![]() ![]() Northern Cyprus declared its independence in 1983 but is only recognized as a sovereign state within the UN by Turkey, with every other member considering it as simply part of Cyprus. Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia are all located in the Caucasus and all declared their independence during the 1990s, with limited recognition internationally. Palestine, which is made up of the Gaza Strip and West Bank regions in and around Israel, declared its independence in 1988 and is currently recognized as independent by 134 countries, though it is not an official member of the United Nations and is not considered to be its own country by every G-8 nation except Russia. There are also several unrecognized and partially recognized states within Asia. It cannot be categorized into any of these regions alone and so is kept separate. As it is the largest country in the world, Russia’s territory actually stretches across the entirety of Asia’s border from East to West. Finally, it is also worth noting that Russia is not included in any of these regions. Pakistan can be West instead of South Asian, Afghanistan can be Central or South rather than West Asian, and so on. It is worth reiterating that these regional borders are as porous as Asia’s continental borders, and some countries can be organized differently. The countries of Southeast Asia include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (or Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor (or Timor-Leste), and Vietnam. Lastly, the Southeast Asian region defines the tropical and equatorial countries between South and East Asia to the North and Oceania to the South. South Asian countries include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. South Asia is also referred to as the Indian Subcontinent, separated from East Asia by the Himalayan Mountains between China and India and defined largely by the Indian Tectonic Plate on which its countries largely rest. ![]() The countries of East Asia include China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Mongolia (as well as Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). East Asia defines the region between Central Asia, Russia, and the Pacific Ocean roughly up to the beginning of the Tropic of Cancer. Central Asia is located just north of Iran and Afghanistan and south of Russia, consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Caucasus includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Russia. Just northeast of Turkey lies the Caucasus, a mountainous region wedged between the Black Sea to the West and the Caspian Sea to the East. “European Russia” and “Russia” are both simply Russia, and the “Thrace” and “Anatolia” parts of Turkey are both undisputedly part of Turkey, but sometimes the regions are shaded differently on maps in order to help delineate the borders between Asia and Europe.Ĭountries within West Asia include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. ![]() This being said, it is important to note that these divided regions do not constitute separate countries or autonomous regions claiming sovereignty (such as the cases of Hong Kong or Palestine). Indonesia and parts of the Philippines are sometimes categorized as part of Oceania rather than as Asian. On the other side of the continent, the islands which separate Asia from Oceania can also be difficult to delineate. Russia is generally split along the Ural Mountains, with its western half called “European Russia” and its East as simply “Russia.” The land between Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, and its direct borders with Bulgaria and Greece is at times referred to as a part of Europe called “Thrace,” while the rest of its territory is called “Anatolia” and is part of Asia. Russia and Turkey tend to be cut into regions. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are sometimes referred to as Asian and other times as European. As a result of its porous land border, some countries on Asia’s western border have been at times referred to as part of Europe’s East. Europe and Asia are technically located on the same overall landmass, and combined the two are referred to as Eurasia. Though most of its continental borders are clearly defined, there are gray areas. Its North helps form part of the Arctic alongside North America and Europe. Asia is the largest and most populous continent in the world, sharing borders with Europe and Africa to its West, Oceania to its South, and North America to its East. ![]()
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