ASIAN Geographic

ASIAN Geographic is the bi-monthly magazine that scours the region to bring readers the most compelling stories and images from the world's largest and most diverse continent. Readers enjoy a unique melting pot of breathtaking photography and in-depth features covering culture, nature, sustainability issues and exploration into the history of this diverse region. A regular 'Exploration' segment follows brave field editors as they travel deep into Asia's unexplored regions to take readers on a journey.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Uzbekistan 50 Shades of Blue • Offering a fascinating blend of Persian, Turco-Mongol, and Soviet influences, this Central Asian Islamic nation is bathed in blue and turquoise

60 Days for Our Blue Planet • Raising awareness about aquatic ecosystems, marine and riverine animals, and the need to protect our oceans and waterways

Our Ocean Under Threat • Human activities have been damaging the seas for decades, discharging pollutants and plastics into the water, overexploiting fish stocks, and raising the temperature and acidity levels. In this special feature, we look at the ocean’s most important ecosystems, and consider the most significant threats they face

The Importance of the Ocean • The oceans store carbon dioxide and are a vital source of oxygen

Plastics, Plastics Everywhere • On average, plastics take 10 to 1,000 years to break down into smaller pieces

Deadly Ghost Nets • Lost and abandoned fishing gear – “ghost gear” or “ghost nets” – makes up the majority of macroplastic (in excess of 20 centimetres) in the oceans. This ghost gear is a particularly deadly form of plastic pollution that is trapping, entangling, smothering and killing marine animals, particularly across Asia

Are Coral Reefs Our Most Valuable Ecosystems?

Threats to Corals

Dancing with the Devil

Manta Distribution • Manta rays occur in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, often along productive coasts and offshore islands. The oceanic manta ray is found in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters and is more widely distributed than the reef manta, which is limited to the tropics and subtropics. Most manta rays migrate cyclically and fairly predictably across national boundaries.

The Economic Benefits of Manta Diving and Snorkelling

Equine Enigma

What’s Killing Seahorses?

Seahorse Socioeconomics

Cool Cruisers • For over a 100 million years, sea turtles have covered vast distances across the world’s oceans, filling a vital role in the healthy balance of marine habitats

6 Top Places to dive with Sea Turtles • Spotting these ancient reptiles on a dive can often make the dive, or take it to a new level. Divers often look for the more spectacular of aquatic species when they’re underwater, and the turtle is hardly an average Joe. Either flapping their boomerang-shaped fins at the surface, or grazing on seagrass like an oceanic cow, turtles are a must-see. We bring you the top places to dive with sea turtles.

Peerless Predators

Sharkopedia

Sustainable Seafood in Asia • Non-profit sustainable seafood certification programmes are not just restricted to Europe and the United States. The Marine Stewardship Council is working with fisheries across Asia to ensure all commercial fishing is done responsibly.

Is There Plastic in My Seafood? • The bag you carry your groceries home in, or the straw that you sip from, could end up in your stomach

How to Avoid Eating Plastics in Your Seafood

The Mystic Blue

Blue and Black Magic • With an abundance of verdant isles and diverse blue space, deciding where to visit in the Philippines can be a mind-boggling task. Yet, regardless of where you choose, you’ll be captivated...