Facts About Japan

Flag  

LAND
Location:  135 degrees east longitude, and stretches from the tropic of Cancer in the south and to 45 degrees north latitude in the north.
70% of Japan's land are mountains
Area: 377,801 sq. km (145,870 sq. mi).
Capital and largest city: Tokyo (1991 est. pop., 8,154,404).

Elevations: Highest:  Mount Fuji, 3,776 m (12,388 ft);
                 Lowest: sea level, along the coast.
 

PEOPLE
Population (1993 est.): 124,800,000; density: 330 persons per sq. km (856 per sq. mi).
Distribution (1992): 77% urban, 23% rural.
Annual growth (1992): 0.4%.
Official language: Japanese/Nihongo
Major religions: Buddhism, Shinto.

EDUCATION AND HEALTH
Literacy (1998): virtually 100% of adult population.
Universities (1998 est.): 500.
Hospital beds (1990): 1,677,000.
Physicians (1990): 210,197.
Life expectancy (1997): women--82; men--77.
Infant mortality (1996): 10 per 1,000 live births.

ECONOMY
GDP (1991): $2.37 trillion; $19,107 per capita.
Labor distribution (1992): commerce and services--54%; manufacturing--25%; construction--9%; agriculture and fishing--7%; government and public services--3%.
Foreign trade (1992 est.): imports--$231 billion; exports--$337 billion; principal trade
Partners:  United States, China, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan.
Currency: yen.

GOVERNMENT
Type: constitutional monarchy.
Government leaders (1994): Akihito--emperor; Hosokawa Morihiro--prime minister.
Legislature: Diet.
Political subdivisions: 47 prefectures.

COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads (1991): 38,125 km (23,690 mi).
Roads (1991): 1,115,000 km (693,207 mi) total.
Major ports: 18.