Asia
Asia is a vast continent that stretches from the borders of Europe in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. The home of many cultures and three of the four cradles of civilization, Asia was the world’s wealthiest and most mysterious continent for much of recorded history.
Among European countries, knowledge of the western part of Asian cities was sparse until the campaigns of Alexander the Great opened the door to the continent. The eastern part of Asia remained almost entirely unknown until Marco Polo and later Dutch and Portuguese traders published accounts of their travels there.
During the 19th century, much of Asia, including India and China, was either colonized or brought into the sphere of influence of one or more European powers. Today, with its huge population and extremely low wages, Asia is making rapid gains in GDP, although it continues to lag in terms of prosperity.
Categorised as: Travel