The Grading of Ceylon Tea

The grade names which follow are an indication of size and/or appearance of Ceylon Teas (Sri Lanka, but the name Ceylon still applies to the tea of that island nation) and not of its quality. The Tea Research Institute of Ceylon points out that “there is a lack of uniformity in the market grades today which makes it difficult to describe them with any accuracy.” Briefly, however, Ceylon teas are divided into 2 groups: (1) the Leaf grades such as were originally made by the Ceylon pioneers, and (2) the smaller Broken grades which are in style today.

Leaf grades are usually divided into:

• Orange Pekoe (O.P)


• Pekoe (Pek.)


• Souchong (Sou.)

Broken grades are divided into:

• Broken Orange Pekoe (B.O.P.)


• Broken Pekoe (B.P.)


• Broken Pekoe Souchong (B.P.S.)


• Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings (B.O.P.F.)


• Dust (D.)

The grades may be described as follows:

• O.P. -- Long, thin, wiry leaves which sometimes contain tip. The liquors are light or pale in color.


• Pek. -- The leaves of this grade are shorter and not so wiry as O.P., but the liquors generally have more color.


• Sou. -- A bold and round leaf, with pale liquors.


• B.O.P. -- This grade is one of the most sought after. It is much smaller than any of the leaf grades and contains tip. The liquors have good color and strength.


• B.P. -- Slightly larger than B.O.P., with rather less color in the cup; useful primarily as a filler in a blend.


• B.P.S -- A little larger that B.P. and in consequence lighter in the cup, but also used as filler in a blend.


• B.O.P.F. -- This grade also is much sought after, especially in the U.K., and fetches high prices. It is much smaller than B.O.P. and its main virtues are quick brewing, with good color in the cup.

In addition, there are various “Flowery” variants of the main grades (e.g., F.O.P and F.B.O.P.) the nature of which I will describe slightly farther down.

Only a small quantity of the Leaf and Flowery grades is produced in Ceylon. They find their chief market in North America and a few European countries. Few of the Up-country Ceylons make these grades at all, their stable lines being B.O.P. and B.O.P.F. such as are so dominant in the U.K., Australia and (less so) in South Africa. The demand appears to be for ever smaller and smaller leaf, and a great deal of cutting or milling is resorted to today both in countries of origin and by the packers.

“Tippy” or “Flowery” teas (such grades as Flowery Orange Pekoe) are still made in Ceylon and fetch high prices in most Western tea markets. They are extremely more expensive to produce than the run-of-the-mill grades, since they involve sorting out the tip by hand.

Sri Lanka Tea Plantations

The Island of Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) is world renowned for its high quality teas. Today, Sri Lanka is the world’s second biggest tea exporter. More than 25% of the value of all Sri Lanka’s exports are accounted for by tea. Tea cultivation is scientifically managed and skillfully produces the world’s finest, fragrant blends. This ensures consistency in the flavour, aroma and colour of Ceylon teas that are marketed.

Tea cultivation was established, in Sri Lanka, over a century ago and is now produced year round in the central highlands and southern regions of this beautiful tropical island. Based on the altitude at which it is grown tea is classified as high, medium or low grown teas.

The unique climatic conditions that prevail in the central highlands of Sri Lanka produces the exquisite high grown Nuwara Eliya and Uva blends, which are renowned for their taste and aroma. The medium grown teas provide a bold colour that is in demand by the consumers in North America. Lower grown tea plantations produce the leafy grades of tea from the tip of the unopened tea shoot.

Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in mid 19the century Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry. For many miles prior to reaching Nuwara Eliya from either direction you will find acres and acres of tea plantations, infact nothing but tea estates. There are many factories open for visitor's which also have tea sales outlets. Situated at around 2000m above sea level and surrounded by lush tea plantations Nuwara Eliya is the main hill resort of Sri Lanka and the heart of the tea industry. Once a pleasure retreat of the European planters the town is still very much an English town with many English style bungalows and buildings. Nuwara Eliya is a good escape for those who miss cool breeze in tropical Sri Lanka at any time of the year. Local tourists flock to this town in their 'season' from March to May when it is the hottest duration for the town, April being the busiest.

Nuwara Eliya offers many activities for tourists including visits to tea plantations golfing, horse riding, boating, hiking and of course exploring the beauty of the landscaped gardens, waterfalls and plateaus.
A charming collection of Tea estate bungalows turned luxury boutique hotels or homestay.  These Colonial properties once occupied by the ‘Raj’ boast excellent views of the hill country and tea estates. Splendid Plantation bungalows often located amidst a working plantation of tea/spices/rubber/pineapple. Many of these heritage bungalows are often still home to the ancestral family who host guests wishing to join their Sri Lankan way of life. The bird life and trekking can be excellent in the surrounding countryside.
Most of the Ceylon tea gardens are situated at elevations between 3,000 and 8,000 feet in two areas of the southwestern part of the island, to the east of Colombo and in the Galle district on the southern point. In the hot, steamy plains and foothills, the tea bushes flush every seven or eight days and are picked all year round. The finest teas are gathered from late June to the end of August in eastern districts and from the beginning of February to mid-March in the western parts.

Until 1971, more than 80 percent of the island’s tea estates were owned and managed by British companies. In 1971, the Sri Lankan government introduced a Land Reform Act which gave the state control of the majority of the plantations (which also grow rubber and coconuts for export) leaving about one-third in private hands. Since 1990, a restructuring program has been going on to involve the private sector companies (both Sri Lankan and foreign) as Managing Agents of the state-owned plantations. The long-term aim is for the private managing companies to take on most, if not all, of the financial responsibility and control of the estates, with the government retaining ownership.
Sri Lanka’s finest teas are produced mainly from bushes that grow above 4,000 feet. The bushes grow more slowly in the cooler, mistier climate, and are harder to harvest because of the steep angle of the slopes on which they are planted.

There are 6 main tea-producing areas. Galle, to the south of the island; Ratnapura, about 55 miles east of the capital Colombo; Kandy, the low region near the ancient royal capital; Nuwara Eliya, the highest area that produces the finest teas; Dimbula, west of the central mountains; and Uva, located east of Dimbula.

"Finger pressure" - Shiatsu Massage

In the western world, the massage technique known as Shiatsu has come to be known by many names. Some of these names are barefoot shiatsu, namikoshi shiatsu, oha shiatsu, shiatsu-do, macrobiotic shiatsu and Zen shiatsu.  In this century Japanese therapists like Namikoshi and Masunaga, developed shiatsu into a professional therapy. They introduced shiatsu in Europe. At the moment shiatsu is becoming more and more known in Europe. That is not strange, because shiatsu is very effective and easy to apply.

Shiatsu is a Japanese massage technique that literally means "finger pressure": the word "shi" means "finger" while "atsu" means pressure. It is a massage technique that existed for over 2,000 years, and is actually a derivative of the ancient Chinese massaging and healing method of acupressure.

Just like acupressure – and acupuncture – it is believed in the practice of shiatsu that the body consists of 14 meridians, which each meridian corresponding to a major organ of the body. These 14 meridians serve as a channel through which energy or chi flows. An unhindered and balanced flow of chi in the body translates to good health.

In Shiatsu massage, the aim is to remove the obstacles that block the flow of energy through the meridians of the body. It also seeks to restore the balance in this flow of energy. The removal of these obstacles and the restoration of balance in the body are done by pressing the fingers – and at times the elbows, knees and feet – on the acupoints, also known as pressure points, along the meridians of the body. The shiatsu therapist also manipulates the areas adjacent to these pressure points to further stimulate the body’s capacity for healing and to enhance the feeling of wellness.

It is proven that pressing the acupoints in shiatsu helps in stimulating the release of endorphins and energizes the immune system, coaxing the body to fight against disease. Shiatsu can be used to address various health issues, from muscular pain to digestive pain and even emotional pain.
Shiatsu massage can be intense, and so it is not uncommon for patients to find themselves laughing or crying, wanting to shout out or be still, or display other emotions during the treatment. This is taken to be a sign that the energy flow within the body is being restored to the way it should be.

After a session of shiatsu massage, a client should feel a deep sense of calmness, relaxation and contentment. However, he or she should also expect to feel symptoms of cold and flu after the first couple of sessions; it is a side effect of shiatsu that is also taken to be a sign that the body is well on its way into mending.

Sri Lanka Food

Sri Lanka (from the Sanskrit “Venerable Island”) is an island country in South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India. It is home to around 20 million people. As a result of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia. It has also been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times as well as being a bastion of Hinduism. The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population; Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays and the indigenous Wanniyala-Aetto people.

The country is famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon - which is native to the country. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage, make it a world famous tourist destination. The island also boasts the first female Prime Minister in the world, Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

Throughout the past centuries Sri Lanka has been going through a dramatic make over. A vast majority of the Sri Lankan community were only influenced by their own traditional food and nothing more. But, due to economical growth and intense competition in developed countries, companies have taken themselves overseas to developing nations, in an attempt to achieve a positive global presence (competitive advantage). Consequently, this method has caused a major ripple effect in countries such as Sri Lanka like never before. In some major cities the influence of western culture is being increasingly felt with the introduction of major fast food brands such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken as well as the appearance of major clothing brands such as Levi and Bench, which until recently could only be found as copies.

Rice and curry are the staple main course food of Sri Lanka, but the term 'curry' conceals an enormous variety of subtle flavors. Coriander, chilies, mustard, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and garlic are just some of the common ingredients which add flavor to both sea food and meat curries. Fresh sea food - crab, lobster and prawn, as well as fish - is excellent, and meat is cheap. Rice forms the basis of many Sri Lankan sweet dishes, palm treacle being used as the main traditional sweetener. This is also served on curd as a delicious dessert. Sadly, it is not easy to get good Sri Lankan Food in most hotels which concentrate on western dishes. You can get a thali for as little as Rs 50, whereas a meal in a good restaurant could cost Rs.250 buta buffet lunch at a 5-star hotel might cost you Rs.450.

Some foods that are common in Europe are both less readily available and of much lower quality in Sri Lanka, eg: breakfast cereals, bread, cheese and chocolates. NB Vegetarian food is much less common in Sri Lanka than in India, and in places can be difficult to get.

Fruit Sri Lanka has a wide variety of tropical fruit throughout the year, pineapple, papaya and banana being particularly good. The extraordinarily rich jack (jack) fruit are also available all year. Seasonal fruit include mangosteen (no relation of mangoes),passion fruit, custard apples, avocado pears, durian and rambutan from July-October. In addition to ordinary green coconuts, Sri Lanka has its own almost unique variety-the golden King Coconut (thambil1); the milk is particularly Sweet and nutritious. Many spices are grown in the island and are widely available in the markets and shops. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and pepper are all grown, the Kandy region being a major centre of spice production.Many private spice gardens are open to the public.

Sri Lankan food is unique like it's Culture. Most of the Sri Lankans eat vegetables. The specialty in Sri Lankan food is that same food is differently made in different regions. With a large community of farmers the Rice and curry is the main food in Sri Lanka.

An average Sri Lankan meal always consist of leaves and dry fish, and several vegetable curries. They make special sweets with coconut milk, floor and Honey at cultural festivals of New Year, Vesak and Poson.

The curries come in many verities of colors and flavors blended in Sri Lankan Hot Spices. Most of the species has a great ayurvedic value when used in curries.

Japanese Geisha...

Geisha (芸者 "person of the arts") are traditional Japanese artist-entertainers. Geisha were very common in the 18th and 19th centuries, and still exist today, although their numbers are dwindling. Geisha is the most familiar term to English speakers, and the most commonly used within Japan as well, but in the Kansai region the terms geigi and, for apprentice geisha, "Maiko" have also been used since the Meiji Restoration. The term maiko is only used in Kyoto districts. The English pronunciation or the phrase "geisha girl," common during the American occupation of Japan, carry connotations of prostitution, as some young women, desperate for money and calling themselves "geisha," sold themselves to American troops.

The first geisha were all male; as women began to take the role they were known as onna geisha (女芸者), or "woman artist". Geisha today are exclusively female, aside from the Taikomochi. Taikomochi are exceedingly rare. Only three are currently registered in Japan. They tend to be far more bawdy than geisha. Other public figures who contributed to the creation of the modern geisha were Oiran, or courtesans, and Odoriko, dancing girls. The Odoriko in particular influenced geisha to include dance as part of their artistic repertoire.

Geisha were traditionally trained from young childhood. Geisha houses often bought young girls from poor families, and took responsibility for raising and training them. During their childhood, apprentice geisha worked first as maids, then as assistants to the house's senior geisha as part of their training and to contribute to the costs of their upkeep and education. This long-held tradition of training still exists in Japan, where a student lives at the home of a master of some art. This training often lasts for many years.

The course of study traditionally starts from a young age and encompasses a wide variety of arts, including Japanese musical instruments (particularly the shamisen) and traditional forms of singing, traditional dance, tea ceremony, flower arranging (ikebana), poetry and literature. By watching and assisting senior geisha, they became skilled in the complex traditions surrounding selecting, matching, and wearing precious kimono, and in various games and the art of conversation, and also in dealing with clients.

Once a woman became an apprentice geisha (a maiko) she would begin to accompany senior geisha to the tea houses, parties and banquets that constitute a geisha's work environment. To some extent, this traditional method of training persists, though it is of necessity foreshortened. Modern geisha are no longer bought by or brought into geisha houses as children. Becoming a geisha is now entirely voluntary. Most geisha now begin their training in their late teens.

India

India is the largest country in the Indian Subcontinent and shares borders with Pakistan to the west, China and Nepal to the north, Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia lie to the south-east in the Indian Ocean. It is the seventh largest country in the world by area and, with over a billion people, is second only to China in population. It's an extremely diverse country, with vast differences in geo graphy, climate, culture, language and ethnicity across its expanse, and prides itself on being the largest democracy on Earth.


 The Biggest India Cities

Delhi — the capital of India for a thousand years and the heart of Northern India.
Bangalore (now Bengaluru) — The garden city, once the sleepy home of pensioners now transformed into the city of pubs, technology and companies.
Chennai (formerly Madras) — main port in Southern India, cradle of Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam, home of the famous Marina beach, Automobile Capital of India and a fast emerging IT hub.

Jaipur — the Pink City is a major exhibit of the Hindu Rajput culture of medeival Northern India.

Kochi (Kerala) (formerly Cochin) — Historically, a centre of international trade, now the gateway to the sandy beaches and backwaters of Kerala.

Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) — the cultural capital of India, Kolkata is home to numerous colonial buildings. It is known as The City of Joy.
Mumbai (formerly Bombay) — the financial capital of India, "Bollywood" (Indian Film Industry) hub.
Shimla — the former summer capital of British India located in the Himalayan foothills with a large legacy of Victorian architecture.
Varanasi — considered the most sacred Hindu city, located on the banks of the Ganges, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world.

Delhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, along with Damascus and Varanasi. Legend estimates it to be over 5,000 years old. Over the millennia, Delhi is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times. The oldest alleged incarnation of the city shows up in the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata as Indraprastha. The earliest historically recognized version of the city is
Delhi is the best tourist place in india. For many travellers, the first experiences in Delhi set the tone for their judgement of the city. Delhi is best known for tourist place as well as historical place.

Located on the banks of river Yamuna, Delhi consists of New Delhi (the national capital) and Old Delhi.It is home to over 15 million of people and India’s third largest city after Kolkata and Mumbai .

New Delhi was built by the British and that is reflected in its architecture. All roads in New Delhi lead to the India Gate which is a memorial to the unknown soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Towards and along Janpath, you’ll see the international and 5star hotels, impressive buildings built to house the governmental departments, the foreign embassies and museums such as the famous National Museum and the Nehru Museum and also famous for the place Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. New Delhi is also the place where the new big international businesses are concentrated and extended spacious residential areas are located as contrasted with the swarming life in Old Delhi.
Old Delhi is over 2500 years old and was the captial city of the Mughal empire. It is dominated by the grand bazaar of Chandni Chowk and by the Jama Masjid which is the largest mosque in India. You will be impressed by the stillness of this place as soon as you leave the ant-hill of narrow streets, vendor stalls and rickshaws and carriages fighting for a place on the road behind. It offers some excellent views of the city as well. Another popular sight is the Old Red Fort that dominates the horizon with its minarets. Although it is in a rather neglected state, it still is an excellent place to wander around and breath in the atmosphere of the old emperor’s days.

Delhi being the primary hub, India is gradually becoming a chosen destination for many travellers. Besides Delhi, Mumbai often forms the hub of most of these travels and perhaps will be in your case as well. Whatever your landing point in India might be, wherever you might want to travel, delhigate.com remains your only online query resource service for India.

Tea culture is defined by the way tea is made and consumed, by the way the people interact with tea, and by the aesthetics surrounding tea drinking.

Tea is commonly drunk at social events, and many cultures have created intricate formal ceremonies for these events. Western examples of these are afternoon tea and the tea party. In the east, tea ceremonies differ among countries, Japan's complex, formal and serene one being the most known. Other examples are the Korean tea ceremony or some traditional ways of brewing tea in Chinese tea culture.

Unique customs also exist in Tibet, where tea is commonly brewed with salt and butter, or in the Middle East and Africa where tea plays an important role in many countries.


To the Tibetans, tea is a beverage that is just like coffee to the westerners -- a wake-up and a shake-up drink that keeps almost everyone sound and safe. In Tibet no morning can pass without drinking some tea, usually the sweet tea; and also in Tibet no meal can be complete without some tea, almost all the time the Tibetan buttered tea. The sweet tea, prepared by mixing milk and sugar with the juice from fully boiled fermented tea leaves, serves as the refreshener. Before serving, the mixture has to be further blended in a special blender. More often than not, a slim wooden cylinder is used for the blending. After the mixture is put in the cylinder, a piston is used to push and pull inside the cylinder. With the passing of the mixture through the slit between the piston and the cylinder, the mixture of butter, salt and tea is forcefully and thoroughly blended.

Town folks prefer to go to a tea house before going to work for the rest of their day. Tea houses sometimes stand as alternative places to find the ones who are otherwise expected in their workplace in the morning and in the early afternoon.

In Tibet, tea, either sweet tea or Tibetan buttered tea, is served in small or large thermo flasks, in that both are of their best smack when served hot. The local habit of drinking tea has to do with the local food composition. The Tibetans eat lots of meat of yak and goat. The strong buttered tea not only helps to keep the body warm but also helps to promote the digestion of the meat that is taken almost 3 meals a day and 365 days a year.

Butter, milk, and salt are added to brewed tea and churned to form a hot drink called Po cha (bod ja, where bod means Tibetan and ja tea) in Tibet. The concoction is also sometimes called cha su mar, mainly in Kham, or Eastern Tibet. Traditionally, the drink is made with a domestic brick tea and dri's milk (a dri is the female of the animal whose male is called yak), then mixed in a churn for several minutes. Using a generic black tea, milk and butter, and shaking or blending work well too, although the unique taste of yak milk is difficult to replicate. (see recipe)

Tibet tea drinking has many rules. One such concerns an invitation to a house for tea. The host will first pour some highland barley wine. The guest must dip his finger in the wine and flick some away. This will be done three times to represent respect for the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The cup will then be refilled two more times and on the last time it must be emptied or the host will be insulted. After this the host will present a gift of butter wine to the guest, who will accept it without touching the rim of the bowl. The guest will then pour a glass for himself, and must finish the glass or be seen as rude.

There are two main teas that go with the tea culture. The teas are butter tea and sweet milk tea. These two teas are only found in Tibet. Other teas that the Tibetans enjoy are boiled black teas. There are many tea shops in Tibet selling these teas, which travelers often take for their main hydration source.

Popular Tibetan Dishes

Tibetan cooking has been influenced by its neighbor India, but makes use of ingredients indigenous to the mountains. Tibetan cuisine is similar to that of Nepal. Travel to the Himalayas and interest in Buddhism has stimulated curiosity about Tibetan culture.

There are many restaurants in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Zetang, All restaurants of various classes are decorated and furnished in the traditional Tibetan style. Diners can enjoy delicious Tibetan  dishes while admiring paintings and murals symbolizing happiness and good luck in the restaurants. High on the menu are such flavors as sausages, barley wine, butter oil tea, beef and mutton eaten with the hands, yak tongue, steamed buns, zanba made from highland barley, pastries, sweet tea, butter tea, dried beef, and xiapuqing, or minced mutton and beef.

There are also a number of Tibetan restaurants in the United States, especially in large cities and in college towns. Novices should be warned that Tibetan cheese is usually hard enough to break teeth, and should be moistened in the mouth before chewing.

Popular and Recommended Tibetan Dishes:

• tsampa (roated barley flour);


• momo (steamed or fried dumplings);


• stir-fried meats;


• thukpa (noodle soup with meat and sometimes vegetables);


• carrot cake;


• banana porridge;


• lamb with radish;


• caramel tea;


• soja (butter tea);


• barley ale


• Sha Balep - a bread stuffed with seasoned beef.
  
  
  
  • Balep korkun - a central Tibetan flatbread that is made on a skillet rather than in an oven.
  
  
  • Momos - a type of steamed ravioli, a heavier version of the Chinese jiaozi
  
  
  • Thenthuk - a type of cold-weather soup made with noodles and various vegetables.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Tibetan cuisine, is quite distinct from that of its neighbours, since only a few crops (not including rice) grow at such high altitude. The most important crop is barley. Dough made from barley flour, called tsampa, is the staple food of Tibet. This is either rolled into noodles or made into steamed dumplings called momos. Meat dishes are likely to be yak, goat, or mutton, often dried, or cooked into a spicy stew with potatoes. Mustard seed is cultivated in Tibet, and therefore features heavily in its cuisine. Yak yoghurt, butter and cheese are frequently eaten, and well-prepared yoghurt is considered something of a prestige item.

In larger Tibetan towns and cities many restaurants now serve Sichuan-style Chinese food. Western imports and fusion dishes, such as fried yak and chips, are also popular. Nevertheless, many small restaurants serving traditional Tibetan dishes persist in both cities and the countryside.

Most Tibetans drink many cups of yak butter tea each day. Jasmine tea is also sometimes available.  Brick tea is made by methods only distantly related to those employed in China or Ceylon. When the water boils, a great handful of the stuff is crumbled into it and allowed to stew for between five and ten minutes, until the whole infusion is so opaque that it looks almost black. At this stage a pinch of salt is added; the Tibetans always put salt, never sugar, in their tea. They very seldom, on the other hand, drink tea without butter in it. If you are at home, you empty the saucepan into a big wooden churn, straining the tea through a colander made of reed or horsehair. Then you drop a large lump of butter into it, and, after being vigorously stirred,this brew is transferred to a huge copper teapot and put on a brazier to keep it hot. When you are traveling, you do not normally take a churn with you, so everyone fills his wooden bowl with tea, scoops a piece of butter out of a basket, puts it in the bowl, stirs the mixture gently with his finger, and, finally, drinks the tea.

Alcoholic beverages include:

• Chang, a beer usually made from barley


• Pinjopo, a rice wine.

The staple Tibetan food is barley flour (rtsam-pa), which is consumed daily. Other major foods include wheat flour, yak meat, mutton, and pork.

Dairy products such as butter, milk, and cheese are also popular. The people in the higher altitudes generally consume more meat than those of the lower regions, where a variety of vegetables is available. Rice is generally restricted in consumption to the well-to-do families, southern border farmers, and monks.

`Tubo', a savoury evening gruel made of lumps of wheat flour, tsamba, dried meat and a tuber called `yuangen'.

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent...

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area (or 29.9% of its land area) and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.

The wealth of Asia differs very widely between and within each region. This is due to its vast size and huge range of different cultures, environments, historical ties and government systems. In terms of nominal GDP, Japan has the largest economy on the continent and the second largest in the world. In purchasing power parity term, however, the People's Republic of China has the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world.

Asia is a continent that has been very important to the World. People have been living there for thousands of years. In fact, the first traces of civilization began in Mesopotamia, a part of Asia. Asia is the continent with the huge country of China. In the 15th and 16th century, a great monument in China was being built. It is called the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall is the only man made super structure that can be seen from space. It is also a monument of human advancement considering that it was built in times before our major technological ages.

Today though, many people in Asia live normal lives by American standards. Asian children go to school, while their parents go to work. Though some of their customs may be different, their basic lives are much like ours.

Asia is also the largest continent in size and population with a population that is over half the Earth's population most is in China.