Location: | Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula |
| Geographic coordinates: | 36 00 N, 138 00 E |
| Map references: | Asia |
| Area: | total: 377,835 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
water: 3,091 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than California |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 29,751 km |
| Maritime claims: | 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
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north |
| Terrain: | mostly rugged and mountainous |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m |
| Natural resources: | negligible mineral resources, fish |
| Land use: | arable land: 12.19%
permanent crops: 0.96%
other: 86.85% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 26,790 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons |
| 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 is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling |
| Geography - note: | strategic location in northeast Asia
Source: CIA World Factbook
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