Japan consists of more than 4,000 islands in Asia that are arranged in an arc in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The four main islands, where most of the people live, are Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu.
The country has a total area of 145,841 square miles (377,377 square kilometers).
127,156,000 people live in Japan.
Honshu, Japan's largest island, contains three fifths of the land and four fifths of the population.
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is the most highly populated urban area in the world. It is located on Honshu, in a densely populated belt along the southern coast of the island.
Japan has a parliamentary system of government.
The official currency is the yen, which is equal to 100 sen.
Japan is located in the Pacific Ocean's Ring of Fire The islands of Japan are part of an arc of volcanic islands which have been formed by the movement of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate.
Earthquakes frequently occur in Japan as a consequence of the stress caused by this movement.
Geologically, Japan is very young, and its terrain is still being shaped by seismic activity.
During the previous century, new volcanoes have emerged.
Japan has more than 60 active volcanoes - more than one tenth of all the active volcanoes in the world.
Asahi-daki, the highest mountain in Hokkaido, is an active volcano.
On Honshu's Pacific coast, land is being raised upward. Some beaches along the coast are more than 1,000 feet (3,000 meters) above sea level.
There are rivers in Honshu that emerge from volcanic regions in the northwestern part of the island. The water in these rivers is so acidic that it cannot be used for drinking or irrigation.
Although Japan is very mountainous, it does not have any continuous mountain ranges. Instead, there are many small blocks of mountains separated by lowlands and river valleys.
Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, is located in central Honshu, above the Kanto Plain. Mount Fuji is 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) high. It is considered sacred in the Shinto religion.
The largest lake in Japan is Biwa-ko, in central Honshu. It lies in a depression that was created when underlying rocks faulted.
Japan's Inland Sea, which separates Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku islands, was created when faulted blocks were depressed, allowing sea water to flow into the region.
A large portion of Kyushu's coast is subsiding, causing the coastline to become very indented. In some places along the coast, former hilltops can hardly be seen above sea level.
Akan National National Park in eastern Hokkaido contains lakes and dense forest.
The mountain of O-akan-dake is in this region.
Mountains in central Hokkaido reach more than 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) high.
The Oki-shoto archipelago, which consists of the islands of Chiburi-jima, Dozen, Dogo and Nakano-shima, lies off the coast of Honshu. The islands of this archipelago are known for their picturesque rocky coastlines, which total 220 miles (350 kilometers) in length.
Most of Japan has a temperate maritime climate. Summers are warm and winters are mild.
During the winter, strong southeasterly winds blow onto Honshu's eastern coasts, creating sand dunes that extend for miles.
In Hokkaido, the northernmost island, and northwest Honshu the winters are cold and snow is heavy.
99% of the people of the Japan are of Japanese ethnicity. The majority of the rest of the population is Korean.
Japanese is the official language. Korean and Chinese are also spoken.
16% of the people are Buddhist, and 76% practice both Shintoism and Buddhism.
Japan has a unique culture, which includes traditional foods and codes of behavior. this culture has persisted despite the country's strong presence in the international economic community and its increasing westernization. The Shinto religion is unique to Japan.
Despite a lack of cultivable land and natural resources, Japan has developed the second largest economy in the world, after the United States.
Japan plays an important role in international trade.
It is the largest manufacturer of cars, motorcycles and motor ships on Earth.
It is also a leading producer of computers, electronic equipment and other consumer durables.
Other important industries include chemicals, cement, steel and textiles.
Industry is centered around the ports of Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama.
Service industries, particularly banking and finance, are important. One of the world's major stock exchanges is located in Tokyo.
Only 14% of the land in Japan can be cultivated.
However, Japan is 70% self-sufficient in food as a result of intense agricultural production.
The Japanese have increased the amount of cultivable land by cutting terraces into mountainsides.
Primary crops are rice, barley, wheat, soybeans and fruit.
Cattle, pigs and chicken are raised.
Fishing is very important. Japan has one of the world's largest fishing fleets.
Japan has reserves of oil, natural gas, coal, copper, zinc and lead, but they are too small for industry.
Japan must import most materials. 90% of Japan's energy is imported.
| Japan National Tourism Organization http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ Website of the Japan Tourism Agency | |
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