Travelling Club - Japan

Fact Sheet: 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
• Area: total: 377,835 sq km
• Climate: varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
• Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous
• Natural hazards: many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
• Population: 127,463,611 (July 2006 est.)
• Ethnic groups: Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
• Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
• Languages: Japanese
• Government type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
• Capital: name: Tokyo
• Currency code: yen (JPY)
• Exchange rates: yen per US dollar - 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001)
• Internet country code: .jp
• Airports: 175 (2006)