The 48 Countries of Asia (UN Geoscheme)

Asia comprises 48 sovereign states recognized by the United Nations (plus dependencies & disputed territories). Listed by subregion:

Central Asia (5)

• Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Eastern Asia (5 + 2 disputed)

• China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea
• Taiwan (ROC), Hong Kong/Macau (SARs of China)

South-Eastern Asia (11)

• Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

Southern Asia (9)

• Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Western Asia (18 + 1 disputed)

• Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
• Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey)

Notes

• Russia is transcontinental; ~75% land in Asia, but politically/culturally European — usually listed in Europe.
• Turkey similarly straddles; included in Western Asia here.
• Cyprus geographically Asia, politically EU.
• Egypt (Sinai) sometimes included; usually Africa.

Total: 48 UN member states fully or partly in Asia.