Part 372

Description: white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center

Geography ---------

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 area: 377,835 sq km land area: 374,744 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than California note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okinotori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 29,751 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm; 3 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait

International disputes: islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks disputed with South Korea; Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands) claimed by China and Taiwan

Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 67% other: 18%

Irrigated land: 28,680 sq km (1989)

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's appetite for fish and tropical timber is contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: strategic location in northeast Asia

People ------

Population: 125,449,703 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 10,121,414; female 9,644,243) 15-64 years: 69% (male 43,624,464; female 43,359,249) 65 years and over: 15% (male 7,737,781; female 10,962,552) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.21% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 10.19 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7.71 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.55 years male: 76.57 years female: 82.68 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1996 est.)