Facts About Japan: The Island Nation
One of the most interesting facts about Japan is that it is a country made of thousands of islands. Also known as an archipelago, the Country of Japan consists of over 4,000 different islands. The biggest island is Honshu, and it is home to the well-known Japanese City of Tokyo.
There are 3 other large islands in Japan: Hokkaido is in northern Japan; Kyusu and Shikoku are in the south. Japan’s islands are connected by railroad tunnels, and the most populated cities come together via high-speed trains or bullet trains.
As an island country, Japan is surrounded by water. The Pacific Ocean is along the east coast of Japan, with the Philippine Sea to the southeast. The northwest coast of Japan is bordered by the Sea of Japan, which separates the country from South Korea, North Korea and Russia.
Besides being a country of islands, Japan is also a country of mountains. Nearly 75 percent of the Country of Japan is covered by mountains, so most of Japan’s cities lie along coastlines. Because of its mountainous make up, less than 20 percent of Japan’s land mass is fit for human habitation. That means the populated areas of Japan are extremely crowded. There are more than 127 million people living in Japan, which is astounding when you consider the small amount of livable space the country offers.
Tokyo is Japan’s capital city, and it is the most populace urban area on the planet with an estimated population that could soon hit 40 million people. Japan has a democratic government known as a constitutional monarchy, and it is second only to the United States when it comes to the economy. The official currency of Japan is the yen.
Historical Facts About Japan
During World War II, Japan bombed the United States at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The United States joined the second World War as a direct result of this attack. On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the first ever nuclear bomb on the Japanese City of Hiroshima. Three days later, on August 9, the US dropped the last ever nuclear bomb on the City of Nagasaki.
The two nuclear invasions killed close to 250,000 people. World War II officially ended less than 2 weeks later on August 15, 1945.
Fun Facts About Japan
> Almost everyone living in Japan – 99 percent of the population – is Japanese.
> In Japan it is considered rude to blow your nose in public.
> Japanese people never wear shoes inside their home. Instead, they wear slippers.
> Watermelons in Japan are grown square, not round, and they cost about 10,000 yen (that’s more than $80!).
> Japanese diners use chopsticks to eat everything, even soup.