''ASIAN Geographic'' is a geographic magazine that focuses mainly on stories about Asia. Its motto is "''Asia Without Borders''". First published in 1999, it contains articles on geography, culture, heritage, society, environment, exploration, conservation and art. As of May 2008, the magazine has a readership of over 300,000 across 44 countries. It is published by Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd, which also publishes '' Scuba Diver AustralAsia'', an official publication of the PADI Diving Society. ''ASIAN Geographic PASSPORT'', a travel and adventure magazine, was launched in August 2008. Both ''ASIAN Geographic'' and ''PASSPORT'' organise expeditions, travel photography workshops and photographic competitions on a regular basis.

History

When ''ASIAN Geographic'' first started out as a quarterly magazine in 1999, it focused exclusively on environmental issues; its motto was "''The Journal of Our Environment''". In 2000 it became a bi-monthly publication. In 2006, the magazine expanded its scope to include social and cultural issues to attract a wider readership. In 2007, ''ASIAN Geographic'' became a monthly magazine; it also adopted a new motto: “''Asia Without Borders''”. From 2009 it was published once every 45 days (8 issues/year), but with more pages.

Articles

Currently, each issue of ''ASIAN Geographic'' focuses on a specific theme relevant to Asia. (Follow this link for the editorial themes for 2008 and 2009.) The magazine draws from a wide base of international contributors to generate its content – these include academics, geographers, sociologists, journalists, photographers and experts in various fields. A short biography of each contributor is provided at the end of every article.

ASIAN Geographic PASSPORT

In August 2008, ''ASIAN Geographic'' launched ''PASSPORT'', a magazine that focuses on travel and adventure in Asia. The publication is easily distinguished by its rounded corners, which are similar to that found in a regular passport. Its motto is "''Travel Without Borders''".

Expeditions

''ASIAN Geographic'' and ''PASSPORT'' have organised expeditions to places such

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

(in the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

);

Siem Reap Siem Reap ( km, សៀមរាប, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has French colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old F ...

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

; and its own series of

Silk Road The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...

expeditions, the first of which was on the section in China, from

Kashgar Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan ...

Xi'an Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by #Name, other names, is the list of capitals in China, capital of Shaanxi, Shaanxi Province. A Sub-provincial division#Sub-provincial municipalities, sub-provincial city o ...

Photography workshops and competitions

''ASIAN Geographic PASSPORT'' organises travel photography workshops to places such as

Kuching Kuching (), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

and

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

, Thailand. There is also an annual "Asia Without Borders" photography competition organised by ''ASIAN Geographic''.

Conservation efforts and partners

''ASIAN Geographic'' has stated its commitment to educate and raise awareness of environmental and social issues in Asia. Its exploration and conservation partners include the

Animals Asia Foundation Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) is a Hong Kong-based charity that seeks to end cruelty to animals in Asia. Founding The AAF was founded in 1998 by Jill Robinson, who felt compelled to create the organisation after learning of the plight of the As ...

, China Exploration and Research Society, Hornbill Project Singapore, Longitude 181 Nature, OceanNEnvironment,

Seacology Seacology is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Berkeley, California, that works to preserve island ecosystems and cultures around the world. Founded in 1991, it began with the work of ethnobotanist Paul Alan Cox, ...

and the

World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wor ...

( WWF).

Awards

In 2001, ''ASIAN Geographic'' won the Ark Trust International Award at the Genesis Awards for "Bear Witness", a feature on the rescue efforts of

Asiatic black bear The Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), also known as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear and white-chested bear, is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia that is largely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. It lives in the Himalayas, sou ...

s in China. In the 2006 Asian Travel and Tourism Creative Awards, the magazine won a Silver Award for a photograph of an elephant bathing in a Sri Lankan reserve.''ASIAN Geographic'' awards and accolades

References and footnotes

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External links

''ASIAN Geographic'' online''ASIAN Geographic PASSPORT'' online
1999 establishments in Singapore Geographic magazines Magazines established in 1999 Magazines published in Singapore Eight times annually magazines