Year 6 · Geography · Geographical knowledge and understanding
The Asia region
Learners locate the sub-regions, major countries and natural features of Asia and describe its diversity of environments and peoples.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Locate the sub-regions and major countries of Asia.
- Identify major natural features of Asia.
- Describe the diversity of environments and populations in Asia.
Success looks like
- I can name and locate at least three sub-regions of Asia.
- I can locate major features such as the Himalayas and the Yangtze River.
- I can explain why Asia is described as diverse.
The big idea
Asia is the world's largest continent by both area and population. About six in every ten people in the world live in Asia. India and China are the countries with the largest populations in the world.
Geographers often divide Asia into sub-regions: East Asia (for example China, Japan, the Koreas, Mongolia), Southeast Asia (for example Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines), South Asia (for example India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal), Central Asia and West Asia.
Asia has dramatic natural features. The Himalayas contain the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, at 8,849 metres on the border of Nepal and China. Major rivers include the Yangtze (the longest in Asia), the Ganges and the Mekong. The Gobi is a large cold desert.
Southeast Asia includes large archipelagos such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Many parts of East and Southeast Asia lie on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', with frequent earthquakes and volcanoes.
Climates range from tropical rainforests near the equator to cold deserts and high mountains. In South and Southeast Asia, the monsoon brings a wet season that is vital for farming, especially rice.
Asia is diverse in languages, religions, cultures and ways of life. Huge megacities such as Tokyo, Delhi and Shanghai contrast with remote villages.
Worked examples
Classifying countries by sub-region
Place these countries in sub-regions: Vietnam, Japan, India, Indonesia.
- Vietnam and Indonesia lie south of China and north of Australia: Southeast Asia.
- Japan is east of mainland China: East Asia.
- India is in the Indian subcontinent: South Asia.
Answer: Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Indonesia. East Asia: Japan. South Asia: India.
Comparing heights
Mount Everest is 8,849 m and Mount Kosciuszko is 2,228 m. How much higher is Everest?
- Subtract: 8,849 − 2,228 = 6,621.
Answer: Everest is 6,621 m higher.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which mountain range contains Mount Everest?
The Himalayas — Everest is in the Himalayas.
Which is the longest river in Asia?
The Yangtze — The Yangtze in China is the longest river in Asia.
Which country is in Southeast Asia?
Thailand — Thailand is in Southeast Asia.
What is a monsoon?
A seasonal wind bringing heavy rain — Monsoons bring a seasonal wet period.
Which two countries have the largest populations in the world?
India and China — India and China each have more than 1.4 billion people.
How tall is Mount Everest, in metres?
8849 — Everest's official height is 8,849 m.
A group of islands is called an ____.
archipelago — Indonesia and the Philippines are archipelagos.
Which is the largest continent?
Asia — Asia is the largest continent by area and population.
Watch out for
- Asia is sometimes treated as one culture. It is extraordinarily diverse in languages, religions and ways of life.
- Some think all of Asia is hot. Asia includes Siberia, high mountains and cold deserts.
Tips for parents
- If your family has Asian heritage, share stories, language and food to make learning personal.
- Use an atlas to compare the size of Asian countries with Australia.
- Cook a meal from an Asian country and locate it on a map together.
Go further
- Create a fact file for one Asian country, including population, capital, languages and a natural feature.
- Make a labelled map of Asia's sub-regions.
- Research how the monsoon affects rice farming in one country.