·        More than half the people in the world live in Asia. In China alone, there are more than one billion people.

·        Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, is the most sacred of the Muslim holy cities. It is the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam. Every year, Muslims from all over the world make their pilgrimage, or Hajj, to Makkah.

·        Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, rises in the Himalayas between Nepal and Tibet. It was first climbed in 1953.

·        Chang Jiang River in China, also known as Yangtze, is the longest river in Asia.

·        Jebel Ali, in the United Arab Emirates, is the largest man-made port in the world.

·        The largest single gas concentration in the world is found in Northern Qatar. 

·        The Gobi desert in China, Asia’s largest desert, is the coldest northernmost desert in the world.

·        The largest lake in Asia is the Caspian Sea.

·        Saudi Arabia is an important oil producing country. It exports its oil all over the world.

·        The Dead Sea in Jordan, is an inland salt-water lake. It lies about 408 km (1,340 ft) below sea level, making it the lowest point on the Earth’s surface.

·        Honk Kong, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates are the three most important re-export centers in the world.

·        The Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, within the United Arab Emirates was voted ‘best in the world’.

·        The main crop grown in Asia is rice. The fields are flooded with water, and rice is planted in neat rows for easy harvest.

·        The Taj Mahal in India was built in 1630. Empress Mumtaz Mahal, wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan, is buried in it. The Taj Mahal is one of Asia’s most famous tourist attractions, and one of the world’s most beautiful buildings.

·        The Great Wall is China’s best known monument. Work began on the Wall more than 2,300 years ago, to protect China from attack.

·        Petra is one of the most extraordinary cities of the ancient world. Petra, also known as the Red Rose City in Jordan, was carved out of the rock more than 2,000 years ago.

·        The world’s major religions came from Asia. Islam, Christianity and Judaism began in the Middle East. Hinduism and Buddhism began in China. Confucianism and Taoism are Chinese religions, and Shinto comes from Japan.

·        Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan. In the winter it wears a crown of snow, and clouds often hide its top. Visitors call it Fujiyama. The Japanese, however, consider it sacred and call it Fuji-San.

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)