Asian countries

Delimitation of the continent

The Asian continent, the biggest on the planet, is usually associated with Europe and presented as the Eurasian continent. It is divided into the following main areas: Western Asia (Near and Middle East), Northern Asia (Russian part), Southern Asia (South Asia), Central Asia, South-Eastern Asia and Oriental Asia (Far East).

The Arctic Sea is the northern limit, the Bering Strait separates it from the American continent, the Pacific in the east, the Indian Ocean and Oceania in the south. The western limit extends from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean, the Dardanelles, and then continues with the Black Sea, the Caucasus through the Caspian Sea and the Ural River.

The climate in Asia

The different latitudes covered by the Asian continent explain the great diversity of climates. The climatic conditions are influenced by the mountain ranges, the tropics and the surrounding oceans.

To the north, the climate is continental in Siberia, with long, cold winters and short, hot summers, with deeply frozen ground. In the south, from the Caspian Sea to the Gobi Desert, is a desert and arid climate, with strong climatic contrasts. There are also desert areas from Arabia to Sind, but they are constantly warm regions. The southeast is affected by the monsoon, which brings summer rains, and a dense forest partially covers the heavily watered regions of Borneo and Sumatra.