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GEOGRAPHY
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Related
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Japan
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Partners
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Location:
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Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and
the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula |
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Geographic
Coordinates:
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36 00 N, 138 00 E |
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Map
References:
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Asia
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Area:
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total:
377,835 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km
water: 3,091 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto),
and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto) |
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Area
- Comparative:
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slightly
smaller than California |
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Land
Boundaries:
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0
km |
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Coastline:
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29,751
km |
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Maritime
Claims:
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exclusive
economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international
straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait |
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Climate:
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varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly
rugged and mountainous |
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Land
Use:
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arable
land: 11%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 67%
other: 19% (1993 est.) |
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Irrigated
Land :
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27,820
sq km (1993 est.) |
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Natural
Hazards:
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many
dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences
(mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis |
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Environment
- Current Issues:
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air
pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification
of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening
aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and
tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources
in Asia and elsewhere |
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Geography
- Notes:
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strategic
location in northeast Asia |
