6 fascinating facts about the most populated continent in the world
Asia is not just the largest in population, the diversity of culture and heritage that is present in this continent cannot be found in others.
Asia's population
China and India, both of the countries are located in Asia and are considered as the world's most populated countries, standing at 1.4 billion. Asia not only consists of the most populated countries but also of the smallest countries like Maldives and Brunei.
Extreme demographic population
Asia also has a varied demographic population where Afghanistan has a majority in the young population, while Japan mainly has an aged population, around 49 years of age. This also creates problems in the social and economic sector of the countries. Countries like India and Philippines have a large working population, whereas Japan and South Korea face problems in this aspect as they have a rapidly aging population and low birth rates.
Birthplace for cultural diversity
Asia is considered to be a birthplace where all major world religions exist like Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and many more. It also has great diversity in languages which reflects the continent's culture and traditions. Asia and Pacific have 297 sites listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from temples to natural landscapes depicting the rich cultural heritage of Asia.
Earliest civilization
In this continent, there are reports that humanity's earliest civilizations arose here. The Indus Valley Civilization in India showed signs of urban development, with planned cities like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Asia's lands had witnessed some of the first cities, writing systems, mathematics and science, shaping global civilization.
Economy and technology
Asia also contributes greatly to the global economy.
Here, you can find the world's largest economies like China, Japan and India. Asia has a growing influence in world trade, investment and development. It contributes roughly 57% to the GDP growth. This continent has also adopted various advanced technologies. Countries like Japan and South Korea have made great developments in the fields of robotics and electronics manufacturing.
Hub for biodiversity
Asia has a great range of biodiversity from Arctic tundra to tropical forests. The Asia-Pacific region contains 17 of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots. It has rainforests, the Himalayas and Eastern Himalayas. In recent years, Asia has taken a hit on its biodiversity. Rapid development and pollution and increasing population have led to great habitat loss. Asia will mainly face issues in the environmental sector in a few years, as it has the most plastic-polluted rivers in the world along with air pollution and deforestation.
Asia provides shelter to a wide range of fascinating wildlife, from the majestic snow leopards in the Himalayas to the world's longest venomous snake, the king cobra in Southeast Asia.
(Image Credits: Canva)
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