15.1 Asia in a nutshell
Size
Religions
- 44 million square kilometers: the Asian continent covers almost one third of the planet's land surface area.
- Approximately 50 nations (the independence of some Asian nations has not been acknowledged by other nations).
- 4 billion people: 60 % of the planet's inhabitants are centered in Asia
Nations
Economy- Large amounts of industrial production: for example, most of the world's household appliances and technological devices are made in Asia.
- One of the center's of the global economy (e.g. China, Japan and South Korea).
- Crude oil and natural gas found in large quantities in the Arabian peninsula, West Asia and Siberia.
- China is rich in natural resources.
Agriculture
- Wheat and rice are the two most important asian grains.
- Reindeer herding is a common livelihood in the Asian tundra.
- The Asian coniferous forest zone has almost no agriculture.
- The Asian broadleaf forest zone and savanna are the two most important vegetation zones in terms of agricultural production.
- Agriculture also exists in the deserts and steppes, where it is accomplished with the aid of artificial irrigation methods.
- Rainforest areas are used to grow food crops and oil palm.