Countries of the East: on which continent is Japan?

Countries of the East. Japan ... It sounds fascinating. History, the beauty of nature, the isolation of the country and the courage of people can not leave indifferent even the most indifferent person. More than a thousand and a half-year history, full of feudal wars, aggressive foreign policy and strong ties with the Middle Kingdom in certain periods of development. The only empire in the world. This is a multi-faceted country. Japan - the embodiment of technological modernity and mysterious past.

Geographical position of the country

Japan - an exotic destination in tourism, nevertheless enjoys a certain demand among tourists. Therefore, the question of which continent Japan is on is not uncommon. Tourists not only want to know more about the chosen direction, but also are concerned about the increasing number of earthquakes and the danger of a tsunami.

So where on the map is Japan? Nippon (one of the ancient names of the country) is an island nation located east of the coastline of Asia and occupying the territory of the Japanese islands, Nampo and Ryukyu. The total area of the island state is 378 thousand square kilometers and consists of several thousand islands (6852) in the Pacific Ocean. Hokkaido, Kyushu, Honshu and Shikoku are the largest Japanese islands. By area, Japan is a small country and very little more than a country in Europe like Finland. And yet, despite a small territory, tourists come from all over the world, as evidenced by the frequent question of which continent Japan is on. The country of the rising sun has always amazed and will amaze people with its greatness.

Japan: the continent, the country's coastlines

As we see, Japan has no direct connection with the continent, which, however, did not prevent it from finding its place in world trade. This, by the way, is the answer to the question of which continent is Japan. Another advantage of the island situation is self-isolation, which allowed to preserve its traditions and culture. The country of Japan has a heavily-cut coastline. Proof of this is a greater length than the length of the shores of the African continent.

A huge number of natural bays and bays helped the state to create large ports, three of which are the largest in the world. This greatly helps Japan in the implementation of trade.

Relief of the country

The relief of Japan consists of plains and mountains. Plains are located along the coastline and mountain slopes. The largest plains are along the Ishikari River (Hokkaido Island), along the Tokyo Gulf the Kanto plain is located. The main part of the territory of Japan is occupied by mountains that stretch from north to south. Hokkaido is known for its mountain range of volcanic origin, which begins on the territory of the Russian Federation. The mountains of Japan in beauty are not inferior to the Alps, so they are called the Japanese Alps.

Mount Fuji, whose height reaches 3,776 meters, is the highest point of the country. There are approximately 188 volcanoes in Japan, of which 40 are active. Residents of the country adapt to life in relative danger because of the possibility of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or tsunamis. Therefore, the houses are equipped with minimal conveniences and a set of furniture. The whole design is simple and easy. The unspoken rule is the location of things in the house: there should be nothing heavy over the person's head in order to avoid getting injuries during seismic activity.

The largest cities of the Land of the Rising Sun are Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya. These cities are very popular among tourists, so it is often a question for them: "Which continent is Tokyo on?" Japan attracts a huge number of tourists annually, despite the danger of earthquakes and tsunamis.

Geological features of the country

The Pacific seismic belt is known for its constant geological activity. It is in this belt that Japan is located. Therefore, it is not surprising that about 3000 earthquakes occur in Japan every year. Often, these earthquakes are almost not felt, but there are also those that bear catastrophic destruction and can cause a tsunami, which is especially dangerous.

Tsunamis are giant waves, the height of which can reach several tens of meters. These waves are gaining huge speed near the shore, in the open ocean they reach only a few meters. The main reason for their occurrence is the seismic activity of the sea shelf. By the way, the word "tsunami", which is universally used, is Japanese.

Impact of tropical typhoons on the country

A tropical typhoon is a sea hurricane that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and is accompanied by a strong wind and precipitation. The "path" of tropical typhoons crosses Japan, which is often accompanied by severe flooding. About 10 similar typhoons pass through the country a year.

Relations with neighbors

The geographical position can not but affect the relations with the neighbors, and the isolation of Japan from the continent made everything even more complicated. One can not ignore the past of Japan. For a long time, the Land of the Rising Sun fought for leadership in the east of Asia, not disdaining and military means. The main rivals of Japan in the past were the USSR and the PRC. During the Second World War, Japan captured part of the Chinese territory and carried out severe repression against the Chinese people. The memory of those atrocities affects the current Sino-Japanese relations. After the end of the Second World War, the dispute between Japan and the Russian Federation over the South Kurile Ridge, which includes the four islands, remained unresolved. Other countries in South-East Asia are also in no hurry to establish relations with Japan.