Asia is the largest and most populous continent or region, depending on the definition. It covers 8.7 percent of the Earth's total surface area, or 29.8 percent of its land area, and it contains more than 60 percent of the world's human population.

Asia is traditionally defined as part of the landmass of Africa-Eurasia – with the western portion of the latter occupied by Europe – lying east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas.

Etymology

---

The word Asia entered English, via Latin, from Ancient Greek Ασία (Asia; see also List of traditional Greek place names). This name is first attested in Herodotus (about 440 BC), where it refers to Asia Minor; or, for the purposes of describing the Persian Wars, to the Persian Empire, in contrast to Greece and Egypt. Herodotus comments that he is puzzled as to why three different women's names are used to describe a single land mass (Europa, Asia and Libya, referring to Africa), stating that most Greeks assumed that Asia was named after the wife of Prometheus but that the Lydians say it was named after Asias, son of Cotys who passed the name on to a tribe in Sardis.

More on [ Asia ]

washingtonpost.com - Struggling Airlines

Delta, NWA shareholders approve combination
JOSHUA FREED and HARRY R. WEBER Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:00:49 -0400
-- Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. shareholders gave the go-ahead Thursday to a combination that would create the world's biggest carrier, deciding that in their volatile industry they like their chances better together than on their own.
Alitalia official: time running out for bailout
ALESSANDRA RIZZO Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:55:52 -0400
ROME -- Alitalia's bankruptcy administrator on Saturday warned unions opposed to a rescue plan that time was running out for saving the Italian carrier, as flights were at risk of cancellation for lack of fuel and some workers would be laid off soon.
Investors walk out of rescue plan talks
ALESSANDRA RIZZO and COLLEEN BARRY Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:20:26 -0400
ROME -- It may indeed take papal prayers to save Alitalia after Italian investors tapped to take over the bankrupt national carrier walked away from talks with unions on Friday.
More Frustrated Fliers Taking to the Rails
Sholnn Freeman Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Jada Golden stood in the waiting lounge at Union Station, explaining why Amtrak is a better way to travel than an airline.
Struggling to Stay Aloft
Sholnn Freeman Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- American cities have long viewed a thriving commercial airport as a source of civic pride, a way to attract businesses and jobs, a selling point promising an easy connection to the outside world. Any community vibrant enough to support a respectable airport, the thinking goes, i...
Air Travel Failings Exposed Again by Weekend Storms
Sholnn Freeman Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400
The line of thunderstorms stretching from Albany to Washington over the weekend showed once again how broken the nation's air system is, according to travelers and activists.

FAA Technical Center Research Reports

Analysis of Fatigue Crack Growth from Countersunk Fastener Holes

Video Landing Parameter Surveys : Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and Atlantic City International Airports

Turbine Rotor Material Design : Pase II

Human Factors Requirements for En Route Controller Weather Displays

All-Strobe approach Lighting System: Research and Evaluation

Certification Standards and Design Issues for Rudder Control Systems in Transport Aircraft


Subscribe to Aviation RSS feed