East Asia
From Free net encyclopedia
East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. Geographically, it covers about 6,640,000 km², or 15% of the Asian continent. Culturally, it embraces those societies that have long been part of the Chinese (Han) cultural sphere, displaying heavy historical influence from the Classical Chinese (Han) language (including the traditional script), Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Daoism. This combination of language, political philosophy, and religion overlaps with the geographical designation of East Asia (with the exception of Vietnam and the Chinese diaspora (including in Singapore, Malaysia, etc.). The influence is also displayed in the style of architecture, traditional music and instruments, holidays and festivals, etc.
East Asia and Eastern Asia (the latter being the preferred term used by the United Nations) are both more modern terms for the traditional European name the Far East, which describes the region's geographical position in relation to Europe rather than its location within Asia.
The following countries are located in geographic East Asia:
- The People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau)
- Republic of China (Taiwan) (see political status of Taiwan)
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
- Republic of Korea (South Korea)
- Japan
- Mongolia
The following peoples or societies are encompassed by cultural East Asia:
- Chinese society (which would also include the dispersed Chinese-dominated regions of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and Singapore due to Singapore's large Chinese population)
- Japanese society
- Korean society
- Mongolian society
- Vietnamese society
The following countries or regions are sometimes considered part of East Asia. A major reason for disagreement on this question is the difference between the cultural and geographic definitions of "East Asia". Political perspective is also an important factor.
- The parts of China that are not historically Han Chinese: Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Tibet, Xinjiang (either East Asia or Central Asia)
- Russian Far East (either East Asia or North Asia)
- Vietnam (either East Asia or Southeast Asia)
More than 1.5 billion people, about 40% of the population of Asia or a quarter of all the people in the world, live in geographic East Asia. The region is one of the world's most crowded places. The population density of East Asia, 230 per km², is over five times the world average.
Other subregions of Asia
- Southeast Asia
- South Asia (Indian Subcontinent)
- Central Asia
- Southwest Asia or West Asia (One definition of the Middle East is synonymous with Southwest Asia)
- North Asia (Siberia)
- Northern Eurasia (Extends into Europe)
- Central Eurasia (Extends into Europe)
See also
- History of East Asia
- East Asian language
- Asian Network of Major Cities 21
- Eastasia, one of the three superpowers in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
- East Asian Tigers, a label pertinent to the recent economic history of the region.
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