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East Asia

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East Asia is a major geocultural region located within the continent of Asia.

Map of East Asia
Map of East Asia

It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to its east. To the north, it shares a border with North Asia. Southeast Asia lies to its south. South Asia is located to the southwest. Finally, Central Asia sits to its west.

Central Asia borders4
Central Asia borders4

This region includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. It also encompasses the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

UN Asia Geoscheme
UN Asia Geoscheme

The region is home to approximately one billion people. This represents about 33% of the population of continental Asia. It also accounts for 20% of the total global population.

Eastern Asia population pyramid 2023
Eastern Asia population pyramid 2023

Population distribution varies significantly across the landscape. Coastal and riparian areas are among the most populated places on Earth. This includes massive metropolises like Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Beijing–Tianjin. In contrast, landlocked areas like Mongolia and Western China are very sparsely populated. Mongolia holds the title for the lowest population density of any sovereign state.

East Asia is recognized as one of the world's earliest cradles of civilization. Historian Ping-ti Ho specifically identified China as a cradle of Eastern civilization. This is comparable to the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East. It is also compared to Ancient Greece in the West. For thousands of years, China acted as the primary leading civilization in the region. It exerted massive cultural, economic, and political influence over its neighbors. This influence was often managed through the tributary system. Under this system, the Chinese emperor received tribute from other rulers. In exchange, the emperor provided political legitimacy or physical gifts like silk and porcelain.

Many regional cultures grew through selective adoption of Chinese influences. The Han dynasty was a major period of expansion and power. Under Emperor Wu, the Han dynasty became a regional powerhouse. This dynasty established the province of Lelang in the northern Korean peninsula in 108 BC. This contact introduced Korea to the Chinese writing system and rice culture. Japan also adopted these influences through contact with Korea and China. Jomon society in Japan utilized metallurgy and wet-rice cultivation via these connections. By the fourth century AD, Japan began using Chinese characters. These characters became integral to the Japanese writing system for recording history and philosophy.

The Tang dynasty represented a golden age of Chinese expansion and influence. During this medieval period, Chinese culture spread deeply into Japan and Korea. Japan actively incorporated many aspects of Tang society into its own. This included Confucianism, architecture, and urban planning. In 645 AD, Prince Naka no oe launched the Taika Reform in Japan. This reform transformed the political bureaucracy into a centralized empire. Japan also adopted Mahayana Buddhism and imperial court rituals. The Japanese legal system and the kimono were also inspired by Chinese models.

兩漢服人hanfu
兩漢服人hanfu

Religion and ethnicity provide great diversity within the region. Major religions include Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto.

Shinto married couple
Shinto married couple

In Korea, Christianity and Musok are also present. Tibetans and Mongols often practice Tibetan Buddhism and Tengerism. The region contains 76 officially recognized minority or indigenous ethnic groups. These include the Han in China and Taiwan, the Yamato in Japan, and the Koreans. Other groups include the Ainu of Hokkaido and the various indigenous peoples of Taiwan.

People of Tibet46
People of Tibet46

Even unrecognized groups, like the Ryukyuan people, add to this complexity.

The modern era brought significant geopolitical shifts. During the 19th century, China's power began to decline. The Qing dynasty faced political corruption and stagnation. Meanwhile, Japan underwent the Meiji Restoration to become an industrial nation. This allowed Japan to become a dominant force in the early 1900s. Japan achieved major military victories in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars.

East Asia and Oceania 1914-en
East Asia and Oceania 1914-en

Today, the economies of China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan remain among the world's largest and most prosperous. The region continues to be a central hub of global economic and political activity.

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🖼️ Images & Media (30)
File:Mongols-map.png
Mongols-map.png
File:Carte Generale de l'Empire Chinois et du Japon.png
Carte Generale de l'Empire Chinois et du Japon.png
File:East Asia and Oceania 1914-en.svg
East Asia and Oceania 1914-en.svg
File:Central Asia borders4.png
Central Asia borders4.png
File:Map of East Asia.png
Map of East Asia.png
File:UN Asia Geoscheme.png
UN Asia Geoscheme.png
File:East Asia map of Köppen climate classification.svg
East Asia map of Köppen climate classification.svg
File:Kang 2018 NCP irrigation RCPs.png
Kang 2018 NCP irrigation RCPs.png
File:Eastern Asia population pyramid 2023.svg
Eastern Asia population pyramid 2023.svg
File:China ethnolinguistic 1967.jpg
China ethnolinguistic 1967.jpg
File:兩漢服人hanfu.jpg
兩漢服人hanfu.jpg
File:Shinto married couple.jpg
Shinto married couple.jpg

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