Japan Geography

​Japan

• ​The island nation of Japan is located on the eastern edge of Asia. It is located in the northern and eastern hemispheres. Japan is an archipelago, or series of islands.

• ​Japan has 4 large islands as well as thousands of smaller islands. Only 430 of those islands are inhabited.

Multiple Choice

What type of physical feature is Japan?

• peninsula

• subcontinent

• archipelago

• island

• The Japanese have created farmland out of these mountains by building terraces, putting in irrigation channels, and using different fertilizers and farming techniques.

• Terraces are flat areas of land carved into the sides of hills and mountains by farmers so they can grow crops.

• Because Japan has so little farmland, the Japanese people depend on fishing for much of their food.

• Almost 80 percent of the country of Japan is covered
  with mountains.

• This leaves a small percentage of the land suitable for farming.

Physical Features

Multiple Choice

Why have Japanese farmers built terraces?

• to grow crops on hilly surfaces

• to escape the summer heat

• to grow crops in areas with salt water

• to have a place outside the busy cities to relax

Physical Features

• There are many volcanoes in Japan. Japan is located on the Ring of Fire, which is an area around the Pacific Ocean where there are frequent volcanic eruptions due to plate tectonic movements.

• These volcanoes are often the cause of earthquakes. Japan has more earthquakes every year than any other place in the world.

• Tsunami - a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake

Match

Match the following

• tsunami

• Ring of Fire

• archipelago

• terraces

• mountains

a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake

an area around the Pacific Ocean where there are frequent volcanic eruptions

a chain or series of islands

flat areas of land carved into the sides of hills for growing crops

80% of Japan is covered with

• a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake

• an area around the Pacific Ocean where there are frequent volcanic eruptions

• a chain or series of islands

• flat areas of land carved into the sides of hills for growing crops

• 80% of Japan is covered with

Multiple Choice

What is one result of Japan’s location on the Ring of Fire?

• high population growth

• frequent earthquakes

• difficulty farming

• mountainous terrain

People of Japan

• Because of the barriers of water and mountains, most people
  live along the coasts because fishing and trade are important.
  Also a large percentage live in urban areas.

• The population of Japan is very homogenous, which means similar. Over 98 percent of Japan’s population is Japanese.

• Almost 80 percent of the people practice Shinto, a religion that began in Japan hundreds of years ago. In addition, over 68 percent of the population practices Buddhism. Many people follow the beliefs and rituals of both Shinto and Buddhism.

Multiple Choice

Where do most people live in Japan?

• near rivers

• in the mountains

• on terraces

• along the coasts