Ibaraki Prefecture - Ibaraki

Japanese: 茨城[県] - いばらき

A prefecture in the northeastern part of the Kanto region, facing the Pacific Ocean. The prefectural capital is Mito City. Area is 6,097.06 ^km2 . Population 2,969,770 (2010). [History] In the Middle Ages, the area covered the entire Hitachi Province and the northwestern part of Shimousa Province. In the Middle Ages, powerful clans such as the Satake clan ruled over various parts of the prefecture. After the Tokugawa clan conquered the area, most of the northern Satake territory became the territory of the Mito Domain, while the rest was divided into more than 10 domains, Tenryo Domain, and Hatamoto Domain. From 1869 to 1871, the old domains were unified into 18 prefectures, which were then merged into the three prefectures of Niiharu, Ibaraki, and Inba, and in 1875 the current prefectural borders were almost finalized. [Nature] The northern part of the prefecture belongs to the Abukuma Plateau, and the northwest to west areas belong to the Yamizo Mountains. The rest of the prefecture is the Hitachi Plateau and alluvial lowlands of the Kanto Plain. The Kinugawa River and the Kogai River flow south in the lowlands and empty into the Tone River, which flows east along the southern border. The eastern part of the prefecture is home to Lake Kasumigaura and Lake Kitaura, which create a water town landscape. The Pacific coast is slightly curved from Cape Oarai northwards, with rocky coastlines and sea cliffs, but the southern part is a monotonous sandy coast. The climate is Kanto-Everpan type, and is significantly affected by seasonal winds. In winter, the southern part and the coast are relatively hot. [Industry] The population ratio by industry is 7.4% in the first period, 30.3% in the second period, and 60.8% in the third period (2005), and the prefecture is more dependent on agriculture than other prefectures in the Kanto region. In addition to the cultivation of rice, wheat, sweet potatoes, and leaf tobacco, the cultivation of various vegetables to supply the metropolitan area and dairy farming are also widespread. The chestnut harvest was 5,010 tons (2003), the largest in the country. Sashima region tea (Sarushima tea) is also famous. The fishing industry is booming in the ports of Nakaminato (Hitachinaka City), Hitachi, and Hasaki, where two rivers meet, and Nakaminato outer port is also a base for deep-sea fishing. Smelt fishing in Lake Kasumigaura has declined due to severe water pollution. Mining has been discontinued at both the Joban coalfield and Hitachi copper mine. Industrial areas have developed significantly, including the Hitachi area, which is centered on electrical and industrial machinery manufacturing, the Katsuta and Mito areas of Hitachinaka City, which are home to chemical industries, the Tokai Village Nuclear Power Center, and the Kashima Coastal Industrial Area. The prefecture's manufacturing value was 10,721 billion yen (2003). Yuki tsumugi silk is a famous traditional industry. Two districts, Tsuchiura/Ami and Koga/Sowaka, are designated as satellite cities of the metropolitan area, and in the south of the prefecture, Tsukuba Science City was built at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba, and development is thriving, with commuter towns being promoted. Many tourists visit Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park, Izura Beach and Toyoura Beach in the north, the Okukuji Valley centered around Fukuroda, and Kairakuen. [Transportation] The Joban Line, Joban Expressway, and National Route 6 are the backbones of the prefecture, and the Suigun Line, Mito Line, Kanto Railway, Kashima Rinkai Railway, and other lines run through the area, and there is also a well-developed bus network. In March 2010, Ibaraki Airport was completed in Omitama City. In March 2011, the Tohoku Pacific Ocean Earthquake (Great East Japan Earthquake) occurred, causing severe damage in various parts of the prefecture, especially on the Pacific coast, due to violent shaking and huge tsunamis.
→ Related topics Kanto region

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

関東地方北東部，太平洋に面する県。県庁所在地は水戸市。6097.06km²。296万9770人（2010）。〔沿革〕　かつての常陸(ひたち)国全域と下総(しもうさ)国北西部に当たり，中世各地に佐竹氏などの豪族が割拠，徳川氏による制圧後北部の佐竹領はほぼ水戸藩領となり，他は10余藩，天領，旗本知行地に分治された。1869年―1871年旧藩がそのまま18の県となり，さらに新治・茨城・印旛(いんば)３県に統合，1875年ほぼ現県境が確定。〔自然〕　北部は阿武隈高地，北西から西部にかけては八溝山地に属するが，他は関東平野の常陸台地と沖積低地で，低地には鬼怒川，小貝川が南流して南境を東流する利根川に注ぐ。東部には霞ヶ浦と北浦があり，水郷景観を呈する。太平洋岸は大洗岬から北は岩石海岸や海食崖が見られやや屈曲するが，南は単調な砂浜海岸である。気候は関東・常磐型で，季節風に著しく影響される。冬季は南部と海岸が比較的高温である。〔産業〕　産業別人口比は第１次7.4％，第２次30.3％，第３次60.8％（2005）で，関東地方の他県に比べ，農業への依存度が高い。米，麦，サツマイモ，葉タバコの栽培に加え，首都圏に供給する各種の野菜の栽培，酪農も普及している。クリの収穫量は5010t（2003）で全国一を占めている。猿島(さしま)地方の茶（猿島茶）も有名。漁業は那珂湊（ひたちなか市），日立，波崎の各港が寒暖二流が合する沖合漁業で活況を呈し，那珂湊外港は遠洋漁業基地でもある。霞ヶ浦のワカサギ漁は水質汚濁が激しく衰退した。鉱業は常磐炭田，日立銅山ともそれぞれ閉山，終掘となった。工業地域は電機・産業機械製造中心の日立地区をはじめ，化学工業のひたちなか市勝田・水戸地区，東海村原子力センター，鹿島臨海工業地域など発展が著しい。県の製造品出荷額は10兆721億円（2003）を上げている。伝統工業としては結城紬(ゆうきつむぎ)が有名。土浦・阿見，古河・総和の２地区は首都圏衛星都市に指定され，県南では筑波山麓に筑波研究学園都市が建設され，ベッドタウン化が進められるなど開発が盛んである。水郷筑波国定公園，北部の五浦(いずら)海岸と豊浦海岸，袋田を中心とする奥久慈の渓谷，偕楽園などへの観光客が多い。〔交通〕　常磐線と常磐自動車道，国道６号線が根幹をなし，水郡線，水戸線，関東鉄道，鹿島臨海鉄道などが通じ，バス網も発達する。2010年３月，小美玉(おみたま)市に茨城空港が完成。　2011年３月，東北地方太平洋沖地震（東日本大震災）が発生，太平洋側を中心に県内各地で激しい揺れと巨大な津波により甚大な被害が出る。
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