The continent of Asia is the largest in the world. It’s enormous, covering the regions of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. There are 48 countries in Asia. The continent has some of the fasted growing economies in the world. It is also becoming ever more interconnected. So, could we see a time when Asia united? Would it be possible for there to be a single Asian nation?
Asia could not unite into one country. The geographical size, variances in economies and political systems and lack of public support would prevent Asia from uniting. There are too many differences between the countries in Asia for them to join into a single nation state.
…That’s just an overview. Let’s go into a bit more detail.
Would A United Asia Be A Global Superpower?
So, it’s clear that every country in Asia is not going to unite. However, if they did, how would it compare to other major world powers? Would a single Asian country be a superpower?
If every country in Asia united to form one nation state it would be a global superpower. The overall strength of a united Asia would be much larger than the current global superpower – the United States.
A superpower is defined as:
a state that possesses military or economic might, or both, and general influence vastly superior to that of other states
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2022
It is clear that if every country in Asia joined together it would be incredibly powerful. It would also wield significant global influence. A united Asia would fit the definition of being a superpower due to the size of its population, economy, military force and geographic size.
How Powerful Would A United Asia Be?
If every country in Asia united it would be a major world power. With that said, what would make a single Asian nation stronger than other countries in the world. There are four main factors that would make a united Asian powerful:
- Population
- Economy
- Military
- Geographic Size
Let’s look at each of these in a bit of detail…
Population
If all of Asia joined into one country, it would have an enormous population. The combined population of every country in Asia is 4.71 billion people. This is over four times larger than China, the most populous country in the world. It would also be twelve times more populous than the United States. The size of a united Asia’s population would make it incredibly powerful.
Economy
A united Asia would have by far the largest economy in the world. It’s GDP would be 31.58 trillion dollars. Compared to the United States – currently the richest country in the world, a single Asian nation would have an economy over 50% larger. If Asia joined together into one country, it would have enormous economic strength.
Military
The armed forces of a united Asia would be bigger than any other countries in the world. It would be over six times larger than the US army – the largest army in the world outside of Asia. If every country in Asia joined together it would be the most powerful military force on earth.
Geographic Size
Asia is the largest continent in the world. If it united into one country, it would be by far the biggest country. It would cover a land area of 44.58 million square kilometres. This would make it over twice as big as Russia – the largest country in the world. The geographic size of a united Asia would make it an incredibly powerful country.
How Rich Would Asia Be If It Was One Country
It’s clear a single Asian nation would be incredibly powerful. However, what would the quality of life be like for people on the continent if every country in Asia joined together? How rich would a united Asia be?
A united Asia would be the richest country in the world. If every country in Asia joined together into one country, it would have a GDP of 31.58 trillion USD. This would make it over 50% richer than the United States.
A single Asian country would be incredibly rich. Asia currently has some of the largest economies in the world, including Japan, China, and South Korea. If every country on the continent united, it would be by far far the wealthiest country in the world.
A nation made up of every country in Asia would have an economy the same size as the 76 poorest countries in the world put together. It would dominate global trade and commerce. It would also have some of the largest and most influential companies in the world. A united Asia would be incredibly rich.
The GDP per capita of a single Asian nation would be around 11,600 USD. This would mean the average citizen of that country would be about as wealthy as a Bulgarian. This would mean they were wealthy but would not be the richest people in the world. However, the size of their economy, and expectation that it would continue to grow, would mean citizens of a single Asian country would likely become wealthier.
Could South Asia Unite As One Country?
Ok, it’s clear that all of Asia is not going to join together into one country, but what about regions within the continent? South Asia – the region covering Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lank and Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives, is a major part of Asia. Could we ever see a time when South Asia unites?
It would be almost impossible for South Asia to unite as one country. Ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural divides between the nations of South Asia would make it almost certain they would never unite. A history of conflict between South Asian nations also means they will not become one country.
South Asia is a highly divided part of the world. Conflict simmers between India and Pakistan. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are still poor following the latter’s war of independence. India and Sri Lanka could not be considered close allies and Afghanistan’s new Taliban regime it being watched with caution by the entire region.
The history of conflict and distrust between nations is South Asia is one factor as to why it will not unite into a single country
The region of South Asia is hugely diverse. South Asia has 183 ethnic groups, and more than 1,652 languages are spoken. The region is split between different religious groups, with large Muslim and Hindu populations and well as Buddhists, Christians, and local religions.
The diversity of South Asia is a key reason why it will not unite into one country.
Although today it would be almost impossible for the countries of South Asia to join together, from 1858 to 1947 the region was entirely controlled by the British empire. In fact, many of the divisions that are major reasons why the area could not unite stem from this period of the region’s history.
South Asia is not going to unite into a single country. However, the history of the British empire shows that if it did, it would need to be conquered by force. This would mean either one country in the region conquering the others, or an external power takes over the region. In the modern globalised world this is not going to happen. Although South Asia was united in the past, it could not be today.
What Would Happen If East Asian Nations United Together?
So, we’ve looked at South Asia and assessed whether it could join together into a single country, but what about East Asia? East Asia – the region including China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, is an economic powerhouse. Could we ever see East Asia unite?
If every country in ast Asia united into a single state it would be most powerful country in the world. It would cover the largest geographical area, and have the biggest population, economy, and military force in the world.
East Asia already has some of the most powerful countries in the world. If East Asia united into a single country, it would have a GDP of 27.5 trillion dollars. This is about seven trillion more than the United States – currently the largest economy in the world.
A single East Asian nation would have a population of around 1.6 billion people. This would make it by far the most populous country in the world. This would mean it would dominate global politics, international trade, and culture around the world.
If every country in East Asia joined together it would be the second largest country in the world. It would cover a total area of 11.84 million square kilometres.
East Asia would have the largest armed forces in the world if it united into a single country. This would make the country extremely powerful and give it enormous influence globally.
If Asia Became One Country, What Would Be Its Capital City?
Finally, an important question to consider when assessing what a united Asia might look like is which city would be its capital?
The capital of a united Asia would likely be either Tokyo, Mumbai, or Beijing. These are the cities with the largest populations. If Asia became one country, Tokyo, Seoul, or Shanghai could also become the capital as these are the richest cities in Asia.
There are three main factors to consider when assessing which city would become the capital of a united Asian nation. The first is population size. The largest cities in Asia by population are Tokyo, Jakarta, Delhi, Mumbai, and Seoul. Any of these could be contenders for the capital city if all Asian countries joined together.
A second factor that could determine the capital of a united Asian nation would be wealth. The cities with the largest economies in Asia are Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, and Osaka. If every nation on the Asian continent joined together one of these cities could become the capital.
A third factor to consider that could decide which city becomes the capital of Asia is geographical location. Asia is enormous and if it joined together to become one country it would be very hard to govern. The most centrally located cities in Asia are Urumqi and Yungfen in China and Kyzyl in Russia. It could be decided that one of these became the capital city to ensure it was centrally located.
A final point that must be noted is that most people in Asian countries would not accept the capital of a united Asia being in what would have been another country. This is especially true of major powers. The fact that it would be almost impossible to decide on which city would be the capital is a good example of why Asia will never be united into a single country.