Economic and geographical characteristics of Japan, like any other country in the world, primarily depends on its geographical location. This Asian state, consisting of 6,852 islands in the Pacific Ocean, covers an area of ​​only 378 thousand square kilometers. And, according to this territorial indicator, it is located exactly between Zimbabwe and Germany. The four islands of Hokkaido and Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu are the largest islands of the Japanese archipelago, stretched along eastern shore Eurasia, therefore, it is here that events flare up that determine the leading positions occupied by Japan in the global economy.

The impressive economic and geographical characteristics of Japan are determined by its economic situation. This Island state has no land neighbors, which until 1945 more or less reliably protected it from colonialists and expansion of neighboring states. The closest maritime neighbors are Russia, separated from the patrimony of Emperor Akihito by the La Perouse Strait, and South Korea, separated by the Korea Strait of the same name. A little further away are North Korea and China, but they also have the privilege of experiencing Japan's leadership position in the world economy. Considering that the country has long been on the outskirts of global transport routes, it itself had to become the largest point for receiving raw materials and sending finished products to many countries around the world.

The country's political position corresponds to Japan's role in the world economy. The state is a key member of the G8, the UN, ASEAN and the East Asia Summit, organizations that determine the development of the planet's economy and humanity for many decades to come. But the country has a number of unresolved territorial issues with Russia over the southern Kuril Islands, with Taiwan over the Senkaku Islands, with the Republic of Korea over the Liancourt Islands, and with China over the Yudao Island.

The economic and geographical position of Japan is advantageous in that it is an island power. This means it has one of the longest coastlines in the world, suitable for use for a variety of commercial, recreational and construction purposes. Disadvantages of accommodation Nippon(this is ancient name of this country), we can consider unresolved territorial problems and some isolation in the east of Eurasia from the world community.

Natural resource base

Detailed economic and geographical characteristics of Japan cannot do without analyzing its extremely poor and unfavorable natural resource potential. The peculiarity of this power is that Japan has taken a leading position in the world economy not thanks to mineral and natural resources, but due to their absence. Judge for yourself: the terrain is unsuitable for the construction and development of land transport systems. Because the plains occupy only 21% of the entire territory of Nippon, and the mountains, respectively, 79%. Among them there are about 150 pieces - these are the tops active volcanoes, including the national symbol - Mount Fuji. Due to the peculiarities of the formation of the Japanese islands within the boundaries of the Pacific volcanic ring, 1,500 earthquakes of varying strength are recorded here over the course of one year. In a major key, we can talk about the climate - temperate and subtropical, maritime, relatively favorable for agriculture. The soils are different - brown forest soils, yellow soils, red soils, but in general they are poor and unproductive.

Anyone who studies the economic and geographical characteristics of Japan is surprised how it was possible to achieve such success in development with such a meager amount of mineral resources. The country has only non-industrial reserves of coal and copper, iron ore and natural gas.

Therefore, the state that first meets the sun is forced to import 99% of all its ores, 96% of all combustible minerals and 70% of its timber. This focus on imported raw materials makes Japan the largest consumer of foreign natural and mineral potential in the world economy.

Population

The basis of the positive economic and geographical characteristics of Japan is its population. The state is home to about 127 million people who belong to the first type of population reproduction. This means that the country is dominated by middle-aged and older people. A very low birth rate is recorded among the Japanese. Therefore, it is natural that the percentage of natural growth here is very low - by only 2 people for every thousand, the population of Japan increases over the course of one year.

The country is predominantly one-ethnic. The Japanese, the heirs of the Ainu, occupy 99% of all its inhabitants in the country and are very reluctant to let strangers and migrants into their society. In addition, there are 127 million Buddhists in the country, and the same number of Shintoists. This is due to the fact that all Japanese profess two religions at the same time. About 80% of the country's residents live in cities. Of these, 11 are millionaire cities. For example, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Yokohama, Osaka and Kyoto.

Japan is known throughout the world for the efficiency and high qualifications of its workforce. The education that citizens receive is considered as another investment and very profitable sector of the economy. After all, money invested in children is returned in good taxes from the salaries of highly qualified workers.

National economy

general characteristics

The country, occupying only 0.3% of the entire earth's landmass, produces a phenomenal amount of high-quality gross product for the whole world. According to this indicator, the eastern state is ahead only of the United States. This is precisely the most striking feature of the economic and geographical characteristics of Japan. Japan is a real leader in the world economy in terms of GDP per capita - $24,400. Fourty recent years In the 20th century, this Asian empire had the highest economic growth rate of 9.8% per year. And only in recent years has she slightly moderated her agility in this matter. The reasons for this economic and geographical characteristics of Japan were the purposeful policies of the state in the 50s of the last century. The traditional, patriarchal, agrarian empire began to actively develop industry, buying the most Hi-tech and equipment. Not the least role in this global change in the country was played by the professionalism and obedience of the workforce - the descendants of the samurai.

Industry

Today, the pride of Japan's economic and geographical characteristics is its industrial complex. The powerful energy sector runs on imported oil and gas from the Persian Gulf countries and Indonesia, providing the entire complex with energy. In terms of its production volumes, Japan confidently ranks first in the world economy. The second main industry, after energy, is metallurgy. From predominantly imported raw materials imported from Australia, the Nippon state produces rolled products, pipes of various diameters, special steel, rolled copper, aluminum and alloyed zinc and lead alloys.

Mechanical engineering, especially transport, electrical engineering, machine tool and instrument making, is being developed on its own metallurgical base. Japan ranks first in the world economy in ship production. They are followed by the production of export-oriented motorcycles, cars and trucks. Industrial robots, office equipment, optical equipment are other areas of specialization Japan in the global economy.

In addition, the country of cherry blossoms and stone gardens ranks second after the United States in the production of synthetic resins, dyes, plastics, acids and medicines - products of the chemical industry.

Light industry traditionally develops - the production of silk, wool and cotton fabrics. In the 20th century, they were supplemented by the production of synthetic and high-tech fabrics.

Agriculture

Agriculture plays an insignificant role in the economic and geographical characteristics of Japan, so the country is forced to import such products. One hundred percent, the ancestors of the Ainu provide themselves only with rice, but they are forced to import tea, vegetables, fruits, and sugar from the nearest mainland. In terms of the number of profits and people employed in the industry, the plant industry still leads over livestock farming. The latter is distinguished by its focus on fish farming and catching fish, the volume and level of consumption of which Japan does not yet have competitors in the world economy.

Transport

Transport is another pride of the economic and geographical characteristics of Japan. This country has the largest fleet in terms of tonnage on the planet, if we ignore the ships that sail under flags and “fake registration” to the ports of Liberia and Panama. It is maritime transport that carries out the lion's share of the country's import and export operations. In the center of the country, transportation by senkansen is common - high-speed trains and cars.

Foreign economic relations

Japan is forced to import fuel and all metal ores, food and animal feed.

However, the amount spent on imports is hundreds of times less than what Nippon receives from its exports. Japan sells cars, ships, office and household appliances, machine tools and many other high-tech products around the world.

Japan is also introducing high tech and invests capital in the industrial sector neighboring countries- Asian tigers. Therefore, Japan has a positive trade balance and the image of one of the most economically developed countries peace.

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Posted on http://www.allbest.ru/

Abstract on economic and social geography of the world on the topic:

Completed by a student of grade 10-11 “e”

secondary school 1287

with in-depth study of English

Prikhodko Maya

Moscow, 2003

Introduction

Territory, geographical location

Nature and environmental management

Population and culture

Agriculture

Farm

Industry

Problems of the country

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Japan - "country rising sun" The name of the country - Japan - is conveyed by two hieroglyphs. The first of these signs means “sun”, the second means “root, basis”, hence the allegorical name of Japan “the land of the rising sun”.

Japan is an island state, stretching in a long arc for 3400 km from north to south along the eastern part of the Asian mainland. It occupies four large islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku) and about 900 big islands with a total area of ​​372.6 thousand square meters. km. In the north it is washed by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, in the east by the Pacific Ocean, in the south by the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea, in the west by the Korea Strait and the Sea of ​​Japan.

The population of Japan is 124.1 million people (1992); 99.4% are Japanese, the rest of the population are Koreans, Chinese, Americans, Ainu (descendants of the ancient population of the country), etc. The official language is Japanese.

The main religions are Shintoism and Buddhism.

The monetary unit is yen = 100 sen.

Japan has diplomatic relations with Russian Federation(installed from the USSR on January 20, 1925, interrupted on August 9, 1945, restored on October 19, 1956).

Japan is a constitutional monarchy. According to the law in force since 1947. Constitution, the emperor is “a symbol of the state and the unity of the people,” his status is determined by the will of the entire people, to whom sovereign power belongs.

The highest body of state power and the only legislative body is the parliament, consisting of two chambers: the House of Representatives (512 deputies) and the House of Councilors (252 deputies). The term of office of deputies of the House of Representatives is 4 years, the House of Councilors is 6 years (with re-election of half of the members every three years).

Executive power is exercised by the cabinet of ministers headed by the prime minister.

Terry thorium, geographical location

Japan is a state in East Asia, located on four large islands x: Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu and Hokkaido, the Ryukyu Islands and more than a thousand small islands. In the north it is washed by the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, in the east by the Pacific Ocean, in the south by the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea, in the west by the Korea Strait and the Sea of ​​Japan.

Japan's EGP is determined primarily by the fact that the arc of islands on which it is located stretches for 3.5 thousand km at the junction of the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean and is located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region. This opens up very great opportunities for the country's participation in the international geographical division of labor.

The highest point in Japan is Mount Fuji (3776 m).

Borders: in the north - with Russia (Sakhalin Island, Kuril Islands), in the south - with the Philippines, in the west and northwest - with China and South Korea. All borders are maritime.

The country's area is 377,688 square kilometers, which is one twenty-fifth the area of ​​the United States, one twentieth the area of ​​Australia, but one and a half times larger than Great Britain.

One of the lower mountain ranges of the island is called the Japanese Alps due to its scenic beauty. In the far south of the island lies another mountain range. There is Mount Kita (3192 m) - the highest point in the region. The islands of Kyushu and Shikoku also have small mountain ranges, however, their height does not exceed 1982 m (Mount Isitsuki on the island of Shikoku).

On Japanese islands There are about 188 volcanoes, more than 40 of which are active. In areas of volcanoes a large number of hot springs.

The longest river in Japan is the Shinano, on the island of Honshu (367 km), other major rivers in Honshu include the Tone, Kitakami, Tenri and Mogami; in Hokkaido - Ishikari, Teshio, Tokachi; to Shikoku - Yoshino.

Most Japanese lakes are mountainous and are usually located nearby popular resorts. The most big lake Japan - Biwa (672 square kilometers) - located on the island of Honshu.

Japan has 47 prefectures and more than 3,000 municipal governments. Each region of Japan has its own history and culture. Tokyo, as the capital, contains a quarter of Japan's population: about 30 million people live within a 50-kilometer radius of Tokyo. In Japan, the problem of overpopulation in cities and depopulation in villages is very acute. To revive rural areas, attempts were made to create technopolises.

Historical and geographical stages of development

The Japanese archipelago took its current shape 10,000 years ago. The next 8,000 years lasted the Yomon era, when primitive hunter-gatherers lived. They eventually formed one tribe. Rice cultivation came from Eurasia in 300 BC during the Yayoi period. Japanese nationality is believed to have developed during the Yamato period around the third century AD. According to legend, the Japanese Empire arose in 660 BC, when the first Japanese emperor Jimmu ascended the throne. During the first millennium (from 660 BC), Japan developed under the influence of Korea and China, which had a higher level of civilization. In 604, Prince Shotoku adopted the first Constitution.

In the 7th century, Buddhism came from Korea to Japan, which later became the state religion of the country.

At the beginning of the eighth century (Nara period), Nara became the first capital, followed by Kyoto.

From the 12th to the 19th centuries, the country was ruled by the military class of samurai. Since the 12th century, a military regime was actually established in the country, and Japan was ruled by shoguns (military dictators).

In the 15th century, Japan suffered Civil War, which lasted 100 years.

In the 17th century, Tokugawa Ieyasu came to power and declared a regime of isolation for 200 years, when relations continued only with China and the Netherlands. But with the arrival of the American commander Matthew Perry in 1853, Japan begins to improve relations with America and Europe.

The reign of the shoguns continued until 1867, when the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, transferred power to Emperor Mutsuhito (Meiji).

Although the Portuguese and Dutch had trade relations with Japan as early as the 16th and 17th centuries, they were very minor, and the country remained virtually closed to foreigners until the mid-19th century, when the United States signed a treaty with Japan.

IN late XIX At the beginning of the 20th century, Japan fought several wars, as a result of which by 1910 it annexed the island of Taiwan, half of Sakhalin and Korea. After the end of the First World War, as a result of which Japan got the islands in the Pacific Ocean that belonged to Germany, the country fought several local wars with China and the Soviet Union in the 1930s.

Imperial Japan entered World War II by attacking the American military base Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. During the course of the war, Japanese troops occupied many French and British colonies and protectorates in Southeast Asia. In August 1945, after successful operations carried out by Allied forces, Japan surrendered, and on September 2, it officially signed the instrument of surrender. As a result of defeat in the war, Japan lost its colonies, lost a significant part of its national wealth, and found itself thrown back several decades. The country was occupied by American troops. At the same time, Japan had the opportunity to develop along the path of demilitarization and democratization, and culture was effectively used. The 1947 Constitution, adopted with the active influence of the Americans, proclaimed the sovereign power of the people, democratic rights and freedoms. The emperor lost his power. Japan abandoned the use of armed force as a means of resolving international disputes. The reforms laid the foundation for the subsequent rapid economic development of the country.

The unfolding Cold War, as well as the Korean War of 1950 - 1953. for decades to come they influenced the formation of Japan's foreign policy and its activities in the international arena. Simultaneously with the agreement signed in September 1951. The San Francisco Peace Treaty concluded the Japanese-American Security Guarantee Treaty, according to which the United States received the right to maintain its armed forces on Japanese territory and create military bases.

In 1960 The United States and Japan entered into a new agreement on mutual cooperation and security guarantees, which since 1970. automatically renews.

The alliance with the United States continues to be the core of Japan's foreign policy. At the same time, Japan maintains active ties with Western Europe and is establishing coordination in developing a common strategy for the West. Japan's participation in the annual meetings of the leaders of the seven leading developed countries of the world is becoming increasingly significant.

Major Periods in Japanese History
Paleolithic	to 8,000 BC
	8,000 BC - 300 BC
	300 BC - 300 AD
	300 AD - 593
Kamakura
Muromachi
Azuchi-Momoyama
	1989 - to present day

Nature and environmental management

About 70% of the country's surface is occupied by not very high mountain slopes, but inaccessible for human development due to their steepness and strong dissection. They form part of a volcanic chain that runs along the edges of the Pacific Ocean, and many of them are active or extinct volcanoes (of Japan's 196 volcanoes, 30 are active). The highest mountain and symbol of Japan is Fuji, or Fuji (3776m), located on the island of Honshu, belongs to extinct volcanoes(the last eruption was in 1707). Its truncated cone rises 90 km from Tokyo, from where it can be seen in clear weather. The top of Fuji is covered with snow 10 months a year.

Plains and lowlands account for 30% of the country's territory. They sometimes stretch along the sea coast, sometimes wedged between the mountains. The most significant among them - the Kanto Plain - is located in the east of the island of Honshu.

There are about 1.5 thousand earthquakes annually on the Japanese islands. Most are weak, accompanied by barely perceptible tremors and minor damage to various structures. But sometimes very strong earthquakes occur, and in coastal areas, giant sea waves generated by them - tsunamis - arise.

The consequences of such disasters are sometimes dire. Thus, during the 1923 earthquake in Tokyo, more than 140 thousand people died and over 500 thousand buildings were destroyed.

The climate is mainly subtropical monsoon. In winter, winds blow from the northwest, from the mainland, and in summer from the southeast, from the Pacific Ocean. Winter monsoons bring snow, which falls abundantly in the center, north, and northwest of the country. The mountains do not allow winds to penetrate to the east and south of the country, so dry and sunny weather reigns there in winter. In summer, with the monsoons come rains and typhoons - hurricane winds that sweep away everything in their path. The islands receive large amounts of precipitation: from 1000 to 3000 mm per year.

The country has a dense network of short, deep, mostly mountain rivers (large: Shinano, Tone, Isikori). They are not suitable for shipping. Only flat areas of large rivers are accessible to shallow-draft vessels. The rivers of the Sea of ​​Japan basin are characterized by winter-spring floods, and the rivers of the Pacific Ocean basin are characterized by summer floods; There are floods, especially as a result of typhoons. The waters of many rivers are used for irrigation - there are thousands of small and large reservoirs in the country.

Due to the abundance of sunny days and moisture vegetable world Japan is very rich and diverse. 67% of the territory is occupied by forests. In the north there are coniferous (spruce and fir) temperate forests. When moving south, they are first replaced by broad-leaved forests (oak, beech, maple), then by coniferous forests of Japanese cryptomeria, cypress, pine (southern Hokkaido and northern Honshu), followed (in the south of Honshu and the north of Kyushu and Shikoku) by evergreen broad-leaved trees forests (Japanese magnolia, sawtooth oak). In the very south (southern Kyushu and Ryukyu) there are subtropical evergreen forests.

The national flowering trees of Japan are the cherry and plum, which bloom early and are loved throughout the country. In April, azaleas bloom in Japan, in May - peonies, in August - lotus, and in November the islands are decorated with blooming chrysanthemums - the national flower. Numerous flower festivals are held this month. Gladioli, several types of lilies, bells, and flowers are also common. The most common tree in Japan is Japanese cedar, reaching a height of up to 40 m; larch and several types of spruce are also often found. Subtropical plants grow in Kyushu, Shikoku and in the south of Honshu: bamboo, camphor laurel, banyan. In the central and northern parts of Honshu, deciduous trees are common: birch, walnut, willow, as well as a large number of coniferous trees. Cypress, yew, eucalyptus, myrtle, and holly are common in this area. In Hokkaido, the vegetation is very similar to Siberian: the most common are larch, several types of spruce, and in some forests there are birch, alder, and poplar.

The Japanese are also very skillful in growing dwarf trees (the so-called “bonsai”), when the pine, siwa or cherry tree does not exceed a height of 30 centimeters. In total, the flora of Japan contains over 700 species of trees and shrubs, as well as about 300 species of herbs.

Cultivable land, 13% of the country's total area, is mainly devoted to rice and some crops - from potatoes in the north to sugarcane in the south. Japan's natural conditions are generally favorable for agriculture.

The fauna of Japan, on the contrary, is not diverse, which is explained by the isolation and distance of the Japanese islands from the mainland. The country is home to the Japanese macaque, brown bear, short-legged wolf, fox, sable, weasel, mountain antelope, and a variety of birds, including many migratory and sea birds. The seas, rivers and lakes of Japan abound in fish. Japan ranks first in the world in terms of fish catch. There are more than 3 thousand fishing ports in the country. Fish and seafood occupy a very large place in the Japanese diet.

There are few minerals of practical importance - coal, copper and lead-zinc ores. Therefore, the country is forced to import 80% of the raw materials and fuel it needs.

The soil cover of Japan is very diverse: in the south, red soils and yellow soils predominate; on the island of Honshu, the slopes of local high mountains covered with developed podzolic and brown forest soils, which, with sufficient fertilization, produce high yields. The coastal plains with their fertile alluvial soils have long been developed by farmers. In the lowlands there are swampy soils.

Japan's soil resources are very limited, with more than one-third of its soils classified as poor. However, the total area of ​​cultivated land is 16% of the entire territory. Japan is one of the few countries in the world that has fully developed its land resources.

Virgin land remains only on the island of Hokkaido; on the remaining islands, the Japanese are expanding the territories of cities and suburban farms, draining swampy shores and river deltas, filling up lagoons and shallow areas of the seas; this is how, for example, the Tokyo airport was built.

Urbanization

The high level of urbanization is manifested not only in more citizens, but also that the bulk of them are concentrated in vast urban agglomerations. The strip of cities from Tokyo to Osaka became a Japanese metropolis, similar to the Atlantic metropolis in the United States. The urban type of settlement prompted a change in the very definition of a city: until recently, compact settlements with a population of at least 30,000 people were considered cities in Japan, but now settlements with 50,000 people and areas with high population density, the majority of whose residents are employed in urban activities, are called cities. activities. Small scattered (spot) cities predominate in the deep, mountainous regions of Japan.

With the agglomeration of the big three (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki), actually fused with each other, they form the Japanese metropolis of Tokaido, stretching along the southern coast of the island of Honshu for approximately 600 - 700 km. The proximity of the sea and the winding coastline create very favorable conditions for the development of maritime transport and the construction of ports. The second largest agglomeration is Hanshin, which has developed around Osaka and also includes the cities of Kobe and Kyoto; its population is approximately 15 million people. The third largest agglomeration is Tyune, covering Nagoya and its satellites with a total population of 10.2 million people.

Within Tokaido, on an area of ​​70,000 square meters. km live more than 70 million urban and rural residents, or 56% of the total population of Japan. The modern urban system of Japan, which has evolved over many centuries, consists of cities of various origins. Here are castle towns that arose around feudal castles, trade and craft towns, post towns that served postal routes, religious centers, and port cities. City centers that developed around castles or Buddhist monasteries, usually have a clear rectangular layout. Many cities are characterized by very chaotic development and the absence of a single center. This primarily applies to Tokyo.

Typically, city residents live very crowded, in small houses built from lightweight materials due to the danger of earthquakes. But in the last two decades in Tokyo and other big cities The construction of not only multi-storey buildings, but also skyscrapers began. It is very typical that many cities go underground, where not only individual retail outlets are located, but entire shopping streets. After World War I, Japan was a fairly typical rural country, with only 18% of the population living in cities.

After the Second World War, this share increased to 30..35%. Then a violent urban explosion began and in a relatively short time a short time the level of urbanization has doubled.

However, it is necessary to take into account both the levels and processes of suburbanization that have unfolded in this country, as in other economically developed countries. With a high urban rank limit, there are a total of 650 cities in the country, of which there are about 200 large cities (with a population of over 100,000 inhabitants), and 12 millionaire cities.

Population and culture

The country's population (estimated for 1995) is about 125,879,000 people (seventh largest in the world), the average density is about 334 people per square kilometer (also one of the first places in the world; for comparison, the USA - 28 people per square kilometer, and in Great Britain 238). Ethnic groups: Japanese - 99%, Koreans - 0.5%, Chinese, Ainu. Over 100 years, Japan's population has tripled. Average life expectancy (as of 1992): 77 years for men, 82 years for women. Birth rate (per 1000 people) - 10. Death rate (per 1000 people) - 7. In NP per capita: 32,640 US dollars. Language: Japanese (official), many Japanese speak English. The Japanese language is very specific and does not belong to any language group. Religion: Shintoism (a religious movement in which there are about 200 sects), Buddhism, Christianity (Protestantism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy); Almost all Japanese are Shintoists, but most Shintoists also profess Buddhism. The capital is Tokyo. Largest cities:

About 80 more cities have populations exceeding 250,000 people. Most Japanese live in congested cities located on the coastal plains. The metropolitan regions: Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, are among the most populated in the world. These cities have a subway. The islands are connected to each other by underwater tunnels, ferries and bridges.

In order to save space, the Japanese invented the so-called “capsule rooms”, which house only one sleeping area. Hotels with such rooms are much cheaper than regular ones, and they are used by businessmen who come for a short period of time on business.

Over the past decades, the nature of the natural population movement has changed dramatically. Japan became the first Asian state to move from the second to the first type of population reproduction. This “demographic revolution” happened in a very short time. It was a consequence of socio-economic transformations in Japanese society, achievements in the field of education and health care. Japan is the country with the lowest infant mortality rate in the world. State demographic policy also had a great influence.

The ratio of men to women in the Japanese population is almost equal to one. In recent years, the process of “aging” of the population, as a result of declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy, has become an acute problem in Japan. This process occurs here much faster than in other developed capitalist countries. The growth rate of the economically active population in Japan (which includes persons 15 years of age and older, engaged in public work, as well as the unemployed) decreased due to a decrease in the influx of young people into it, which in turn was associated with a decrease in the birth rate and an increase in the time required to obtain education. The unemployment rate in Japan is currently much lower than in other developed capitalist countries.

In Japan it is highest among men, mainly middle-aged and older. The aggravation of the employment problem was caused by the accelerated transformation of the production structure and the increase in the technical equipment of production. The Japanese government took a number of measures: through tax incentives, it encouraged private companies to create new jobs, retrain their workers, use part-time labor, and attract capital to areas where there was a surplus of labor.

In addition, the state allocated its own funds to ensure priority creation of enterprises in labor-abundant areas, and also assumed the costs of moving labor from areas with labor surpluses and labor shortages. In general, this government policy turned out to be very effective.

The Japanese desire for knowledge deserves special attention. There are about 50 universities in the country (more than in the entire Western Europe). The capital is home to the Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Arts and Music, theaters and libraries. From a very early age, children are instilled with curiosity and interest in nature. Firms sponsor the education of their employees' children and provide housing, vacations, and medical care for their employees. The high intensity of work, where every minute is valued, is combined with mandatory training in a group to improve the quality of the product produced, as well as with mandatory trips for all company employees to some healing thermal spring or to an area famous for its particularly beautiful landscape.

Japan has long been careful about nature. Admiring flowers has become a national tradition. Cherry blossom festival (sakura) is the most beautiful national holiday. One of the most common Japanese traditions is to recreate nature in miniature - either in the form of a very small, dwarf garden at home, or in the form of a peculiar small landscape.

The Japanese firmly adhere to traditional family rituals, observance of which is considered a necessary condition for decency and decent public behavior. Wedding ceremonies are held at Shinto shrines.

Cultural artistic and everyday traditions include: ikebana - the art of making bouquets and arranging flowers and tree branches in vases, bansai - growing dwarf trees, calligraphy - beautiful writing with a brush and ink, music, painting on paper and silk, original temple and gardening park architecture, shadow theater, tea ceremonies, women's clothing kimono, heavyweight wrestling sumo, judo, karate, chopsticks, as well as specific cuisine. The most important traditions also include the veneration of elders, marriages by agreement of parents, belief in numerous signs, the ritual of meditation, the use of various calendar systems, an abundance of official public holidays (including Children's Day, Coming of Age Day, the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, various kinds of festivals) .

Museums in Japan, with the exception of a few modern galleries in major cities, are treasuries and are located in temples and shrines. The most famous museum of this kind is the Myochoin Temple in Kyoto.

Tokyo is also home to numerous museums, including: the country's largest art museum, the National Museum; museum of calligraphy; National Museum Western art; Museum of Japanese Folk Art; Meiji Shrine Treasury Museum; national science museum.

Among the historical and architectural attractions of Japan can be noted in Tokyo - imperial palace; many Buddhist temples, the main one of which is the Rakanji Temple; Tokyo TV Tower with a height of 333 meters; zoo, in Kobe - a large number Christian churches and Buddhist temples; a magnificent art museum, in Kyoto (the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868) - more than 2,000 ancient temples and shrines; 24 museums; Nijo Castle; imperial palace; Katsura Palace; ancient imperial tombs; magnificent gardens and parks, in Nagoya - Nagoya Castle (1612): the two most important and oldest shrines of Shintoism - Atsuta and Isha.

Agriculture

Japan's agricultural specialization differs markedly from other developed countries: the share of crop production is twice as large as the share of livestock production.

Despite this, the country does not have enough of its own grain, and Japan is forced to import grain crops from its closest neighbors: China and Korea.

The Japanese organization of agriculture is known throughout the world as rather backward, this is caused by a number of reasons: the predominance of dwarf peasant farms of small-scale commercial type, limited capital investments aimed at improving land, the weakness of the agricultural technical base, and the enslaving debt of peasants. Recently, land productivity has decreased slightly.

Pasture lands make up only 1.6% of the total area, although the reason for such a small size is not the poor climate of the country. The existing small pasture plots are gradually going out of use as imports of cheap meat and dairy products increase. In cities, abandoned arable lands are overgrown with forest. These wild forests are growing more and more, because... The timber industry is losing out in competition with cheap timber imports.

The structure of agriculture has changed over the past decades, and although preference is given to the cultivation of rice - “Japanese bread”, which accounts for about 50% of cultivated land, cattle breeding, vegetable gardening, and horticulture have also developed.

Fishing is developed in Japan, it is traditional occupation Japanese. Japan ranks first in the world in terms of fish catch (12 million tons). The main part of it is provided by sea and ocean fishing, but aquaculture plays a very significant role - over 1 million tons.

Before World War II, the Japanese practically did not eat meat, so the only source of animal protein was fish and carbohydrates.

Coastal fishing is carried out by residents of coastal villages; distant - large monopolies with a technically advanced fishing fleet. Pacific Northwest - main area world fisheries, fish and seafood are produced here by Japan, China, Russia, the Republic of Korea, and some other countries.

Japan's fishing fleet numbers tens of thousands of vessels, and its fishing ports number hundreds and even thousands. Among the exotic crafts, it is necessary to note the extraction of pearls on south coast Honshu, more than 500 million pearl shells are mined here every year. Previously, shells removed from the bottom were used to search for natural pearls, which, of course, were very rare. Now they are used for artificial cultivation of pearls on special plantations. Over time, there have been trends toward depletion of national fish resources, so artificial breeding of marine animals has become widespread (in 1980, 32 species of fish, 15 species of crustaceans, and 21 species of mollusks were raised here).

Farm

In terms of industrial growth, Japan has surpassed all other countries. Such rapid economic growth of the country is explained by many reasons. Firstly, a broad update of outdated and worn-out factory equipment during the war. 2/3 of Japan's industrial equipment is made up of the latest technology. Secondly, one of the decisive factors was the brutal exploitation of the working class. Thirdly, the state assumed a significant part of the costs of reconstruction of enterprises and new construction, provided monopolies with tax benefits and broad credit.

Fourth, until recently, the country's military expenditures were small, which made it possible to increase public investment in the economy. Recently, economic development has slowed down. The contradictions of the economic system are becoming more and more apparent: unemployment persists and grows, prices for food, consumer goods, fares on railways and buses rise, higher education and medical care.

Japan has an intensive and highly commercial agriculture. The high intensity of agriculture makes it possible, with relatively small cultivated areas, to meet the country's food needs by 70%, including almost entirely in such food products as rice, vegetables, potatoes, fruits, eggs, milk and dairy products. The country produces 3/4 of all consumed meat.

Through purchases abroad, Japan meets its needs for wheat, barley, sugar, bananas, soybeans, leaf tobacco and some other feed and industrial crops.

Japan ranks first in the world in shipbuilding, automobile production, and the production of basic types of chemical products. The widespread use of industrial waste raw materials led to the growth of Japanese industry. Japan has turned into a kind of giant workshop for processing industrial raw materials and producing finished products. It cannot exist in isolation from world markets, which leaves its mark both on the main directions of economic development and on the country’s foreign policy.

The large construction industry occupied an ever-increasing place in the country's economy, its material and technical basis has noticeably strengthened. This made it possible to carry out large-scale construction of high-rise buildings on anti-seismic foundations of underwater tunnels, highways, power plants, including nuclear power plants, large ports and airfields. In Japan, relatively cheap labor was of particular importance.

Japan's economic situation was further complicated by a sharp increase in dependence on imports of foreign raw materials. The cost of importing oil has especially increased.

Modern Japan is a country of monopoly capitalism, which is characterized by the struggle for the most profitable terms activities: obtaining government laws, subsidies and all kinds of benefits.

The tonnage of the merchant fleet is 57 million registered tons (second place in the world (1991). The maritime fleet, despite its large tonnage, cannot cope with the rapidly growing foreign trade traffic, and the country has to charter foreign ships. To avoid empty voyages, Japan has designed combined ships: on specially equipped decks they carry industrial goods exported by Japan (cars), and on the return journey the hold is loaded with coal, ore or other goods. In the coastal fleet, along with modern ones, they are also preserved. sailing ships, which account for a significant amount of cargo transportation on the inland sea.

The main mode of transport is automobile. The length of roads is 1.2 million km, of which about 5,000 km are highways. (1991).

The length of railways is 30 thousand km. (1991). Most of railways belong to the state, half of them are electrified, the most important railway lines pass through the coastal lowlands, the longest in the world was built, 54 km. underwater tunnel under the Tsugar Strait; it connects the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu.

Industry

Recently, Japan has taken a course towards the preferential development of knowledge-intensive industries and the containment of energy-intensive and material-intensive industries. New industries include electronic, precision and complex instrument making, optics, production of cameras, medicines, and scientific and laboratory equipment. For quite a long time, the country's energy base was coal, water, and wood.

Fuel imports played an additional role. Thermal power plants are the basis of the Japanese electric power industry.

Japan's fuel and energy base is very limited. Its own coal resources provide no more than 1/2 of its needs; there are very few good coking coals. The amount of oil produced in a year is equivalent to that in the USA in half a day; there are few iron and manganese ores, no bauxite and many other types of mineral raw materials.

Despite the fact that 4/5 of the energy is produced from imported raw materials, the country has a highly developed energy economy. The petroleum refining and petrochemical industry has grown from oil production, with plants located in many cities in the urbanized belt of the islands of Honshu and Kyushu.

Metallurgy has undergone major changes recently and has been completely reconstructed. Instead of many outdated factories, powerful plants equipped with the latest technology have been built. Lacking its own raw material base, Japan relies on imported iron and coking coals. Malaysia and Canada have been and remain major suppliers of iron ore. The main suppliers of coal are the USA, Australia, and to a lesser extent India and Canada.

Japan ranks second in the world in the production of refined copper, after the United States.

Deposits of polymetallic ores form the basis for the development of zinc and lead production. The range of machines and mechanisms produced in Japan is diverse and includes thousands of items.

The most developed industries include the energy industry, electrical production, industrial engineering, pumping and refrigeration equipment, transport, and agricultural construction engineering.

Japan's shipbuilding industry is very diverse: the world's largest supertankers, various whaling ships, and small vessels leave the slipways of the shipyards of Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Nagasaki and many other shipbuilding centers. The automotive industry has become a rapidly developing branch of mechanical engineering.

Electronics has become one of the important industries in Japan in a very short time. The main directions in Japanese electronics are the production of special electronic devices and apparatus, radios, televisions, tape recorders, radio communication equipment, navigation devices, automatic control systems, and medical equipment. In terms of production of many types of chemical products, Japan ranks third after the United States and Germany.

Considerable attention is paid in Japan to biochemistry - the production of effective medicinal preparations, crop protection products, the production of vitamins and special acids. Chemical products are an important Japanese export; They export mineral fertilizers, inorganic chemicals, dyes, medicines, cosmetics, textiles and many other goods.

The two main branches of the textile industry - cotton and wool - rely on imported raw materials delivered mainly from the USA (cotton) from Australia and South Africa(wool).

The need for most types of mineral raw materials is met through imports: in copper - by 3/4, in iron ore by almost 9/10, in coal by 8/10. Great hopes are placed in Japan on new energy sources. There are many sources of thermal waters recorded on the Japanese islands; their energy is used to heat greenhouses and buildings.

Recently, thanks to new technologies, the use of the resources of the world's oceans has become profitable: the extraction of manganese nodules from the ocean floor, the extraction of uranium from sea ​​water etc.

Problems of the country

In the 1990s, the Japanese economy faced a number of serious problems that emerged during the economic crisis of 1993. The advantages of the Japanese organizational model began to disappear. Economic growth has long been fueled by workers and consumers. The agreement between workers and entrepreneurs was based on fairly rapid economic growth, which in turn ensured an increase in living standards. Emerging disagreements were settled with various kinds of handouts, ranging from cash in envelopes to agricultural protectionism. Therefore, a relatively equal distribution of wealth was promoted. However, in recent decades, economic growth has slowed significantly, which has weakened the ability to significantly improve the living standards of the population. The extremely sharp rise in real estate prices in the 1980s significantly divided the country into haves and have-nots.

The competitive positions of Japanese entrepreneurs have changed by international markets. The trade surplus relative to GDP decreased (2.5% in 1995). Over the past decade, wages have increased by almost a third. Labor costs have risen sharply, placing Japan second only to Germany and Switzerland in manufacturing. The price competitive advantage of Japanese products has weakened compared to many countries. Japan has not closed the gap with others Western countries in the field of social infrastructure. In particular, it is inferior to other countries in the number of apartments per thousand inhabitants (by almost a hundred; in 1988 there were 342 apartments per thousand inhabitants), as well as in the total average area of ​​apartments. Bridging this gap will require significant funds and may hinder the process of production accumulation. The demographic situation is changing unfavorably for economic growth, determined by a sharp increase in the proportion of elderly people in the population. By the end of the century, the proportion of pensioners aged 65 or over will reach 16% of the total population, compared with 13% in the US and 15% in Britain. This trend may lead to a decrease in savings and an increase in consumption.

Despite the enormous successes of Japanese companies in the development of a number of areas of microelectronics and other high-tech industries, significant dependence on American technology remains. More than half of the software used to design devices that make semiconductors and complex circuit boards is produced in America. Moreover, the relationship between supply and demand in this area is quite complex. Japan lags behind a number of countries in terms of computerization. In 1993 there were 10 computers per hundred people, in the USA - 29, Australia - 19, Canada - 18, Great Britain - 17, Germany, France - 14.

Japan has high real estate prices, especially land prices, which constrain private consumption and consequently cause a number of economic problems. They hinder the accumulation process in small and medium-sized companies, which increases their dependence on external sources of financing. At the same time, the need for people to save up to nine times the national average income for a small house has helped keep personal savings at the highest levels in the world.

Despite Due to the large number of rivers and lakes, there is a shortage of water resources in Japan. Various waters are increasingly used in Japan. A major threat to the water resources of surface waters and coastal marine areas is their pollution by industrial and agricultural waste, which has reached a critical level. The degree of pollution of rivers in lowlands and estuarine parts, as well as coastal waters, is especially high. The transparency of sea waters has noticeably decreased.

Water pollution in the main fishing areas leads to a significant reduction in catches.

These and other problems affect Japan's forest resources, because, as mentioned above, 2/3 of the area of ​​the Japanese islands is covered with forests - very rich and diverse in composition. The thicket is intertwined with vines, evergreen oaks and many bamboo groves grow in the mountains. And despite the abundance of forests, the country's forest resources are very limited. As a result of logging, unsatisfactory forest management, long-term predatory exploitation, soil erosion and the activity of insect pests, forests are severely depleted.

Japan's agricultural land is currently shrinking due to the expansion of urban areas; the area of ​​which is twice the area of ​​arable land. Soil erosion causes significant damage to land resources.

In Japan, the problem of environmental pollution, largely generated by the consequences of urbanization, became especially acute at the turn of the 1970s.

There are also problems related to the atmosphere in Japan. The main source of air pollution is industry - metallurgical, energy, chemical, petrochemical, forestry, building materials(ceramic, cement) - and road transport. Pollution of the atmosphere and surface waters has a detrimental effect on plant and soil cover and fauna.

The scale of environmental pollution in Japan makes the need for environmental protection especially acute. Of particular relevance is the fight against environmental deterioration as a result of pollution of land, water bodies and the atmosphere by industrial and household waste, as well as the spread of noise, vibration, etc. Among residents of the most environmentally unfavorable areas, specific diseases caused by environmental pollution have become widespread. Under public pressure, the Japanese government was forced to take urgent measures to improve the environmental situation. The country's environmental legislation now includes a basic law on environmental protection. An entire system of environmental authorities was created, headed by the Department of Environmental Affairs. Much attention was paid to scientific and technical support for environmental protection. In Japanese mechanical engineering, a sub-industry has developed for the production of treatment equipment and environmental control means. In Japanese cities, measures are being taken to clean them up: garbage is removed, penalties are imposed on polluting enterprises and citizens.

The implementation of environmental measures and the restructuring of the Japanese economy have contributed to the fact that many traditional environmental problems have now been resolved. At the same time, the environmental risks associated with development have increased scientific and technological progress and such phenomena as electronic radiation, contamination with radioactive or rare chemical elements and their compounds. The second area of ​​environmental protection activities is measures aimed at preserving valuable natural objects, flora and fauna. These include regular, once every 5 years, surveys of the state of nature, the creation of protected areas - natural parks. geography japan religion agriculture

Conclusion

Japan is undoubtedly a unique, incomparable and completely mysterious country, the like of which is almost impossible to find in the world. And it's not just her rich and ancient heritage- Japan itself is a huge museum.

There is a common phrase: “ Japan - country contrasts”, and these are not just words. Here temples coexist with modern life; they do not disturb the general flow, but form a single whole.

Nature and Japan are two inseparable concepts. For example, Nara is called the city of deer. More than a thousand noble spotted animals roam freely around huge Park Nara and often wander into city streets. Everywhere, salted cookies are sold especially for feeding them, which they take directly from their hands. The history of their appearance is connected with the founding of the Shinto shrine Kasuga, one of the buildings of which is dedicated to a deity brought from the mountains by a deer.

When I finished my work, I simply fell in love with this country, although I had never been to it. And this is the best result I could achieve.

Bibliography.

1. Large reference book: Geography. - M.: publishing house "Drofa"

2. Small Encyclopedia of Countries / ed. Sirotenko N.G., Mendeleva V.A. - M.: Torsing Publishing House, 2001.

3. Encyclopedia for children. T.13. Countries. Peoples./Chief editor. M.D. Aksenov. - M.: “Publishing center “Avanta+”

4. Soviet encyclopedic dictionary. M., 1987.

5. Economic and social geography peace. / Gladky Yu.N., Lavrov S.B., M., 1993

6. Textbook for grade 10 “Geography” / ed. V.P. Maksakovsky, publishing house "Prosveshchenie", M., 1996.

Posted on Allbest.ru

Similar documents

Geographical location of the Mongolian People's Republic, its administrative-territorial division, official language, capital, population, religion and government structure. Characteristics of natural resources, productive forces and their assessment.

test, added 09/13/2009


Japan's coat of arms and flag, official language, form of government, area and population. The capital of the country is Tokyo. Geographical characteristics Japan and its regions. Economic development of the country. National composition Japan, main religions: Shintoism and Buddhism.

presentation, added 11/14/2013


Capital. Population size and density. Urbanization. Square. The most high point. Official language. Main religion. Administrative-territorial division. Currency unit. National holiday. National anthem.

abstract, added 07/10/2007


Germany on political map Europe. Capital, form of government, administrative-territorial structure. Economic assessment of natural conditions and resources. Features and population size, demographic situation, predominant religion.

presentation, added 01/15/2013


State structure Ecuador. Administrative-territorial division of the country. Population, natural resources. Ecuador is a state with the most equal climate on the planet. Development of industry, agriculture, service sector.

presentation, added 03/26/2017


Geographical location of Japan. Relief, climate and water resources. Minerals. Soil cover, flora and fauna. History of the country's development, political structure, population and culture. General characteristics of the farm. Foreign economic relations.

course work, added 12/04/2008


National flag and imperial seal of Japan. Geographical location and administrative-territorial structure of the country. Population: ethnic composition, numbers, density. State-political structure. Economics, minerals.

presentation, added 09.09.2013


The location of Afghanistan is on the eastern flank of Southwest Asia. Lack of access to the sea, closest neighbors. Population of the country, official language, dominant religion, administrative-territorial division. Main export and import items.

presentation, added 05/02/2011


Arab Republic of Egypt. Geographical location, population, capital, government structure, official language. Climate, animals and vegetation. Ethnic composition, religions. Average life expectancy. Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops.

presentation, added 02/13/2015


Characteristics of modern Japan. Geographical location and territory. Features of the population, composition and size. State structure. The state of the economy in Japan. Economic policy of Japan. Sectoral structure of the economy.

Japan is an island country, located on an arc-shaped archipelago consisting of more than 6.8 thousand islands, which stretch in a curved chain of about 3800 km along the eastern coast of Asia.

Geographical location of the Japanese Islands to the east of the mainland determined the figurative name of the country - the Land of the Rising Sun.

Its southern tip is at the same latitude as the middle of the Sahara Desert or southern point Cubes. The northern tip coincides with the latitude of southern France, Northern Italy and Crimea. Capital of Japan - Tokyo is located at the same latitude as the southern tip of Turkmenistan.

total area islands of japan- about 378 thousand sq. km, which is only 0.3% of the earth's land and approximately corresponds to 2.2% of the territory of Russia or 4% of the area of ​​Canada, China or the United States. Only four of the islands can be called large. This, and - the Japanese do not even call them islands, but call them the main land, the main territory: they account for 98% of the entire country.

Bridges and underwater tunnels built between the four largest islands made it possible to transform the country's disparate territorial space into a single land entity. Hokkaido and Honshu Islands connects the world's longest transport tunnel Seikan, laid under the Sangar Strait. Three bridges spanning the islands and waters of the Seto Naikai (Inland Sea of ​​Japan) united islands of Honshu and Shikoku. Islands of Honshu and Kyushu connected by two tunnels and one bridge.

Over the past few decades territory of Japan although slightly, it increased due to the creation artificial islands. So, in Tokyo Bay for 10 years it was filled Yumenoshima Island, on which a stadium, a museum, greenhouses were built, and a park was laid out. Ogishima Island was created specifically to house a metallurgical plant. For construction international airport An artificial island was also built in Osaka Bay.

Being an island state, Japan has a long coastline of about 29 thousand km and the seventh largest in the world

a 200-mile coastal economic zone, the area of ​​which is 10.5 times larger than the country itself.

Shores of Japan heavily indented. For every square kilometer of Japanese territory there is twice the coastline of England. Schematic summary coastline, which is visible on a regular map, gives only some idea of ​​the complexity and ruggedness of the coasts of Japan - an abundance of bays and bays, lagoons and seaside terraces, peninsulas, rocky ledges and mountains, sometimes very close to the shores. The southern islands are fringed by coral reefs.

Mountains are a characteristic feature of the Japanese archipelago, they cover 71% of the land, and only isolated areas along the coasts or riverbeds big rivers- plains and lowlands that border mountain systems.

Looking at the archipelago from ocean depths- from the bottom of the Japan Trench, the islands will reach a height of 10–14 thousand m, rising above the ocean level by 3 km and higher (16 peaks have a height of more than 3000 m, 532 - over 2000 m).

Relief of Japan- these are not yet healed wounds of numerous faults, subsidence, folding of layers, volcanic formations. The relief is dominated by low and medium-altitude mountains, elongated almost meridianally, although some areas of the island are characterized by an intricate, labyrinthine arrangement of ridges. Most of Japan's highest mountains are located on the island. The most Japan's famous mountain range is called the Japanese Alps and consists of three separate parallel ridges. The peaks of the Japanese Alps rise to a height of 3000 m above sea level. That's about twice as high Ural mountains. Mountains with jagged sharp ridges and pointed peaks are separated by deep, up to 2 km, river gorges and glacial formations.

The most famous mountain Japan- . It rises on the border of prefectures Shizuoka And Yamanashi. The height of Mount Fuji is 3776 m, making it the highest peak in Japan. Every year more than half a million people commit.

Substantial part mountain peaks Japan has volcanoes, there are about 200 of them, 67 are considered “living” (active or dormant). Among volcanoes, they are especially active Asama, Miharayama, Asosan and Sakurajima.

Active Asosan volcano located in the middle part of the island Kyushu. This fire-breathing mountain is widely known not only within the country, but also abroad. By number of eruptions Asosan occupies one of the first places among the volcanoes of the world (more than 70 eruptions have been recorded), its crater is one of the largest in the world.

Also diverse, although poorer than plant life. It is characterized by certain features caused primarily by island isolation.

Many migratory birds that fly from Siberia, China and other territories neighboring Japan spend the winter on the islands of the archipelago. Among them are cranes, herons, and geese.

The central islands are inhabited by wolves, foxes, deer, hares, and squirrels. Honshu Island is the most northern place habitats of such southern species as Japanese macaques, Japanese black bears, gigantic (up to 1.2 m) salamanders.

The southern Ryukyu Islands are characterized by tropical fauna, many monkeys - macaques and gibbons, squirrels and bats.

The most common freshwater fish are carp and crucian carp. The reservoirs are inhabited by turtles, crayfish, and crabs. The Pacific Ocean is also very diverse: numerous species of perch, salmon, herring, cod, as well as tuna, saury, eel and much more that is simply impossible to list.

Territory— 377.8 thousand km 2

Population- 125.2 million people (1995).

Capital- Tokyo.

Geographical location, general information

Japan is an archipelago country located on four large and almost four thousand small islands, stretching 3.5 thousand km from northeast to southwest along the eastern coast of Asia. The largest islands are Honshu, Hokaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. The shores of the archipelago are heavily indented and form many bays and bays. The seas and oceans surrounding Japan are of exceptional importance for the country as a source of biological, mineral and energy resources.

The economic and geographical position of Japan is determined primarily by the fact that it is located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region, which contributes to the country's active participation in the international geographical division of labor.

For a long period, Japan was isolated from other countries. After the unfinished bourgeois revolution of 1867 - 1868. it embarked on the path of rapid capitalist development. At the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries. became one of the imperialist states.

Japan is a country of constitutional monarchy. The highest body of state power and the only legislative body is parliament.

Natural conditions and resources of Japan

The geological basis of the archipelago is underwater mountain ranges. About 80% of the territory is occupied by mountains and hills with highly dissected relief with an average height of 1600 - 1700 m. There are about 200 volcanoes, 90 active, including highest peak— Fuji volcano (3776 m) Frequent earthquakes and tsunamis also have a significant impact on the Japanese economy.

The country is poor in mineral resources, but coal, lead and zinc ores, oil, sulfur, and limestone are mined. The resources of its own deposits are small, so Japan is the largest importer of raw materials.

Despite small area, the length of the country has determined the existence on its territory of a unique set of natural conditions: the island of Hokkaido and the north of Honshu are located in a temperate maritime climate, the rest of Honshu, the islands of Shikoku and Yushu are in a humid subtropical climate, and the Ryukyu Island is in a tropical climate. Japan is located in an active monsoon zone. The average annual precipitation ranges from 2 - 4 thousand mm.

Approximately 2/3 of the territory - mostly mountainous areas, covered with forests (more than half of the forests are artificial plantations). Coniferous forests predominate in northern Hokkaido, mixed forests in central Honshu and southern Hokkaido, and subtropical forests in the south.

Japan has many rivers, deep, fast, and unsuitable for navigation, but they are a source for hydroelectric power and irrigation.

The abundance of rivers, lakes and groundwater has a beneficial effect on the development of industry and agriculture.

In the post-war period, environmental problems worsened on the Japanese islands. The adoption and implementation of a number of environmental laws reduces the country's pollution levels.

Population of Japan

Japan is one of the top ten countries in the world in terms of population. Japan became the first Asian country to move from the second to the first type of population reproduction. Now the birth rate is 12%, the death rate is 8%. Life expectancy in the country is the highest in the world (76 years for men and 82 years for women).

The population is nationally homogeneous, about 99% are Japanese. Of other nationalities, the Koreans and Chinese are significant in number. The most common religions are Shintoism and Buddhism. The population is distributed unevenly across the area. The average density is 330 people per m2, but the Pacific coastal areas are among the most densely populated in the world.

About 80% of the population lives in cities. 11 cities have millionaires.

Japanese economy

The growth rate of the Japanese economy was one of the highest in the second half of the 20th century. The country has largely undergone a qualitative restructuring of the economy. Japan is at a post-industrial stage of development, which is characterized by highly developed industry, but the leading area is the non-manufacturing sector (services, finance).

Although Japan is poor natural resources and imports raw materials for most industries; it ranks 1st-2nd in the world in the output of many industries. Industry is mainly concentrated within the Pacific industrial belt.

Electric power industry mainly uses imported raw materials. In the structure of the raw material base, oil leads, the share of natural gas, hydropower and nuclear energy is growing, and the share of coal is decreasing.

In the electric power industry, 60% of the power comes from thermal power plants and 28% from nuclear power plants.

Hydroelectric power stations are located in cascades on mountain rivers. Japan ranks 5th in the world in terms of hydroelectric power generation. In resource-poor Japan, alternative energy sources are being actively developed.

Ferrous metallurgy. The country ranks first in the world in terms of steel production. Japan's share in the global ferrous metallurgy market is 23%.

The largest centers, now operating almost entirely on imported raw materials and fuel, are located near Osaka, Tokyo, and Fuji.

Non-ferrous metallurgy. Due to the harmful impact on the environment, primary smelting of non-ferrous metals is being reduced, but factories are located in all major industrial centers.

Mechanical engineering. Provides 40% of industrial production. The main sub-sectors among the many developed in Japan are electronics and electrical engineering, radio industry and transport engineering.

Japan firmly ranks first in the world in shipbuilding, specializing in the construction of large-tonnage tankers and dry cargo ships. The main centers of shipbuilding and ship repair are located in largest ports(Yokogana, Nagosaki, Kobe).

In terms of car production (13 million units per year), Japan also ranks first in the world. The main centers are Toyota, Yokohama, Hiroshima.

The main enterprises of general engineering are located within the Pacific industrial belt - complex machine tool building and industrial robots in the Tokyo region, metal-intensive equipment - in the Osaka region, machine tool building - in the Nagai region.

The country's share in the world output of the radio-electronic and electrical engineering industries is exceptionally large.

By level of development chemical Japan's industry ranks among the first in the world.

Japan also has developed pulp and paper, light and food industries.

Agriculture Japan remains an important industry, contributing about 2% of GNP; The industry employs 6.5% of the population. Agricultural production is focused on food production (the country provides 70% of its needs for food itself).

13% of the territory is cultivated; in the structure of crop production (providing 70% of agricultural products), the leading role is played by the cultivation of rice and vegetables, and horticulture is developed. Livestock farming (cattle breeding, pig farming, poultry farming) is developing intensively.

Due to its exceptional location, there is an abundance of fish and seafood in the Japanese diet; the country fishes in all areas of the World Ocean, has more than three thousand fishing ports and has the largest fishing fleet (over 400 thousand vessels).

Transport Japan

All types of transport are developed in Japan with the exception of river and pipeline transport. In terms of cargo transportation volume, the first place belongs to road transport (60%), the second place goes to sea transport. Role railway transport is declining, while air travel is growing. Due to very active foreign economic relations, Japan has the largest merchant fleet in the world.

The territorial structure of the economy is characterized by a combination of two different parts: the Pacific belt, which is the socio-economic core of the country, because there are major industrial areas, ports, transportation routes and developed agriculture, and a peripheral zone that includes areas where logging, livestock farming, mining, hydropower and tourism are most developed. Despite the implementation of regional policy, the smoothing out of territorial imbalances is proceeding rather slowly.

Foreign economic relations of Japan

Japan actively participates in the MGRT, foreign trade occupies a leading place, and the export of capital, production, scientific, technical and other ties are also developed.

Japan's share in world imports is about 1/10. Mainly raw materials and fuel are imported.

The country's share in world exports is also more than 1/10. Industrial goods account for 98% of exports.

Introduction

Chapter 1 Economic and geographical position of Japan

Chapter 2 Natural conditions and resources of Japan

Chapter 3 Population

3.1. The demographic problem of modern Japan

3.2. Religion of Japan

3.3. National characteristics

Chapter 4 Characteristics of the country's economy

4.1. Industry specialization

4.2. Agriculture

Chapter 5 Foreign economic relations

5.1. General overview of operating activities

5.2. Country participation in international commodity exchange

5.3. Participation of the country in integration processes and international organizations

5.4. The country's place in the international division of labor

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

Over the past years, Japan has invariably attracted the attention of researchers and observers from the rest of the world, trying to figure out the “mysteries” of the very extraordinary development of the Land of the Rising Sun. Indeed, how did Japan, which suffered a severe defeat in the war and suffered enormous material and moral damage, manage to not only rise from ruins and devastation within almost one generation, but also turn into a first-class economic power, a leader in many areas of industry and trade, science and technology.

Unprecedented pace industrial development, which were achieved annually by the Japanese economy for three decades, are still studied by economists around the world, cited as an example and pointing the way for developing countries. The industrial development and economic growth of Japan are interesting as a unique phenomenon of our time, but the results achieved by Japan are especially impressive if we take into account the obvious unsuitability of the geographical and climatic conditions in which this country had to develop.

Japan's geopolitical position cannot be considered conducive to the development of “free” market competition. First of all, this is a high population density, concentrated on very narrow strips of land suitable for economic use with an extremely insignificant endowment of natural resources, especially mineral raw materials. There are almost no own energy resources (excluding hydropower). The general mildness of the country's climatic conditions is countered by its constant susceptibility to natural disasters. You could even say that Japan lies at the nexus of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and powerful typhoons. The country's agriculture needs constant and large-scale reclamation work. Industrial, housing and transport construction is becoming more expensive due to the need for anti-seismic measures designed to withstand the most powerful impacts of the underground elements. Japan entered the path of development later than all industrial countries and was forced for a long time to catch up with the developed capitalist countries, and in the first Meiji period under the conditions of unequal trade agreements imposed on it by force. In the initial period of its industrial development, Japan was, as it were, on the outskirts of the world economy, and only in recent decades the center of the world economy has moved from the Mediterranean-Atlantic zone to the Pacific region. After World War II, the country, which had suffered the terrible moral shock of the atomic bombings, lay in ruins and was occupied by a foreign army. The loss of the colonies, especially Manchuria and Korea, where a significant part of Japan's productive potential was concentrated and where there were significant mineral resources, including energy resources (coal), can be compared in terms of economic consequences with the consequences of the collapse Soviet Union for today's Russia.

The indomitable spirit of the Japanese people, who managed to build their own special economic organization based on old and even ancient traditions, helped Japan go through all these trials. It can be characterized as a specifically Japanese version of state capitalism or as paternalistic state-corporate capitalism. This system provided the necessary effect, which made it possible not only to overcome unfavorable geopolitical factors and turn them into advantages, but also to bring the country into the ranks of the largest economic powers in the world.

Chapter 1 Economic-Geographical location

Japan is an island country in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, located off the coast of East Asia. Japan is a relatively small country in area. The total area of ​​Japan is 377,819 square meters. km., which is one twenty-fifth of the United States, one twentieth of the area of ​​Australia and only 0.3% of the land surface.

Japan is separated from the mainland by East China, Japan and Seas of Okhotsk. From the east and southeast the country is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The Inland Sea of ​​Japan is located between the islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The seas and oceans that wash Japan are of great importance for the country as a source of biological, mineral and energy resources. Japan's communication with other countries of the world is carried out by sea. Japan's position at the junction of the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean, located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region, opens up very great opportunities for the country's participation in the international division of labor.

Japan is a mountainous country (75% of the territory). To expand the living space, the water area adjacent to the land is used: residential and industrial zones are located on artificial peninsulas and islands created by filling shallow waters. The bulk of the country's population lives on the coastal plains (mainly along the Pacific coast of the islands). Japan is an island country in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, located off the coast of East Asia.

Major cities: Tokyo capital, Kyoto, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama

The country occupies four large islands - Honshu (three-fifths of the country's area), Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu - and many small islands, stretching in an arc of about 3,500 km from Hokkaido in the northeast to the Ryukyu Islands in the southwest. Japan is separated from the southeastern coast of Russia and the eastern coast of the DPRK and the Republic of Korea by the Sea of ​​Japan, and from China by the East China Sea. The southwestern tip of Japan and southeastern Korea are separated by the Korea Strait, with a minimum width of about 180 km. To the north of Japan is located the island. Sakhalin, and to the northeast - the Kuril ridge. Japan is a relatively small country in area. The total area of ​​Japan is 377,819 square meters. km., which is one twenty-fifth of the United States, one twentieth of the area of ​​Australia and only 0.3% of the land surface.

The Japanese islands were formed at the intersection of several volcanic island arcs. Due to this, earthquakes often occur: about 1,500 are registered per year, but only a quarter of them are felt on the surface. The strongest ones repeat once every 10-30 years. Tsunamis also often occur - huge waves of destructive force up to 10 m high.

Intense volcanic activity on the Japanese Islands is associated with movements of the earth's crust. In total, there are approximately 200 volcanoes in Japan, of which about 40 are active. Some of Japan's high mountains are volcanoes, the highest of which is Mount Fuji (3776 m). The last time the volcano erupted was in 1707. There are hot springs near both active and extinct volcanoes.

The rivers of Japan are numerous, have short, very steep longitudinal profiles and are not navigable, but are used for timber rafting. The most large rivers They are very deep, the water in them is usually clean and transparent. Many of them have hydroelectric power stations built. River water is used for irrigation, so in some southern islands she is missing now.

Due to the considerable extent of Japan from north to south (from 45° to 22° N), there are large climatic differences within its territory. In general, the climate of Japan is humid and maritime. Total annual precipitation ranges from just under 1000 mm in eastern Hokkaido to 3800 mm on some ridges of central Honshu. Snowfalls occur throughout Japan, but in the south - only for a few days, and in the north-west of the country - for 95 days. During this time, snow cover up to 4.5 m thick is formed. The lowlands of Kyushu, Shikoku, the southern and eastern coasts of Honshu up to the Kanto Plain are characterized by a subtropical climate, while the mountains are cooler. The lowlands of northern Honshu and Hokkaido have more contrasting climatic conditions with cold winters and short summers, while in the mountains of these areas the climate is similar to the subarctic. In other parts of the country, various climate variations can be observed depending on the terrain, especially the exposure of the slopes.

Chapter 2 Natural conditions and resources of Japan

Climate

Japan's climate varies greatly with latitude, ranging from cool and temperate in Hokkaido to subtropical in Okinawa. Most of the country is located in a warm, rainy temperate climate; in the mountains all year round colder. There are big differences in the climate of the coast. These regions receive a lot of rain in June and July. In September there are heavy rains and typhoons on the Pacific coast, but in winter the weather is sunny; on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan in winter it rains heavily and a lot of snow falls.

Japan's climate is generally quite favorable in terms of agriculture and human habitation. The climatic conditions of different regions differ markedly from each other.

The most important factor shaping the climate is the monsoons, which are accompanied by typhoons and downpours in summer and snowfalls in winter. The warm Kuroshio ocean current has a softening effect. Due to climatic conditions in the southern subtropical and tropical regions, it is possible to harvest two crops per year.

In winter, Japan is under the influence of the easterly monsoon. In summer, the effects of the weaker northwest monsoons become apparent. Summer storms are usually not very severe and only affect northern Japan, but typhoons sweep over the Pacific coast of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu in both summer and autumn. The rainy season from mid-June to mid-July often accounts for most of the annual rainfall in many areas of southern Japan, while Honshu and Hokkaido experience winter rain and snowfall. The climate of the southern mountainous regions is comparable to the climate of the northern plains. The growing season lasts 250 days on the plains of southern Kyushu, 215 on the Kanto Plain and the Kyushu Mountains, 175 on the shores of Honshu, 155 on the Japanese Alps and west coast Hokkaido and 125 - on the northern coast of Hokkaido.
Thus, high seismicity and volcanism have a significant impact on the economic development of the territory. Frequent earthquakes, typhoons and tsunamis cause serious damage and destabilize the overall economic activity of the country. Japan's mineral reserves are extremely limited, making it dependent on imports and relationships with exporting countries.