| Geography and Climate |
Japan is located in Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula. Area comparatively slightly smaller than California.
Climatein Japan varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north. Terrain consists mostly of rugged and mountainous. Elevation extreme has the lowest point in Hachiro-gata -4 m and
highest point in Fujiyama 3,776 m. Natural resources are negligible mineral resources, fish.
Land use: arable land: 11%, permanent crops: 1%, permanent pastures: 2%, forests and woodland: 67% other: 19% (1993 est.). Irrigated land: 27,820 sq km (1993 est.). Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis.
Environment—current issues: air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan's appetite for fish and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere
Geography—note: strategic location in northeast Asia.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |