evelopment plans by Turkey
for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Japan

Introduction

Japan

Background: While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly
absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered
to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch
ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of
national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians,
bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major
slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.

Geography Japan

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: contiguous zone: 24 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
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:
Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 12% permanent crops: 1% other: 87% (1998 est.)

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: