What oceans wash Japan? Full description of Japan

- state in East Asia, which is located on 4 large islands: Kyushu, Honshu, Shikoku, Hokkaido, as well as the islands of the Ryukyu archipelago and more than a thousand small islands. In the north it is washed by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, in the east - Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea, in the west - the Korea Strait and the Sea of ​​Japan. In the north it borders with Russia (Sakhalin, Kuril Islands), in the south - with the Philippines, in the west and northwest - with China and South Korea y.

The name of the country comes from the ancient Japanese “Yamata” - “country of mountain people”.

Official name: Japan (Nippon)

Capital: Tokyo

The area of ​​the land: 377.4 thousand sq. km

Total Population: 127.3 million people

Administrative division: It is divided into 9 regions, 44 prefectures, a capital district and 2 city prefectures.

Form of government: A constitutional monarchy.

Head of State: The emperor is a symbol of the unity of the nation; he has no real power.

Population composition: 99% are Japanese, 0.5% are Koreans, 0.5% are Chinese and Ainu (remnants of the indigenous population).

Official language: Japanese, and English is also widely spoken.

Religion : Almost all Japanese are Shintoists, most Shintoists also profess Buddhism. 3% are Christians.

Internet domain: .jp

Mains voltage: ~100 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz

Country dialing code: +81

Country barcode: 450-459 and 490-499

Climate

Since the Japanese archipelago stretches strongly from north to south, the climate on different islands differs markedly from each other. If Hokkaido has a classic climate of temperate latitudes with hot summers and snowy winters, then southern islands Ryukyu temperatures rarely drop below +13:+15 degrees.

Hokkaido

The climate of the northernmost island, Hokkaido, is the harshest in Japan. Local winters are very, very cold - in January the thermometer drops at night to -10:-15, and in some areas there have been cases when the thermometer dropped to -40oC. Snow cover is established everywhere here, which is facilitated by a fairly high amount of precipitation in winter for a monsoon climate - more than 300 mm per season, and in January it snows almost every day. Spring frosts are relevant here even in May, which is facilitated by the free penetration of cold air masses from the still ice-covered Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

In the spring, due to frequent fogs, the air warms up slowly in the eastern parts of the island - only at the end of April frosts stop here, due to which cereals are sown here a month later than in the west of the island. In summer it is quite warm here - in July-August on average there are several days when the temperature rises above +30 degrees, with average daytime temperatures of +25:+26 degrees, but still rainy - on average per year in the capital of Hokkaido - Sapporo there are about 300 rainy days.

Honshu, Shikoku, northern Kyushu

On the territory of these islands the climate is noticeably milder than in Hokkaido. Subtropical latitudes favor a reduction in the duration of the winter season, which, however, does not negate the likelihood of snowfalls, which in the west of Honshu Island sometimes acquire proportions that are surprising for the subtropics. Winter, however, is warm - at night the thermometer on the largest of the Japanese islands hovers around zero, and during the day it heats up to +5:+7 degrees.

Spring comes quite quickly, and already at the end of March - at the beginning of April, the symbol of Japan - sakura - blooms everywhere. This time is one of the most recommended times to visit the country. At this time, the thermometer during the day almost everywhere exceeds the 15-degree mark.

At the beginning of summer in the Japanese subtropics, the so-called period of “plum rains” begins - when the monsoon brings heavy and prolonged rains to the islands, which occur at high air temperatures and weak winds. During the day, the air temperature reaches +25 degrees, and the air humidity is 100%.

After the end of the “plum rains”, the hottest time of the year begins here, when daytime temperatures go beyond +30, and night temperatures do not fall below +20oC. However, on the coast, the heat is mitigated by the sea breeze, which is why the resorts of the Boso and Miura peninsulas owe their popularity. By the end of September, monsoon activity weakens, summer showers cease, and the oppressive heat subsides. This is the time when the second peak of tourist activity in Japan occurs.

Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa

The Ryukyu Islands, remote from the main territory of the country, also have a monsoon climate. But due to the distance from the continent, the winter monsoon does not bring cold weather here, as a result of which snow and frost are unknown here. In January and February - the coldest months - the air temperature ranges from +13oC at night to +19 degrees during the day. In summer, the weather here is hot and humid, which is only helped by the fresh sea wind. During the day the air warms up to +30 degrees and above, and at night it can be no colder than +25.

Geography

Japan is an island nation located in the Pacific Islands, off the coast of East Asia. The territory of Japan includes about 4 thousand islands, stretching from northeast to southwest. almost 3.5 thousand km. The largest islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Large engineering structures (underwater tunnels, bridges) facilitate connections between the main islands of the country. Japan is washed in the east and south by the Pacific Ocean, in the west by the East China and Japan Seas, and in the north by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Area 372.2 thousand km2. Population 114 million (1977 estimate). The capital is Tokyo.

Over 70% of the territory is occupied by hills and mountains (mainly low and mid-altitude); lowlands are located in separate areas along the coasts. On the island of Hokkaido, the main ridges are a continuation of the Sakhalin and Kuril Islands, stretching from north to south and from northeast to southwest. The highest peaks located in the area of ​​their intersection exceed 2000 m - a typical example is Mount Asahi, 2290 m high.

In the northern part of the island of Honshu there are three longitudinal chains of mid-altitude mountains, separated by valleys and basins; the axial position is occupied by the Ou ridge, to the west of which are the Deva and Echigo ridges, to the east - the Kitakami and Abukuma ridges; the central and western ranges are topped by volcanoes.

In the middle part, the island is crossed by a fault zone - Fossa Magna (length about 250 km), above which a number of volcanoes rise, including the highest in Japan - Fuji (height 3776 m), which is a symbol of the country.

In the central part of the island. Honshu is located in the Hida, Kiso, Akaishi ranges (height 2900-3192 m), the peaks of which have an alpine topography and are covered with snow most of the year.

In total, there are 16 peaks in Japan whose height exceeds the three thousand mark.

The rivers in Japan are predominantly mountainous and full-flowing; there are also numerous lakes, the largest of which, Lake Biwa, has an area of ​​716 km2.

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

Approximately 60% of Japan's area is covered by forests. The flora of Japan is characterized by great species diversity and includes 2,750 species, including 168 tree species. On the Japanese islands there are plants characteristic of the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones.

On the Ryukyu Islands (Nansei) wet rainforests, in which palm trees grow (arenga, livistona, sugar, sago, catechu), tree fern cyathea, cycad, polycarp (podocarpus), banana, ficus, etc., in the mountains - evergreen oaks and tropical conifers such as akamatsu pine, fir Mami, hemlock. There are numerous lianas and epiphytes, mainly ferns. On Yaku Island, natural forests of Japanese cryptomeria have been preserved, individual trees of which, reaching 40–50 m in height and 5 m in diameter, are already about 2000 years old.

In the southern regions of Kyushu Island, tropical forests have been preserved in places on the sea coast, and evergreen subtropical forests on this island rise to approximately 1000 m. In addition, subtropical forests are common on Shikoku Island and in the south of Honshu Island. They are dominated by evergreen oaks and endemic species of pines, cypresses, cryptomeria, polycarpids, and thujas. Gardenias, azaleas, aralias, and magnolias grow in the undergrowth.

Among the tree species they are dominated by camphor laurel, long-pointed castanopsis, evergreen oaks (sharp, dove, etc.), star anise (illicium), camellia, different kinds simplocosa. In the subtropical zone, groves of gingko and bamboo have been preserved in some places.

To the north of the Japanese Alps on the island of Honshu and in the southern half of the island of Hokkaido there are broad-leaved deciduous forests dominated by Japanese and crenate beech, jagged and large-serrated oak, common crenate or Japanese chestnut, many types of maple, ash and linden, and elms , birch, Japanese hornbeam, Japanese hop hornbeam, zelkova aculifolia, or Japanese zelkova, sumacifolia polycarp.

Somewhat higher on the mountain slopes grow coniferous-deciduous forests, in which conifers include cryptomeria (up to 45 m high), cypress, Siebold's hemlock, variegated and Blaringham's, Japanese false hemlock, pointed yew, or Japanese yew, and other species. Above 500 m above sea level on Hokkaido these forests are replaced by spruce-fir mountain taiga forests with bamboo in the lower layer.

Some mountains on Honshu, including Mount Fuji, and the central mountain range on Hokkaido rise above the tree line. There are thickets of rhododendron, dwarf cedar, heath, subalpine and alpine meadows.

Japan's natural vegetation has been severely damaged by human activity. Forests, especially on the plains, are being replaced by agricultural land.

Animal world

Due to its island position, the fauna of Japan is poor compared to mainland Asia and is characterized by a fairly high endemism (40%). Many land mammals are represented by smaller forms than on the mainland. They are usually considered a Japanese subspecies. Since the natural conditions of the country are quite diverse, the fauna of Japan contains species characteristic of tropical, subtropical, boreal and mountain forests.

Japan is characterized by significant differences in animal life different islands, widespread distribution up to 40° N. monkeys (Japanese macaque, the number of which is estimated at 40–60 thousand individuals), a significant species diversity of birds (especially waterfowl). In addition, a large number of migratory birds stop over in Japan.

Reptiles are few in number; There are only two types of poisonous snakes, the trigonocephalus is especially dangerous.

Wild fauna has been preserved mainly within numerous protected areas - in national parks, reserves, nature reserves, and marine parks.

The southernmost islands are home to monkeys such as Japanese macaques, tonkobolls and gibbons, and bats, especially fruit bats, are common; There are tree wyverns, martens, squirrels, and flying squirrels. Among the birds, the most common are the Japanese nightjar, or the great cuckoo, the Japanese white-eye, the gray grubeater, the dark-backed long-tailed flycatcher, the eastern broadmouth, the Indian pitta, etc.

On Kyushu and the adjacent islands there are Japanese macaques, white-breasted bears, badgers, Japanese sables, raccoon dogs, foxes, sika deer, Japanese serows, wild boars, squirrels, Japanese and pygmy flying squirrels, chipmunks, pasuk rats, wood mice, Japanese dormouse, gray vole, hare, shrew, Asian water shrew, mogera, Japanese shrew moles, among birds - copper pheasant, blue-winged bird, mandarin duck, grebes, shelduck, etc., among reptiles - Yakushima toki (endemic gecko).

The Japanese macaque, white-breasted bear, sika deer, Japanese serow, wild boar, badger, Japanese sable, raccoon dog, fox, otter, Japanese and pygmy flying squirrels, squirrel, chipmunk, hare, pasyuk rat, wood mouse, Japanese dormouse live on Shikoku Island. , shrew, various types of shrews, moguera, Japanese shrew moles, birds - piebald petrel, copper pheasant, etc.

Common species on Honshu Island include the Japanese macaque, white-breasted bear, fox, Japanese serow, sika deer, wild boar, ermine, badger, Japanese sable, raccoon dog, Japanese and pygmy flying squirrels, squirrel, chipmunk, Japanese hare, wood mouse, Japanese dormouse, and rat. pasyuk, shrew, different types shrew, mogera, Japanese shrew moles.

Among the numerous birds, the most notable are the golden eagle, green and copper pheasants, Japanese robin, needle-tailed swift, Japanese nutcracker, eastern broadmouth, tundra partridge (above the forest line in the mountains), piebald petrel, black-tailed gull. Mixed coniferous-deciduous forests are characterized by crows, jays, tits, buntings, goldfinches, greenfinches, thrushes, warblers, flycatchers, nuthatches, and sparrows.

The fauna of Hokkaido has many species in common with the Far Eastern taiga. Brown bear, raccoon dog, weasel, ermine, Siberian sable, Siberian chipmunk, squirrel, and mountain hare are common here. In addition, there are Japanese macaques, sika deer, a local subspecies of the northern pika, flying squirrel, wood mice, red-gray and red voles, pasyuk rat, shrew, and shrews. Among the birds, notable ones are the Japanese three-toed woodpecker, the golden eagle, the Steller's sea eagle, and the fish owl. In coniferous forests there are numerous crossbills, grosbeaks, waxwings, and hazel grouse.

Attractions

The main feature that immediately catches the eye is the country’s carefully preserved natural environment. Every piece of land, even a tiny lawn sandwiched among skyscrapers, can be turned into a mini-reserve; any tiny pond or lawn can be a local shrine, looked after and monitored by the entire district. Many carefully preserved historical monuments, buildings and temples are scattered throughout the country, so Japan makes an indelible impression on everyone who has ever visited this country.

The symbols of the country, replicated by the millions on all postcards and booklets about the country, are the largest “sacred gate” (“torii”) in Japan - the wooden gate (1875) of the Itsukushima Shrine on the “sacred” island of Miyajima, standing right in the water in a small bay (the monastery itself, one of the most revered shrines in Japan, also stands on stilts right in the water), as well as the famous Mount Fuji (Fuji, 3,776 m.) - one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world, surrounded by equally picturesque surroundings.

The Seto-Ohashi Bridge (1988), spanning the Inland Sea of ​​Japan (Seto) from Honshu to Shikoku, is considered the same symbol of the country. Japan produces the best pearls in the world, so numerous “pearl farms” are also interesting tourist attractions, visited by up to half a million foreign tourists in year.

• Inuyama Castle
• Coty Castle
• Kumamoto Castle
• Tokyo Tower

Currency can be exchanged at the airport upon arrival, as well as in most bank branches (there are also special machines for currency exchange). Most profitable terms exchanges are usually offered at the airport, since in hotels the exchange rate is no more than $300 per person per day, and in banks the exchange procedure is often highly formalized. It is impossible to exchange currency on the street.

Payment by credit cards is widespread (a number of restaurants do not accept credit cards), however, only ATMs of the post office (Japan Post) and several banks issue yen on cards of foreign banks; others only work with local currency.

Traveler's checks can also be easily cashed at most major international banks or hotels.

Useful information for tourists



Tipping is not customary in Japan. The number of traditions and rituals that are required or recommended to be observed is enormous. Almost all spheres of the country’s life are permeated with a network of traditions and ceremonies.

Handshakes are replaced by bows, and they must be “returned” with the same frequency and respect shown by the other party. The Japanese are polite and helpful in their communication. Hospitality is in the Japanese's blood. Direct refusal is not accepted even if it is impossible to fulfill the request, so it is worth thinking in advance about the feasibility of your wishes.

The traditional smiling of the Japanese, especially women, under any circumstances is often misleading - even a refusal or some unpleasant moment will be accompanied by a smile, which confuses many foreigners. At the same time, familiarity (even too small a distance between interlocutors) is completely unacceptable and causes a sharply negative attitude among the Japanese. It is also not recommended to look a Japanese person directly in the eyes or actively gesticulate - this is perceived as aggression. The Japanese “passion” for hygiene and cleanliness is also widely known.

Crockery, table setting and decorative presentation of dishes are of great importance. Before eating, it is customary to wipe your face and hands with a special hot oshibori napkin. Each dish is served in a container specially designed for it and occupies a strictly defined place on the table, and an individual table is allocated for each person. Dishes and serving items are strictly divided into “male” and “female”.

There is a separate stand for chopsticks (“hashi” or “hashi”), and they are served in a special colorful paper case (“hashi bukuro”). “Hashi” cannot be crossed or stuck into rice (this is associated with death), and chopsticks cannot be pointed at anything or waved while eating - this is considered a sign of bad taste. You should also not move food on the plate or utensils on the table. It is not customary to drink “to the bottom” and pour it yourself. It is recommended to fill your neighbor's glass or bowl, and he, in turn, should do the same for you.

Smoking is not allowed in in public places, in offices, at railway stations and platforms, as well as in houses and cars without the owner’s permission.

You cannot step on straw mats “tatami” with your booted foot - this is regarded as sacrilege. This especially applies to homes or visiting temples. You should also change into special slippers before and after visiting the toilet.

Japan is a country located on the Pacific Islands, near the coast of East Asia. The territory of Japan includes about 4 thousand islands, stretching from northeast to southwest for almost 3.5 thousand km 2, the main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. Large engineering structures (underwater tunnels, bridges) facilitate connections between the main islands of the country.
Japan is washed in the east and south by the Pacific Ocean, in the west by the East China and Japan Seas, and in the north by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Area 372.2 thousand km 2. Population 114 million (1977 estimate). The capital is Tokyo.

Japan is one of Russia's closest and most significant neighbors. Despite this, our knowledge of Japan and its people often contains more unsubstantiated myths and legends than truth. To try to dispel some of these myths and bring us closer to Japan as it is, and not as we are used to imagining it.

The Japanese are narrow-eyed and cross-eyed. The illusion of a smaller size occurs because representatives of the Mongoloid race have a so-called “Mongoloid fold of the upper eyelid” that fills the “empty” space of the eye socket. However, the orbit itself in Mongoloids is larger than in Caucasoids, so since Caucasians are accustomed to a different ratio of the sizes of the eye and orbit, and we (Caucasians) are accustomed to considering the size of the latter constant, we have the feeling that the eyes of Mongoloids are narrower than among Caucasians. But this is nothing more than an optical illusion, by the way, characteristic only of the sensations of Caucasians. The Japanese themselves do not perceive European eyes as wider. A similar optical illusion occurs with “squint.” This is also an optical illusion, due to the fact that Mongoloids have a less prominent nose, and Caucasians are accustomed to mentally “tying” their eyes to their nose. Since the Mongoloids’ nose “begins” lower, it seems to us that the eyes are somewhat slanted.

Japan is a small country. Everything is relative. The territory of Japan is 377 thousand square meters. km. This is larger than, say, the territory of a united Germany, and almost equivalent to the territory of Italy. The population of Japan (125 million people) is only slightly smaller than the population of Russia. From a political point of view, Japan has always been the strongest state Far East, even stronger than China, mired in internal conflicts. The nature of Japan is also very diverse - not only megacities like Tokyo, but also forests, fields, rivers and mountains.

Japanese cities have the highest population density in the world. The three most densely populated cities in the world are Manila, Shanghai and Cairo. Fourth place - Paris, fifth - Bombay. Tokyo - seventh place, Osaka - ninth, Moscow - thirteenth, New York - fourteenth. Of the 105 such cities, seven are Japanese and thirteen are American.

Many Japanese are good at martial arts. Yes, in Japanese schools some types of martial arts are taught in physical education classes, but usually it is kendo - the art of wielding a sword, which is useless in a duel, since carrying knives is prohibited in Japan. No real fighting techniques are taught at school, and few people have time for extracurricular activities like this. According to statistics, it is much easier to find a person who can fight well because of his special knowledge in this area in Russia than in Japan, since many served in special forces.

Japan has no army. Indeed, according to the Constitution, Japan does not have an army. But there are “Self-Defense Forces”, which are a small but well-armed, trained and combat-ready professional army. It mainly consists of the Navy and the Air Force. This army is intended only for the defense of the country, and not for pursuing an aggressive military policy.

The Kuril Islands are originally Russian land. This is only partially true. The two should not be confused different groups territories: northern and central Kuril Islands, which were actually part of the Russian Empire and then transferred to Japan, and the Southern Kuril Islands (the islands of Shikotan, Kunashir, Iturup and the Habomai ridge), which never before 1947 were part of any other state except Japan. It is these four territories that are the stumbling block of Russian-Japanese relations. By the way, it was on Iturup Island that there was a naval base from which Admiral Nagumo’s squadron set off to bomb Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Japan is a terribly expensive country. This is not entirely true. Indeed, prices in Japan are significantly higher than in the United States. However, they are close to prices in Europe, say, in France. In many ways, this is the result not so much of inflated prices as of the not entirely adequate exchange rate of the yen against the dollar. And if you compare not prices, but the ratio of wages and prices, then the Japanese will turn out to be no poorer than residents of the United States.

The Japanese, like the Russians, have a surname after their given name. It's the other way around: according to Japanese tradition, the first name comes after the last name. Nevertheless, both in Russia and in many other countries there is a tradition of “Europeanizing” Japanese names. It should be noted that this practice does not apply to, say, China. In the name "Mao Zedong", "Mao" is the surname.

Suicide is common in Japan. Yes, Japan has a culture of suicide. But the real suicide rate is lower than in Germany and Sweden, not to mention Russia.

The Japanese are a hard-working and non-drinking people who do not really know how or like to have fun. Oddly enough, this applies to Japan to exactly the same extent as to Russia. Yes, the Japanese work hard, and sometimes work themselves to death, but the expression “burn out at work” was coined in Russia. The number of people who died from overwork in modern Japan and Russia in the early 1980s is approximately the same. The Japanese are also no strangers to drinking, often more than they should, and alcohol consumption in Japan is constantly on the rise. Japanese ideas about entertainment are also in many ways similar to Russian ones. Recreation in nature or in the company of friends, for example, is very popular. In addition, Japan is a massively reading country. Another thing is that they read manga more often than actual books, but this is an indicator only of cultural characteristics, and not the level of culture.

The Japanese are very difficult to understand. The Japanese are no more difficult to understand than the Americans. They are practical and rational, not at all prone to philosophical allusions and thoughtful reflections. Another thing is that the Japanese are polite and very rarely directly refuse or sharply express a negative opinion, for which they are often accused of duplicity. However this characteristic many polite people of any nation, and a polite Russian in this sense is no easier to understand than a polite Japanese.

Japanese culture is very difficult to understand and the Japanese language is very difficult to learn. No more than any other culture and any other language. There is nothing particularly difficult about Japanese culture. And the Japanese language is composed only of Chinese characters, which, by the way, many Japanese have problems with.

Japanese children study a lot at school. On average, no more than Russian children. True, they still go to juku - tutoring courses for admission to college or college. high school. But such courses also exist in Russia. In general, the volume of requirements for Japanese schoolchildren does not exceed the volume of Soviet school requirements of the 1960s. As in the USSR at that time, much attention is paid to memorization and cramming, because in Japan it is believed that school is the place where a child should learn hard work and diligence.

The Japanese are inventive. Japan holds second place in the world (after the USA) in the number of patents for inventions registered annually, and one can only envy the relaxed thinking of their writers and artists. For example, floppy disks were invented in the late 1940s in Japan.

The Japanese are sexual maniacs. There is nothing close like this. In terms of rape rates, Japan is many times behind the United States. Japan never experienced epidemics of venereal diseases, which were the scourge of modern Europe. In general, no special attention was ever given to sex in the Japanese tradition - it was an ordinary part of Everyday life and the source of many jokes, but not the subject of complexes and torment. That is why most types of sexual entertainment in Japan are not connected with sex itself - usually these are “perversion games”, known in Tsarist Russia, very provocative, but quite innocent. Most modern Japanese, both women and men, lose their virginity only after marriage.

The Japanese mafia is cool. There is nothing special about the Japanese mafia. In many ways, the behavior of the Japanese yakuza is similar to the behavior of our “brothers”. Similar cars, way of dressing, manner of speaking... Only the Japanese are usually somewhat more cultured and less aggressive. As in Russia, they control the shadow economy and illegal business, but their presence does not make the streets of Japan any less safe. But there is significantly less unorganized crime, which is the most dangerous for ordinary citizens, in Japan.

The Japanese are sadists. Nothing more terrible than what the participants did to each other Civil War in Russia, never in the history of mankind. But this is not a reason to consider the inhabitants of Russia sadists. And for everything that the Japanese did in China and Korea during World War II, the Japanese government apologized and admitted its guilt. This cannot be said about any other country in the world.

The Japanese don't know languages ​​well. No worse than the residents of Russia or the Americans. For most Japanese people, knowledge of languages ​​other than Japanese is not necessary in life, but for others, English is enough. Moreover, those who often use it usually know it very well.

Contemporary Japanese popular culture is secondary to American culture. This is not entirely true. Yes, the general structure of popular culture was borrowed by the Japanese in the United States. But the Japanese laid their own, rather original content into this structure, and therefore modern Japanese music and mass literature are beginning to conquer not only Asian, but also American and European markets, which would never have happened if they were only a cheap repetition of an already existing Western culture .

The Japanese love it when foreigners can speak a few words of Japanese. No more than the people of Russia like it when people try to speak to them in broken Russian. Some people find this flattering, others find it very annoying. In general, you should not try to look stupid and say phrases that you are not sure of the pronunciation or meaning of.

Territory— 377.8 thousand km 2

Population- 125.2 million people (1995).

Capital- Tokyo.

Geographical location, general information

Japan- an archipelago country located on four large and almost four thousand small islands, stretching for 3.5 thousand km from northeast to southwest along east coast Asia. The largest islands are Honshu, Hokaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. The shores of the archipelago are heavily indented and form many bays and bays. The seas and oceans surrounding Japan are of exceptional importance for the country as a source of biological, mineral and energy resources.

The economic and geographical position of Japan is determined primarily by the fact that it is located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region, which contributes to the country's active participation in the international geographical division of labor.

For a long period, Japan was isolated from other countries. After the unfinished bourgeois revolution of 1867 - 1868. it embarked on the path of rapid capitalist development. At the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries. became one of the imperialist states.

Japan is a country of constitutional monarchy. The highest body of state power and the only legislative body is parliament.

Natural conditions and resources of Japan

The geological basis of the archipelago is underwater mountain ranges. About 80% of the territory is occupied by mountains and hills with highly dissected relief with an average height of 1600 - 1700 m. There are about 200 volcanoes, 90 active, including highest peak— Fuji volcano (3776 m) Also have a significant impact on the Japanese economy frequent earthquakes and tsunami.

The country is poor in mineral resources, but coal, lead and zinc ores, oil, sulfur, and limestone are mined. The resources of its own deposits are small, so Japan is the largest importer of raw materials.

Despite the small area, the length of the country determined the existence on its territory of a unique complex natural conditions: Hokkaido Island and northern Honshu have a temperate maritime climate, the rest of Honshu, Shikoku and Yushu Islands have a humid subtropical climate, and Ryukyu Island has a tropical climate. Japan is located in an active monsoon zone. The average annual precipitation ranges from 2 - 4 thousand mm.

Approximately 2/3 of the territory is mainly mountainous areas covered with forests (more than half of the forests are artificial plantations). Coniferous forests predominate in northern Hokkaido, mixed forests in central Honshu and southern Hokkaido, and subtropical forests in the south.

Japan has many rivers, deep, fast, and unsuitable for navigation, but they are a source for hydroelectric power and irrigation.

The abundance of rivers, lakes and groundwater has a beneficial effect on the development of industry and Agriculture.

In the post-war period, environmental problems worsened on the Japanese islands. The adoption and implementation of a number of environmental laws reduces the country's pollution levels.

Population of Japan

Japan is one of the top ten countries in the world in terms of population. Japan became the first Asian country to move from the second to the first type of population reproduction. Now the birth rate is 12%, the death rate is 8%. Life expectancy in the country is the highest in the world (76 years for men and 82 years for women).

The population is nationally homogeneous, about 99% are Japanese. Of other nationalities, the Koreans and Chinese are significant in number. The most common religions are Shintoism and Buddhism. The population is distributed unevenly across the area. Average density- 330 people per m 2, but the coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean are among the most densely populated in the world.

About 80% of the population lives in cities. 11 cities have millionaires.

Japanese economy

The growth rate of the Japanese economy was one of the highest in the second half of the 20th century. The country has largely undergone a qualitative restructuring of the economy. Japan is at a post-industrial stage of development, which is characterized by highly developed industry, but the leading area is the non-manufacturing sector (service sector, finance).

Although Japan is poor natural resources and imports raw materials for most industries; it ranks 1st-2nd in the world in the output of many industries. Industry is mainly concentrated within the Pacific industrial belt.

Electric power industry mainly uses imported raw materials. In the structure of the raw material base, oil leads, the share of natural gas, hydropower and nuclear energy is growing, and the share of coal is decreasing.

In the electric power industry, 60% of the power comes from thermal power plants and 28% from nuclear power plants.

Hydroelectric power stations are located in cascades on mountain rivers. Japan ranks 5th in the world in terms of hydroelectric power generation. In resource-poor Japan, alternative energy sources are being actively developed.

Ferrous metallurgy. The country ranks first in the world in terms of steel production. Japan's share in the global ferrous metallurgy market is 23%.

The largest centers, now operating almost entirely on imported raw materials and fuel, are located near Osaka, Tokyo, and Fuji.

Non-ferrous metallurgy. Due to the harmful impact on the environment, primary smelting of non-ferrous metals is being reduced, but factories are located in all major industrial centers.

Mechanical engineering. Provides 40% of industrial production. The main sub-sectors among the many developed in Japan are electronics and electrical engineering, radio industry and transport engineering.

Japan firmly ranks first in the world in shipbuilding, specializing in the construction of large-tonnage tankers and dry cargo ships. The main centers of shipbuilding and ship repair are located in largest ports(Yokogana, Nagosaki, Kobe).

In terms of car production (13 million units per year), Japan also ranks first in the world. The main centers are Toyota, Yokohama, Hiroshima.

The main general engineering enterprises are located within the Pacific industrial belt - complex machine tool building and industrial robots in the Tokyo region, metal-intensive equipment in the Osaka region, machine tool manufacturing in the Nagai region.

The country's share in the world output of the radio-electronic and electrical engineering industries is exceptionally large.

By level of development chemical Japan's industry ranks among the first in the world.

Japan also has developed pulp and paper, light and food industries.

Agriculture Japan remains an important industry, contributing about 2% of GNP; The industry employs 6.5% of the population. Agricultural production is focused on food production (the country provides 70% of its needs for food itself).

13% of the territory is cultivated; in the structure of crop production (providing 70% of agricultural products), the leading role is played by the cultivation of rice and vegetables, and horticulture is developed. Livestock farming (cattle breeding, pig farming, poultry farming) is developing intensively.

Due to its exceptional location, there is an abundance of fish and seafood in the Japanese diet; the country fishes in all areas of the World Ocean, has more than three thousand fishing ports and has the largest fishing fleet (over 400 thousand vessels).

Transport Japan

All types of transport are developed in Japan with the exception of river and pipeline transport. In terms of cargo transportation volume, the first place belongs to road transport(60%), second place - to the sea. Role railway transport is declining, while air travel is growing. Due to very active foreign economic relations, Japan has the largest merchant fleet in the world.

The territorial structure of the economy is characterized by a combination of two different parts: the Pacific belt, which is the socio-economic core of the country, because there are major industrial areas, ports, transportation routes and developed agriculture, and a peripheral zone that includes areas where logging, livestock farming, mining, hydropower and tourism are most developed. Despite the implementation of regional policy, the smoothing out of territorial imbalances is proceeding rather slowly.

Foreign economic relations of Japan

Japan actively participates in the MGRT, foreign trade occupies a leading place, and the export of capital, production, scientific, technical and other ties are also developed.

Japan's share in world imports is about 1/10. Mainly raw materials and fuel are imported.

The country's share in world exports is also more than 1/10. Industrial goods account for 98% of exports.