too poor to produce much or any vegetation
Dominate – have control or influence over
Steppes – a large area of grassland
Immense – very large
Coniferous – evergreen trees that have needle-shaped leaves, such as pines
Tundra – a vast, flat, treeless Arctic region in which the subsoil is permanently frozen
- Discussion Points
- Please look at a map of Asia and look for India on it.
- Which other countries are in South Asia besides India?
- How many countries are there in Asia?
- Which is the largest country in Asia (and the world) in terms of population?
- What language is spoken in the largest country in Asia?
- Name three things that you know about China.
- Which is the smallest country in Asia?
- Please look for Mount Everest on the map.
- Name three things about Mount Everest.
- Do the same for the Dead Sea and the Caspian Sea.
- There are several more religions that were born in Asia. Name one that we have not mentioned here.
- Name three things about this religion.
- Research one of the religions we have mentioned here. Name three fascinating facts about this religion.
- Name three facts about Asia that you did not read about in this lesson.
Audio courtesy Tara Kriplani: