Main Entry: Asia

Pronunciation: \ˈā-zhə, -shə\

Function: geographical name

continent of the eastern hemisphere N of equator forming a single landmass with Europe (the conventional dividing line between Asia & Europe being the Ural Mountains & main range of the Caucasus Mountains); has numerous large offshore islands including Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Malay Archipelago, Taiwan, the Japanese chain, & Sakhalin area 17,139,445 square miles (44,391,162 square kilometers)