Cathy Means, age 13, of Pittsfield, Mass., for her question:
HOW LARGE IS ASIA?
Asia is the world's largest continent In both size and population. It covers almost a third of the world's total land area and it has nearly three fifths of its people.
Asia extends from Europe and Africa in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. The northernmost part of the continent lies within the frozen Arctic. But in the south, Asia ends in the steaming tropics near the equator.
Some of the world's highest mountains, longest rivers, largest deserts and thickest forest and jungles can be found in Asia. Mount Everest, the highest mountain on earth at 29,028 feet above sea level, and the Dead Sea shore, the lowest land on earth at 1,299 feet below see level, are both in Asia.
Some of the world's largest and smallest nations in area and population are included in the 40 countries that are in Asia. Russia, which lies partly in Europe but mostly in Asia, covers more land than Canada and the United States together. But three Asian nations the Maldives, Singapore and Bahrain could each fit into a corner of Rhode Island.
China and India each have larger populations than North and South America together, but about two fifths of Asian countries have fewer people than does New York City.
Asia's population is as varied as everything else about the continent. The people differ greatly in their ancestry, customs, languages, religious beliefs and ways of life.
Civilization began in Asia about 5,000 years ago, long before it began in the West. During ancient and medieval times, Asia moved ahead of the West in economic, cultural and scientific development. Asians founded the first cities, set up the first systems of law and became the first farmers and merchants.
Sometime around A.D. 1500, Asia entered a period of economic decline and the West began rapid progress. Western European nations conquered large parts of Asia between 1500 and the 1800s.
Asia has six major land regions.
Southwest Asia is a land of desert in the south and of mountains and plateaus in the north. Dry soil makes farming impossible in most of the region. But the land contains much oil.
South Asia has some of the world's most mountainous land. Much fertile soil lies south of the mountains which rise in the far northern part of this region.
Southeast Asia is rich in natural resources, including fertile soil, forests and mineral deposits.
East Asia also has much fertile soil and other resources.
Forests cover a large part of North Asia and areas of good farmland lie in the southern section of this region. But much of northern North Asia is so cold that the land stays frozen throughout most of the year.
Central Asia has much of the continent's poorest land. Tts main features include deserts, mountains and rocky plateaus.