Asia is the most important of the earth’s continents. It could be divided into five key Actual physical areas: mountain devices; plateaus; plains, steppes, and deserts; freshwater environments; and saltwater environments.
In geologic terms, Asia comprises quite a few really historic continental platforms as well as other blocks of land that merged about the eons. Nearly all of These units experienced coalesced as a continental landmass by about a hundred and sixty million decades back, if the core on the Indian subcontinent broke off from Africa and began drifting northeastward to collide Using the southern flank of Asia about 50 million to 40 million many years ago. The northeastward movement of the subcontinent proceeds at about 2.4 inches (six cm) per year. The influence and pressure go on to boost the Plateau of Tibet and also the Himalayas.
The Sundarbans is really a wetland area that sorts within the delta of your Ganges and Brahamaputra rivers. The Sundarbans is a big mangrove forest. Mangroves are hardy trees that are able to withstand the impressive, salty tides with the Bay of Bengal together with the freshwater flows with the Ganges and Brahamaputra. Together with mangroves, the Sundarbans is forested by palm trees and swamp grasses.
Asia’s various Actual physical and cultural landscape has dictated the way in which animals have been domesticated. From the Himalayas, communities use yaks as beasts of load. Yaks are large animals connected to cattle, but by using a thick fiber coat and the ability to endure within the oxygen-lousy higher altitude of your mountains.
The mountain devices of Central Asia not have only offered the continent’s great rivers with drinking water from their melting snows but even have formed a forbidding normal barrier which has influenced the movement of peoples in the area. Migration across Those people barriers has actually been possible only by way of mountain passes.
If a media asset is downloadable, a obtain button seems in the corner in the media viewer. If no button seems, you cannot down load or help save the media.
Cite Although just about every effort and hard work has long been produced to comply with citation model guidelines, there may be some discrepancies. You should make reference to the appropriate design guide or other sources When you have any inquiries. Find Citation Style
Asia is often divided into 5 big Actual physical locations: mountain systems; plateaus; plains, steppes, and deserts; freshwater environments; and saltwater environments.
The audio, illustrations, pics, and films are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional photos, which typically link to a different page which contains the media credit rating. The Rights Holder for media is the individual or team credited.
The Sundarbans supports much more than two hundred species of aquatic and wading birds. These compact animals are part of a food Internet that includes wild boar, macaque monkeys, watch lizards, and also a balanced inhabitants of Bengal tigers.
The seabed beneath the Persian Gulf is made up of an approximated 50 percent of the whole world’s oil reserves. The nations around the world that border the gulf have engaged in a variety of disputes about this loaded source.
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee issue regions by which they have comprehensive information, whether or not from years of working experience obtained by engaged on that content material or by means of research for a complicated degree. They publish new content and confirm and edit written content obtained from contributors.
Any interactives on this web site can only be performed while you are browsing our Web site. You can not obtain interactives.
Yaks are don't just utilized for transportation and for pulling plows, but their coats are resources of warm, hardy fiber. Yak milk is useful for butter and cheese.
Asia’s coastline—some 39,000 miles (sixty two,800 km) in length—is, variously, large and mountainous, small and alluvial, terraced because of the land’s acquiring been uplifted, or “drowned” where the land has subsided. The particular features with the coastline in certain regions—specifically in the east and southeast—are the result of Lively volcanism; thermal abrasion of permafrost (brought on by a mix of the motion of breaking waves and thawing), as in northeastern Siberia; and coral progress, as from the areas towards the south and southeast.
Lake Baikal’s age and isolation allow it to be a novel Organic website. Aquatic daily life has been able to evolve for millions of many years fairly undisturbed, making a abundant variety of flora and fauna.
Its dimensions and ability to adapt to hardship make it an ideal pack animal. Bactrians can actually outrun horses more than extended distances. These camels have been the standard animals Utilized in caravans to the Silk Highway, the famous trade route linking jap Asia with India and the center East.
Thus, the isthmus among the Black and Caspian seas, which culminates while in the Caucasus mountain variety to your south, is an element of Asia.
The title Asia is historical, and its origin is variously discussed. The Greeks employed it read more to designate the lands located on the east in their homeland. It really is believed that the name could possibly be derived with the Assyrian term asu
The Yangtze is considered the lifeblood of China. It drains 1-fifth of your place’s land location, is residence to one-3rd of its population, and contributes significantly to China’s economic system.