Geography of 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
Geographical Area
Land
374,744 Sq Km.
Water
3,091 Sq Km.
Land Boundary
Unknown
Border Countries
Length of Coastline
29,751 Km.
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%
Permanent Crops
1%
Other
87%
Irrigated Land
25,920 Sq Km.
Natural Hazards
Many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons.
Environmental Issues
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.
