Japan

Japan is a chain of 6,852 islands that stretch for over 3,000km along the Western Pacific Ocean. There are five main Islands; Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. The Islands are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and Japan contains 111 active volcanoes. Strong earthquakes and tsunami occur relatively frequently.

Around 74% of the land is mountainous and forested which only leaves a small coastal area of land suitable for human urbanization. As a result, the urban areas of Japan are very densely populated. The country has a long and rich culture, human habitation dates back at least as far as 30,000BC.

The large range which the Islands cover means Japan has a huge range of diverse habitats and a huge coastline. It is home to around 90,000 species of wildlife and has four UNESCO sites. Some of Japan's natural wonders include the iconic Mount Fuji, Tottori’s sand dunes, the hotsprings of Beppu, Sagano bamboo forest of Arashiyama Kyoto, the tropical beach of Kabira Bay on Ishigaki Island, the 150m crescent Shiraito Falls, the ancient Yakushima forest, Iriomote Islands subtropical mangroves, the 133m tall Nachi Falls and the unspoilt Kerama Islands with their coral reefs and sandy beaches

Capital city: Tokyo Highest Point: Mount Fuji (Fujisan, (3,776 m, 12,388 ft) Lowest Point: Lake Hachirō (4 m, 13 ft) Water Area: 204 sq mi (529 sq. km) Total Area: 145,937.06 sq mi (377,975.24 sq. km) Coastline: 18,486 miles (29,751 km) Bordering countries (3) None