ASIA

Stretching from the frozen Arctic to the hot Equator, Asia is by far the world's largest and most mountainous continent. Much of the land is barren, with vast, empty deserts in southwest and central Asia, and the remote, windswept plateau of Tibet to the north of the Himalayan mountains. Asia also has some of the world's most fertile plains and valleys beside rivers that include the Mekong, Indus, and Euphrates. In Southeast Asia, the land is mainly mountainous or covered in tropical rain forests that are teeming with wildlife.Away from the mainland, scattered on either side of the Equator, lie thousands of islands, many of them volcanic

THE HIMALAYAS

The Himalayas, right, form a massive land barrier between the Indian Subcontinent and Tibet. The range is permanently snow-capped and contains the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. The mountains began to form about 50 million years ago when a moving plate, carrying the Subcontinent, began to push against the Eurasian plate. When the plates collided, the edge of the Indian plate was forced under the Eurasian plate, and the seabed in between was folded up to form the Himalayas.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Stretching across two continents -Europe and Asia - and extending halfway around the globe, the Russian Federation is by far the largest country in the world. Because of the bitterly cold climate and harsh living conditions, this vast land is sparsely populated. However, Russia has areas of fertile land, rich mineral deposits, and abundant natural resources. The country was once the head of a powerful communist state, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). After the collapse of communism in 1991, many parts of the old Soviet Union declared independence. The government of the newly formed Russian Fedération is now struggling to establish a Western-style democracy and economy.

POLITICAL CHANGE
The Moscow Kremlin reflects the changing political face of Russia. Once the home of the tsars (emperors), who ruled Russia for many centuries, it later became the headquarters of the world's fïrst communist government in 1917. The government created the USSR, which became an industrial and military superpower, but at great cost to its people. The communist state collapsed in 1991, and the Kremlin is now the symbolic home of the newrulers of the Russian Federation.

RELIGION REVIVAL

The Russian Orthodox church was suppressed for many years by the former soviet government, but becam legal once more with the ending of communism. Today churches and monasteries are reopening across the country, and many people regularly attend religious services. As Russian society continues to change rapidly, the unchangin traditions of the Orthodox Church are a great comfort to many people.

turkey

Turkey lies partlyin europe and pardy in Asia and is divided by a narrow waterway. For more than 600 years, Turkey was part of thé powerful Ottoman Empire. Today, Turkey is a republic and thé country is a mix of Islande and Western traditions. Most people are Turkish-speaking Muslims, although there is no officiai state religion. Turkey has a varied landscape and climate, and is a popular tourist destination. Many types of crops are grown, and thé country is self-suffïcient in food.

KEMAL ATATURK
Kemal Ataturk was the founder and first president of the modem state of Turkey after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century. He brought about many reforms in Turkish society, including greater freedom for women and better éducation for ail.

Agriculture
About half of the Turkish workforce is employee! in agriculture - growing crops such as wheat, cotton, tobacco. sugar beet, and fruit. Tea is grown along the Black Sea coast and is a popular drink. Much of the work in thé fïelds is donc by women. With plenty of fertile farmland, Turkey can produce enough food not only for ils own needs, but for export, too.

EPHESUS
Each year, millions of tourists visit Turkey for its sunny weather, sandy beaches, andancien sites. These include the ruined city of Ephesus on the Aegean coast, famous for its huge, open-air theater, carved out of the hillside in the first century AD, with seating for 24,000 people. Tourism is one of Turkey's major industries.

 

syria

Syria is an ancient land. Its capital, Damascus, is one of the world's oldest cities. Because of its important position on major trade routes, Syria has been invaded and occupied many times - by the Romans, Arabs, Greeks, and Turks. After World War I, it came under French control, becoming independent in 1946. Since then Syria has been involved in several wars with Israël. Most Syrians are Muslim and speak Arabic. More than half of Syria is desert, but the river floodplains provide fertile land.

palmyra

The rich and varied history of Syria is reflected in the many ancient ruins from past civilizations found scattered throughout the country. In the 3rd century AD, Palmyra, with its palaces, temples, and theaters, was a flourishing city, but it was destroyed bv the Romans for refusing to give up its independence. It lies in an oasis on the edge of the desert, and is one of the best preserved ancient cities in the world.

MUSLIM GROUPS

The majority of Syrians belong to the traditionally powerful Sunni Muslim group. But there are other Muslim sects, such as the Shi'as, Ismailis, and Alawis. The Alawis believe not only in Islam, but in some aspects of Christianity. For example, they celebrate Christmas and Easter. The Alawis were persecuted in the past, but many have now become rich and powerful. President Assad of Syria is an Alawi Muslim.

THE EUPHRATES DAM

The Euphrates River flows through the northeast of Syria on its journey from Turkey to Iraq. A gigantic dam has been built across the river to harness the power of the water and produce hydro-electricity. The dam's hydro-electric plants now provide three-quarters of Syria's electricity. A huge lake, Lake Assad, was also created by the dam. Water from the lake is used to grow crops.

THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

The mountainous area known as the Golan Heights was seized from Syria by Israël in 1967. It is important to the Israelis because it overlooks the Hula Valley in Israël, offering a good strategie position. It is a major issue in recent peace talks between the two countries, and it has been suggested that the Golan Heights should become a nonmilitary zone and be returned to Syria.

jordan

jordan LIES TO THE NORTHWEST of thé Arabian Peninsula. Apart from a short coastline along thé Gulf of Aqaba, it is completely landlocked, or eut off from thé sea. Much of eastern Jordan is désert, with mountains in the north and south. Most of its people are Muslim and speak Arabie. Jordan is a relatively new country (it became fully independent in 1946), but some of the world's oldest sites are found here. In recent years, the government has played a part in peace talks between the Israelis and their Arab neighbors.

refugee camps

When Israël was formed in 1948, tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their homes and become refugees in Jordan and other Arab countries. More than 40 years later, they are still there. In Jordan alone, there are 1.8 million Palestinian refugees. Many have been born and brought up in refugee camps. This Palestinian refugee camp is near Amman.

jordan rIver

Water is in short supply throughout the Middle East. Control of the Jordan River, which forms the border between Jordan and Israël, has become an important issue in peace talks between the two countries. Jordan, a relatively poor country, has a particular need for a greater share of the water to irrigate its land so it can produce more crops.

iraq

Iraq is one of the largest and most powerful countries in the Middle East. Most of its people are Muslim and Arabic speaking. There are also around 4 million Kurds living in the north. Apart from the fertile plains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, most of Iraq is mountainous or covered in desert. Only about a sixth of the country is suitable for farming and much of Iraq's food is imported. Since Iraq became a republic in 1958, it has experienced great political unrest. During the 1980s a bitter war was fought against Iran, and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait led to the Gulf War (1990-91) and to intervention by an international force.

MESOPOTAMIA

Many ancient peoples settled in Mesopotamia (part of which is now Iraq) because it lay in the fertile crescent of land formed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The area has many ancient ruins, including stepped, pyramidlike structures called ziggurats, found at Babylon and Ur. The steps led to a temple at the top.

PlPING OIL

Iraq's most important natural resources are oil and natural gas. Oil production began on a large scale in 1945 and now dominates the economy. Because Iraq has only a short stretch of coastline along the Persian Gulf, it relies on pipelines through turkey, Syria, and Saudi Arabia to export its oil.

iran

Iran is the largest non-arab country in the Middle East; its people are Persian in origin. In ancient times, Iran was called Persia, and it was at the center of a great empire. The Persian language has survived from that time and is spoken by most Iranians. The country consists of a huge, central plateau ringed by the Zagros and Elburz mountains. In 1979, the last Shah, or king, of Iran was overthrown by an Islamic revolution and the country was declared a republic. Today, oil is Iran's biggest export.

THE AYATOLLAH Khomeini

Ayatollah Khomeini was a key figure in the Iranian revolution and remained Iran's political and religious leader until his death in 1989. The Shah had tried to introduce Western ideas to Iran, but Khomeini wanted the country to be governed by traditional Islamic laws and values. His ideas still dominate Iran.

PERSIAN CARPETS

Iran is famous for its handwoven Persian carpets. Each consists of thousands of pieces of wool knotted into elaborate patterns. The weavers always make a deliberate mistake in their work because, as Muslims, they believe that nothing is perfect except God. Carpets are Iran's second largest export, after oil.

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA is by far the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula. Some 90 percent of this Muslim nation is covered by the hot, dry, sandy Arabian Desert, including the vast Rub'Al Khali, or Empty Quarter, in the south. There are no permanent rivers, and years may pass without any rainfall. The discovery of huge oil reserves has made Saudi Arabia extremely rich and powerful, and has enabled it to develop and improve its industry, agriculture, and standard of living.

OPEC

Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves in th world. Oil accounts for almost 90 percent of the country's exports. Saudi Arabia is a key member of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). OPEC sets guidelines for the production and export of oil, and protects the interests of its mernber countries.

mecca

Mecca, the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed and the holiest city of Islam, is in the west of Saudi Arabia. Each year, more than a million pilgrims from ail over the world flock to Mecca to visit the sacred Ka'ba shrine in the Great Mosque. Muslims are expected to undertake the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in their lives.

afghanistan

Afghanistan occupies an important position between central Asia to the north and the Indian Subcontinent to the south. As a result, the country has been fought over for centuries, especially by Russian and British armies. Afghanistan is a land of contrasts, made up of high, grassy plains, low, flat, stony desert, and high mountain peaks. The country has few roads and no railroads, and almost three-quarters of this bleak land is inaccessible. In the last 20 years, the country has been in the grip of civil war. It is currently ruled by a fragile government. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world.

many peoples

More than 20 different groups of people live in Afghanistan. In the south, the Pushtoons, or Afghans, are the largest group; the country is named after them because they have controlled its government for the last 200 years. In the big cities and the rural areas of the northeast live the Dari- (Persian-) speaking Tajiks, many of whom are merchants and traders. The Hazara people (above) live in the center of the country.

THE MUJAHIDEEN

In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to prop up the new communist government. Islamic rebels, known as the mujahideen, retaliated by launching a full-scale war. By 1989 they had forced the Soviet army to withdraw, and by 1992 had taken over the entire country. Once in power, they introduced strict Islamic laws. However, fighting between the main mujahideen groups has led to a state of civil war.

THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT

Fringed by the indian ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal, and bordered to the north by the mighty Himalayas, the Indian Subcontinent covers a vast area. At least a fifth of the world's people live here. Dominated by India, the area also includes Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, theisland of Sri Lanka, and the tiny state of Bhutan. The Subcontinent has a long and turbulent history and has been invaded many times. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, most of the area, apart from Nepal and Bhutan, was ruled by Britain. The landscape and climate of the Subcontinent vary greatly, with snowcapped mountains in the north, dry, sandy desert in the northwest, and hot, tropical rain forest in the south.

INDEPEXDENCE: India became independent in 1947. The country was divided into Hindou India and the new Muslim country of Pakistan, split into West and East. In1971, . East Pakistan became the independent country of Bangladesh.

India

The world's seventh largest and second most populated country, India is a vast, colorful land, full of variety in religion, language, and culture. Three of the world's major faiths, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, originated here. More than 200 languages are spoken, although 40 percent of the population speaks Hindi. Despite much poverty, India is one of the world's top industrialized nations. Both agriculture and industry have expanded during the past 15 years and have attracted investment from international companies. India is also the world's largest democracy. Some 450 million people are eligible to vote.

green revolution

One of India's most pressing problems has been to produce enough food for its ever-growing population. Today, it is self-sufficient in food. Production of rice and wheat has risen more than 200 percent since independence in 1947. This improvement is partly due to the "Green Révolution" of the 1960s, when farming methods were modernized and higher-yielding varieties of rice and wheat were planted.

BOLLYWOOD

More films are produced in India than anywhere else in the world, including the US. About 800 full-length feature films are shot each year, mainly in Bombay, nicknamed "Bollywood." Indian films are often packed with songs, dancing, romance, glamorous stars, and nonstop action. Going to the movies is a favorite pastime in India, and many films last for four or five hours.

indian food

Many Indian people are vegetarians. They do not believe in killing animals to eat. Most Hindus never eat beef because they consider cows to be sacred, and Muslims do not eat pork. Food varies from place to place, but a typical meal might consist of several spicy vegetable dishes, dhal (lentils), dahi (yogurt), rice or chappatis'(flat bread), and poppadums. The food is flavored with many spices, including turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin, and cardamom.

industry

Since independence, industry has expanded in India. Factories produce and process goods such as cars, chemicals, food and drink, and computers. Jet airplanes and space rockets are now being made. Textiles and leather goods are major exports. About half of India's industrial output cornes from small, family-run "cottage" industries producing traditional handicrafts such as brasswork, mirror work, and tie-dye.

Memory in marble

The Taj Mahal, in Agra, was built in the 17th century by shah Jahan, one of the Mughal emperos who ruled India from the 16th to 18th centuries. Built in white marble as a tomb for his beloved wife , it is a fine example of Islamic architecture and attracts many visitors. Tourism is an increasingly important industry in India, bringing millions of people every year.

china

One in every five people in the world live in just one country - China. This vast nation is almost the same size as Europe. It is the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. It also has one of the world's oldest civilizations, with a history stretching back more than 7,000 years. Ruled by a succession of emperors, China became a republic in 1911 and a communist state in 1949. Under the communists, every aspect of life was controlled by the state and China became a major industrial and military power. In recent years it has begun to move toward a more competitive economy that encourages investment from other countries.

chinese communism

The Communist Party took control of China in 1949. Led by Mao Zedong, the party believed in a society in which everyone would be equal and property would be owned by the whole community. Land was taken from wealthy landowners and given to groups of peasant farmers who worked on large, collective farms. Industry was put under state control. These attempts to transform China met with mixed success. Since Mao's death in 1976, private ownership has begun to develop again.

One-child families

The Chinese population is growing by about 15 million people a year, wich is almost the total population of Australia. In ordre to reduce this rapid growth, the government introduced a policy in 1979 to limit each family to one child only. The single children are known as '' Little emperors'' because they are often spoiled. The one-child policy has succeded in the towns, but not in the country, where large families are needed to prpvide labor in the fields.

RiCE GROWING

Two-thirds of China's large population lives and works on the land. The most fertile areas are found in the south. The main crop is rice, though tea, cotton, fruit, and vegetables are also grown. The rice is planted in flooded paddy fields. Two crops of rice and one of vegetables or cereal grains are harvested in a good year. In the north and west of the country, which is drier and hillier, farmers grow a single crop of cereal grains and tend sheep and cattle.

Japan

Japan is a chain of some 4,000 islands stretching for more than 1,553 miles (2,500 km) off the east coast of mainland Asia. Most people live on the four largest islands - Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Fiat land is in short supply. More than three-quarters of the country is hilly, leaving less than a quarter suitable for building and farming. To create more level ground, hillsides are being cut back and land is being reclaimed from the sea. Japan's climate is a varied one. The islands in the south are warm all year round, while in the north it is cooler, with snowfall on the mountains in winter. The Japanese call their country Nippon, "the land of the rising Sun," as the Sun can be seen rising above the Pacific Ocean.

THE EMPEROR

Japan has the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world, dating back to before the 6th century. In the past, the emperor was very powerful and many Japanese people believed he was a god. But the emperor's status changed after Japan's defeat in World War II, and his role was reduced to a symbolic one.

sacred mountain

At 12,388 ft (3,776 m), Mount Fuji, on Honshu, is Japan's highest mountain. For thé followers of Shinto, one of Japan's major religions, Mount Fuji is a sacred mountain. Each year, thousands of pilgrims make thé long climb to \isit thé Shinto shrine on thé summit. Many Japanese consider Mount Fuji to be a symbol of their country and keep a photograph or painting of thé mountain on display in their homes.

unstable land

Japan suffers from hundreds of earthquakes a year. Slight shakes are recorded almost every day, while larger tremors causing minor damage can be felt several times a year. Strong earthquakes occur more rarely, causing damage, injury, and death. Buildings and bridges topple, roads and railroads are destroyed, and devastating fires break out. In 1995, a massive earthquake struck the port of Kobe and killed more than 5,000 people. Regular earthquake drills are held in schools, homes, and workplaces.

indonesia

Everything about Indonesia is big. It is the world's largest archipelago, made up of 13,677 islands, of which only about 1,500 are inhabited. It stretches for 3,169 miles (5,100 km) and is spread across 3 million sq miles (8 million sq km) of sea and three time zones. The population contains 362 different peoples, speaking over 250 languages and dialects. More than 160 million Indonesians are Muslims, making it the world's biggest Muslim country. It is also a land of contrasts: along with its modem cities and industries, Indonesia contains peoples whose lifestyles have not altered for centuries.

jakarta

Indonesia's capital is home to more than 7 million people, making it the largest city in Southeast Asia. It was originally a small trading port at the mouth of the Ciliwung River, shipping spices throughout eastern Asia. In 1618, the Dutch made Jayakarta, as it was then called, the capital of their East Indies empire. They renamed the town Batavia and rebuilt it around canals to look like Amsterdam.

BOROBUDUR

Situated in the heart of Java is one of the architectural wonders of the world. The vast Buddhist temple of Borobudur - which means "monastery on the hill" in Javanese - was built between AD778-856. The temple consists of a series of platforms, each one representing a different stage in the Buddhist's spiritual journey from ignorance, through enlightenment, to nirvana, or heavenly bliss.

OiL AND GAS

The first oil well was drilled in Sumatra in 1871, and oil has dominated the Indonesian economy ever since. By 1981oil and gas products made up more than 80 percent of exports, but this figure is now dropping as the oil reserves begin to run out. To reduce its dependence on oil, Indonesia is exploiting its huge reserves of natural gas. The gas is usually exported in a liquid form, called liquefied natural gas.

The indonesian economy

Indonesia's factories produce a wide range of manufactured and simple electronic goods. Yet more than half the people still work on the land, growing enough food to feed the expanding population of the cities. Indonesia used to be the world's largest importer of rice, but in the last 10 years has increased rice production to grow enough for its own needs.