Top 50 Surprising Facts About Asia

The birthplace of many traditions, civilisations, cultures and languages, Asia is as fascinating as it gets. The more you dig into the facts about Asia, the more surprised you become. This article presents some of the most interesting and unique facts about the Asia. 

Asia leads other continents in terms of its total land area. However it is not just the land area which gives Asia an edge over the other continents. The continent also leads in terms of its agricultural produce, great infrastructure, mouth-watering cuisines, different languages and maximum life expectancy. So, if you wish to study abroad at a top university in Asia then learning about some educational, linguistic and geographical facts about Asia will keep up your enthusiasm. Let us now go through the best universities in Asia 2026. 

Top 10 Universities in Asia in 2026

Below are the top 10 universities in Asia according to the QS World University Rankings- Asia 2026.

List of Top 50 Interesting Facts About Asia

If studying in Asia is your dream and you want to know some interesting facts about this majestic continent, then read through the top 50 interesting facts about Asia continent below.  

Asia Geography and Nature Facts

1. Continent of Extremes- Asia is home to the highest and lowest points on earth i.e. both Mount Everest (8,848 meters) and Dead Sea (-430 meters) are located here.

2. Island Paradise- Indonesia is the largest island country in the world and has over 17,500 islands.

3. Land of Diverse Animals- Most fascinating wildlife on earth like snow leopards of the Himalayas and world's longest venomous snake i.e. the king cobra are found in Asia.

4. Hospital Cave- Ha Long Bay of Vietnam's has emerald waters, impressive limestone formations and a cave that was used as military shelter and medical facility during the American-Vietnam War. This hospital cave having 17 rooms is believed to have remained in use till 1975.  

5. Oldest Cave- The world's largest cave, Son Doong is also located in Asia in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park of Vietnam and was discovered by accident.

6. Time Paradox- China operates on a single time zone inspite of its vast land size of 3,705 million square miles. On the other hand, USA - having similar size to that of China, is divided into six different time zones. This means that in China, one may step outside for lunch and find darknes.

Asia Culture and Tradition Facts

1. Language- Asia is home to 2,000+ different languages.

2. Extraordinary Health Alternatives- In Vietnam, snake wine, containing whole snakes soaked in wine, is believed to improve one's health. 

3. Puppetry Beyond Entertainment- Indonesian puppetry show Wayang Kulit and Japanese puppetry show Bunraku are particularly famous as they go beyond entertainment and serve as storytellers and knowledge keepers. 

4. Festival Extravaganza- Asia is renowned for festivals like Diwali (the festival of lights) in India and Songkran (Thai New Year) - which is known for playful water fights.

5. Different New Year Celebrations- The new year celebration in China lasts for 15 days. Tet, the new year in Vietnam is celebrated as a collective birthday for its numerous citizens as the accurate birth records of many individuals are not available. Truly a peculiar thing about Asia!

6. A Law that Keeps You in Shape- It is illegal to go over a certain weight in Japan according to the Metabo Law. 

7. Want Your Name to be Remembered by Many? Here’s How- In China, it is a common tradition to give children the names based on important events. Resultingly, there are more than 4,000 individuals named Aoyun in China and their names translate to "Olympic Games".

Curious about studying at the top Universities in Asia? Check out the top Asian universities below. 

• Northwestern Polytechnical University, China

• Seoul National University, South Korea

• Novosibirsk National Research State University, Russia

• James Cook University - Singapore

Asia History and Heritage Facts

1. Cradle of Civilisations- Asia is birthplace of many ancient civilisations including Indus Valley Civilisation in present-day Pakistan and India and the Mesopotamian Civilisation in Iraq.

2. Ancient Wonders- Asia has the Great Wall of China - the largest man-made project in the world and the Angkor Wat in Cambodia - the largest religious structure in the world. Apart from these, Asia also boasts several UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines and one of the 7 wonders - the Taj Mahal.

3. Craft Traditions- Batik, a process of dyeing fabric using wax and vibrant colours and Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold are examples of traditional crafts in Asia. 

4. Unique Writing Systems- Beyond the Latin alphabet, Asia features diverse writing systems like Chinese characters, Japanese Kana and Kanji and the Arabic script.

5. Matter of Pride- Thailand remains the only country in Southeast Asia that was not colonised by the European powers.

Asia Art and Entertainment Facts

1. Musical- Asia is known for its traditional music forms - from the Peking Opera in China to the Gagaku court music in Japan - known for its serene melodies.

2. Artistic Expressions- From intricate calligraphy in China to vibrant silk paintings in Vietnam, Asia boasts a rich artistic heritage passed down from generations.

3. Martial Arts- Asia is the birthplace of numerous martial arts like karate, kung fu, judo and taekwondo.

4. Ban on Dancing, Really? Dancing was banned in Japan due to the Fueiho Law of 1948. This means that several public gathering places needed a special dancing license to let their customers dance legally on their premises.

Excited to study in Asia now? Here are the top courses in Asia for Indian students-

• BBA in Asia

• MBA in Asia

• B.Tech in Asia

Asian Food and Cuisine Facts

1. Ramen, the favourite of many for a Reason- Ramen was introduced in Japan by some Chinese immigrants. It later became an important dish in Japan as it curbed hunger post war. 

2. Manners through Food?- According to the Chinese culture, if a fish is being served, the head of the fish has to be directed towards the elders or the guest of honour. 

3. Unique Culinary Experiences- Beyond street food, Asia offers fine dining experiences showcasing culinary artistry, like Kaiseki in Japan. It is a multi-course meal prepared with seasonal ingredients and diligent presentation.

4. Vietnam is responsible for exporting over 33% of the global supply of cashew nuts. 

5. Ever Purchased a Can of Fresh Air?- In China, canned fresh air is commonly sold due to air pollution caused by industrialisation.

6. India is the leading producer of mangoes in the world with over  21 million metric tons of mangoes produced in 2023 (reports as per Statista).

Modern Life and Innovation Facts about Asia-

1. Tech Titans- Several Asian countries particularly Japan and South Korea are at the forefront of technological innovation. Facilities like high-speed internet, bullet trains, cutting-edge electronics and robotics were common in these countries much before the rest of the world.

2. Economic Powerhouse- Asia boasts two of the world's leading economies- China (second largest) and Japan (third largest) and directly impacts the global market.

Are you willing to study at the top university in Asia but worried about managing your finances? Check out the list of some top scholarships to study in Asia-

Religion and Spirituality Facts about Asia-

1. Religious birthplace- Asia is birthplace of several religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

2. Spiritual Retreats- Kyoto in Japan has over 1600 temples. Bhutan has serene monasteries. And India has a number of attractive Hindu temples. These make Asia a sanctuary for spiritual seekers and fosters meditation practices and journeys to pilgrimages.

Sports and Entertainment Facts about Asia-

1. Beyond Olympics- Asia is home of various traditional sports like Kabaddi which is an Indian team sport and Sepak Takraw which is also a Southeast Asian sport played with a woven rattan ball.

2. Evolving Entertainment Industry- From Bollywood in India to K-pop in South Korea, Asia offers vibrant entertainment industries. Their presence shapes the global trends in music, film and television.

3. Turkey and Russia have lands in b oth Asia and Europe.

Education facts about Asia-

1. Hub for Learning- Nalanda University of India in Asia was the first university in the world. The university is said to have had over 300 lecture halls along with various labs and libraries. 

2. English is not the most spoken language in the World. Mandarin Chinese spoken by over 1.3 billion people worldwide is the most widely spoken language globally. 

Unique Facts about Asia 

1. Nature’s beauty- Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, vast tea plantations in Munnar (India), the sand dunes of Gobi Desert in Mongolia, to name a few are some of Asia’s major tourist attractions.

2. Skyscrapers- Asia possesses 9 out of the top 10 tallest buildings in the world. This also includes  Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Shanghai Tower in China. Singapore also has a building inspired by the Star Wars robot - named “the Sandcrawler”.

3. Trekking Adventures- Asia is home to various major landmarks of the world. You can go trekking through the Himalayas in Nepal, rice terraces of Banaue in Philippines or the ancient Inca trail in Peru.

4. Craft- Asia is home to many traditional crafts like Batik dyeing in Indonesia, Kintsugi pottery repair in Japan and silk weaving in Vietnam.

5. Chewing Gum Ban- Singapore has a ban on chewing gum with exceptions only for medical purposes.

6. World's Tallest Building- The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world. It’s 828 m (2,717 ft) tall.

7. Spices- India holds a world record for having the world's hottest chilli pepper - Bhut Jolokia, also known as the Ghost Pepper.

8. Maximum number of countries- Asia is home to over 48 countries. All of these are members of the United Nations (UN). Asia is also home to the largest country in the world - Russia.

9. Highest Population- Asia rules in terms of the largest land area among all continents in the world. Asia is also home to 60% of the world's population with over 4.4 billion people majorly located in India and China. 

10. Continent of the riches- Asia has the highest number of billionaires in the world. 

11. China produces 45 billion pairs of chopsticks each year. 

12. There is a separate Valentine’s Day for singles in South Korea.

13. Japan is known for having the highest life expectancy in the world. Most of its people live up to the age of 100.

Also read-

• Job Prospects for Indian Students in Singapore

• Popular Job Sectors in UAE for International Students