The Human Geography Of Japan McLaughlin
The Human Geography of Japan
By
Kieran McLaughlin, M.S. Ed.
Physical Geography
Land area – 145,882 square miles, smaller than Montana
Four Main Islands: Hokkaido, Honshu,
Kyushu, and Shikoku
Japan is mostly mountainous and the cities are located on the coast
Mount Fuji is the highest point – elevation 12,388 ft.
Mild earthquakes are common and severe earthquakes occur every few years The Japanese experience all four seasons. The Location of Tokyo - 35 40 N 139
45 E
•
Located at the same latitude as
Milwaukee
Northern Japan has very cold winters and the climate of southern Japan is more tropical
Image: http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Political-Science/17-486 Spring-2008/BC1BA251-9F76-442A-99D8-B473885195F5/0/chp_j apan.jpg Historical Geography
Known as the land of the rising sun Has a line of Emperors to the present From 12th to late 19th Century
Shoguns had control
Shoguns expelled all foreigners in
17th century, opted for strict isolation In 1853, US Naval Officer Perry sailed into Tokyo and demanded a
Treaty
Became a regional power through victories against Chine (1895) and
Russia (1905)
After WWII US occupied Japan from 1945-1952
Image ( https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/f lags/large/ja-lgflag.gif
Historical Geography Cont…
Japan adopted a new
US influenced constitution • Renouncing war, granting basic human rights, and declaring
Japan a democracy
The US and Japan still maintain close political and military ties Population Geography
(Japan compared to the USA)
Population: 127,288,416
(rank=10)
Human Dev. Index rank: 8 of 177 countries
Real GDP per capita:
$31,267
Adult literacy rate: 99%
(male); 99% (female)
Life expectancy: 79 (male);
86 (female)
Infant mortality rate: 3 per
1,000 births
Population: 303,824,640
(rank=3)
Human Dev. Index rank: 12 of 177 countries
Real GDP per capita:
$41,890
Adult literacy rate: 99%
(male);
By
Kieran McLaughlin, M.S. Ed.
Physical Geography
Land area – 145,882 square miles, smaller than Montana
Four Main Islands: Hokkaido, Honshu,
Kyushu, and Shikoku
Japan is mostly mountainous and the cities are located on the coast
Mount Fuji is the highest point – elevation 12,388 ft.
Mild earthquakes are common and severe earthquakes occur every few years The Japanese experience all four seasons. The Location of Tokyo - 35 40 N 139
45 E
•
Located at the same latitude as
Milwaukee
Northern Japan has very cold winters and the climate of southern Japan is more tropical
Image: http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Political-Science/17-486 Spring-2008/BC1BA251-9F76-442A-99D8-B473885195F5/0/chp_j apan.jpg Historical Geography
Known as the land of the rising sun Has a line of Emperors to the present From 12th to late 19th Century
Shoguns had control
Shoguns expelled all foreigners in
17th century, opted for strict isolation In 1853, US Naval Officer Perry sailed into Tokyo and demanded a
Treaty
Became a regional power through victories against Chine (1895) and
Russia (1905)
After WWII US occupied Japan from 1945-1952
Image ( https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/f lags/large/ja-lgflag.gif
Historical Geography Cont…
Japan adopted a new
US influenced constitution • Renouncing war, granting basic human rights, and declaring
Japan a democracy
The US and Japan still maintain close political and military ties Population Geography
(Japan compared to the USA)
Population: 127,288,416
(rank=10)
Human Dev. Index rank: 8 of 177 countries
Real GDP per capita:
$31,267
Adult literacy rate: 99%
(male); 99% (female)
Life expectancy: 79 (male);
86 (female)
Infant mortality rate: 3 per
1,000 births
Population: 303,824,640
(rank=3)
Human Dev. Index rank: 12 of 177 countries
Real GDP per capita:
$41,890
Adult literacy rate: 99%
(male);