Okinawa Island

Japanese: 沖縄島 - おきなわじま

An island in the center of the Nansei Islands. It is the main island of the Okinawa Islands and is also called Okinawa Main Island. It has an area of 1207.87 ^km2 . It is the largest island in Okinawa Prefecture, and more than 80% of the prefecture's total population lives there. It is roughly divided into Kunigami (northern part), Nakagami (central part), and Shimajiri (southern part). Kunigami region accounts for about two-thirds of the island, and is mountainous with Nishime-dake (420m), Yonaha-dake (503m), and Onna-dake (363m) forming a mountainous backbone approaching the coast, and coastal terraces have developed. It has wide forests and terraced fields, a well-developed fringing reef, and excellent scenery. Yonaha-dake is the highest peak on Okinawa Island, and the Yonaha-dake Natural Protection Zone has been established around the peak. The northernmost Yanbaru region belongs to Yanbaru National Park, and in 2021 it was registered as a natural World Heritage Site along with Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Iriomote Island. The Motobu Peninsula is a mountainous landmass centered on Mt. Katsuu (452m) and Mt. Yaedake (453m), and the plateau is covered with pineapple and mandarin fields. The Bisezaki area at the tip of the peninsula was the venue for the 1975 International Ocean Expo. The west coast belongs to the Okinawa Coast Quasi-National Park and has many resort areas. The Nakagami region is a low plateau and hilly area made of Neogene strata and coral reefs, and the west side is home to a concentration of US military bases in Japan, including Kadena Air Base. Barracks, warehouses, military hospitals, and rental housing line the area. Most of the land in these areas was requisitioned for military use, and the economy tends to be highly dependent on the bases. On the other hand, the east coast has been noticeably transformed into an industrial area, such as the oil industry. The Shimajiri region is a hilly area dotted with military sites. The rest of the area, except for Naha City and its surrounding areas, is an agricultural region focused on sugar cane cultivation. The southern tip of the area was the site of the last fierce battle of World War II (→Battle of Okinawa), and is part of the Okinawa Battlefields Quasi-National Park.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

南西諸島の中部にある島。沖縄諸島の主島で沖縄本島とも呼ぶ。面積 1207.87km²。沖縄県最大の島で，県総人口の 80%以上が居住。国頭（くにがみ。北部），中頭（なかがみ。中部），島尻（南部）に大別される。国頭地方は島の約 3分の2を占め，山地が広く，西銘岳（にしめだけ。420m），与那覇岳（よなはだけ。503m），恩納岳（おんなだけ。363m）が脊梁山地をなして海岸に迫り，海岸段丘が発達する。森林，段々畑が広く，裾礁が発達し，景観に優れる。与那覇岳は沖縄島の最高峰で，山頂を中心に与那覇岳天然保護区域が設けられている。最北部のやんばる地域はやんばる国立公園に属し，2021年には奄美大島，徳之島，西表島とともに世界遺産の自然遺産に登録された。本部半島は嘉津宇岳（452m），八重岳（453m）を中心とする地塊山地で，台地一面がパイナップルやミカンの畑となっている。半島先端の備瀬崎一帯は 1975年国際海洋博覧会の会場となった。西海岸一帯は沖縄海岸国定公園に属し，保養地も多い。中頭地方は新第三紀層やサンゴ礁からなる低い台地や丘陵地域で，西側には嘉手納飛行場をはじめ在日アメリカ軍の基地が集中。兵舎，倉庫，軍病院，貸住宅が立ち並ぶ。大半の土地を軍用に接収されたこれらの地域では，経済的に基地依存の傾向が強い。一方，東海岸は石油産業など工業地域への転換が目立つ。島尻地方は丘陵地帯で軍用地が散在する。那覇市とその周辺のほかはサトウキビ栽培を中心とした農村地域。南端部は第2次世界大戦最後の激戦地であり（→沖縄の戦い），沖縄戦跡国定公園に属する。

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