nami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29,751 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

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

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: Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: 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; 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,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location in northeast Asia

Japan People

Population: 126,771,662 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.64% (male 9,510,296; female 9,043,074)

15-64 years: 67.83% (male 43,202,513; female 42,790,187)

65 years and over: 17.53% (male 9,351,340; female 12,874,252) (2001
est.)

Population growth rate: 0.17% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 10.04 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.05 male(