Geography, natural conditions and resources of Japan. Natural conditions resources of Japan

Japan is a small Asian country located on islands. In terms of living standards, it ranks first in the world. How did Japan's natural conditions and resources influence this?

A little about the country

The state is located entirely on the Japanese archipelago, which consists of 6,852 large and small islands. All of them are of either mountainous or volcanic origin, some are uninhabited. The main part of the territory is made up of the four largest islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku.

The state is washed by the Japanese, Okhotsk, and East China seas of the Pacific Ocean. Shares borders with the Russian Far East, South Korea, China and the Philippines. The local population pronounces the country's name as "Nippon" or "Nippon koku", which is often translated as the Land of the Rising Sun.

The area of ​​377,944 square kilometers is home to approximately 127 million people. The capital of Japan, Tokyo, is located on the island of Honshu. Japan is a constitutional-parliamentary monarchy headed by the emperor.

Forest resources

Forests are Japan's natural resources, of which the country has plenty. They cover more than 65% of the territory. Approximately a third of forests are artificial plantations. More than 2,500 plant species grow in the country. Subtropical forests grow in the southern mountainous regions, coniferous species predominate in the north, and mixed forests are located in the central part.

Tropical vegetation is found on the islands: palm trees, ferns, fruit trees. Sweet potatoes and sugar cane grow on the Ryukyu Islands. Pines, firs, and evergreen oaks grow in mountainous areas. The country has a large number of endemics, including Japanese cypress and cryptomeria. Here you can see a relict ginkgo tree.

At the foot of the mountains on the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido, such as Fuji, broad-leaved forests predominate. At an altitude of more than one kilometer, a zone of alpine bushes begins, which give way to alpine meadows. Vast areas are occupied by bamboo forests grown for furniture production.

Water resources

Japan's natural water resources are represented by an abundance of underwater waters, lakes and rivers. Numerous mountain rivers are quite deep, short and fast. Japanese rivers are not suitable for ferrying ships, but they have found use in hydropower. They are also used to irrigate agricultural land.

The largest rivers are the Shinano, 367 kilometers long, and the Tone, 322 kilometers long, both located on the island of Honshu. There are 24 major rivers in total, including Yoshino (Shikoku Island), Chikugo and Kuma (Kyushu) and others. Different areas are characterized by winter or summer high water, which often leads to floods.

The country has both coastal shallow and deep-water mountain lakes. Some of them, for example Cuttiaro, Tovado, are of volcanic origin. Saroma and Kasumigaura are lagoonal. Japan's largest freshwater lake Biwa (670 sq. km.) is located on the island of Honshu.

Minerals

Japan's natural mineral resources are represented in relatively small quantities. Mostly, they are not enough for the independent development of industry, so the state has to partially cover the shortfall by importing raw materials, such as oil, natural gas, and iron ore.

The country has deposits of sulfur, small reserves of manganese, lead-zinc, copper, silver ore, gold, chromite, iron ore, and barite. Its oil and gas reserves are small. There are small deposits of vanadium, titanium, polymetallic, nickel, lithium, uranium and other ores. In the world, Japan is one of the leaders in iodine production.

Limestones, sands, dolomites and pyrites are contained in significant quantities. The state is rich in iron sands, which have long been used in the manufacture of the famous Japanese steel for blades, knives and swords.

Climate and energy resources

Japan's weather conditions have a favorable effect on the development of agriculture. The length from north to south means that the climate on different islands can vary significantly. In the northern regions it is more severe, in the southern regions, on the contrary, it is soft.

The Ryukyu and Kyushu islands, thanks to the humid monsoon winds and the warm Kuroshio Current, have a tropical and subtropical climate. Here the harvest period occurs twice a year. Air masses and currents often contribute to heavy rainfall, and in winter they bring snowfall. In the northern regions the climate is temperate.

A large number of sunny days, mountainous terrain, the presence of winds and fast mountain rivers create conditions for the development of alternative energy. The nuclear power plant accident in 2011 further pushed the country to take this step. Recently, in addition to hydropower, the country has been developing methods for producing photovoltaic, solar thermal, and wind energy.

Natural resources of Japan (table)

Conditions and natural resources of Japan (briefly)

Japan is an amazing and picturesque country. There are mountains, forests, rivers and minerals. Nevertheless, economic assessments of Japan's natural conditions and resources usually sound disappointing. The thing is that most of the country's existing resources are difficult or even impossible to use for industrial purposes.

Japan's natural mineral resources are very diverse, but their quantity is too small. Two-thirds of the state's territory is not suitable for agriculture due to its rugged terrain. Many forests growing in the mountains are inaccessible for logging due to the danger of landslides and avalanches. The rivers are completely unsuited for the development of navigation.

It's all relative. Indeed, despite its poor supply of natural resources, Japan manages to skillfully overcome the situation. Large exports of timber, seafood and fish, livestock farming, rice and vegetable production, the development of mechanical engineering and high technology, and alternative energy sources do not allow the country to leave the world's leading position in terms of economic level.

Area - 372.8 thousand km2. Population - 127.5 million people

Constitutional monarchy - 47 prefectures. Capital -. Tokyo

EGP

. Japan is an island state. Most of the state's territory is located on islands. Hokkaido. Honshu,. Kyushu and Shikoku, which is washed by the seas. Pacific Ocean. In addition, it owns about 7 thousand small islands

B. Japan is geographically the closest. Russia,. South. Korea,. DPRK. China,. Taiwan. Neighboring states are very different in political systems and economic potential. South. Korea and Taiwan is a new industry real country of the first wave with high rates of economic development. China and. The DPRK is a socialist country, however. China combines command and market economic models. Japan is an active member

UN,. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

The country is located near rich mineral resources. China and. Russia, which is for. Japan is very important important for. Japan's "storehouse" of minerals -. Australia, located on convenient sea pu. Yahah v. Country. Ascendant to go.

Japan is the center of economic development not only in the region, but also in the world. Most neighboring countries are developing dynamically and have significant resource and economic potential and, over time, naturally played a leading role in the world.

Population

In Japan, a type of population reproduction has formed, the characteristic features of which are low birth rates (9 per 1000 people), low annual population growth (0.2%), and the process of “aging of the nation” (average life expectancy is 81 years). Country first in. Asia has made a demographic transition from the traditional type of population reproduction and has approached a state of population stabilization. Insignificant size and migration (migration balance at the beginning of the third millennium close to 00).

The Japanese make up 99.4% of the state's population. They belong to the Mongoloid race. The Japanese language forms a separate language family, since it is completely different from the languages ​​of neighboring peoples. In the north in. Hokkaido is home to a small number of aboriginal people (about 20 thousand people). Japan - Ainu. The main religions are Shintoism and Buddhism.

Japan is a densely populated country (about 337 people per km2). The population density is especially high in the southern coastal regions of the city. Honshu and in the north. Kyushu - more than 500 people per 1 km2. In mountainous areas and in the north of the country, the population density is 60 people per 1 km2.

. Japan is one of the most urbanized countries in the world - 78% of the population lives in cities. There are ten millionaire cities in the country. Three largest agglomerations. Japan are merging into the largest metropolis. Tokkaido has a population of over 600 km and has a population of over 600 km.

About 66 million economically active people (52%) are employed. Of these, more than 25% are in industry, 5% in agriculture and about 70% in the service sector. For. Japan is characterized by a relatively small number of unemployed (1.3 million people).

Natural conditions and resources

Japan is poor in mineral resources. Only coal, insignificant reserves of oil, gas, and non-ferrous metal ores (copper, lead, arsenic, bismuth, zinc) are of industrial importance. The chemical industry uses its own sulfur, the construction industry uses dolomite, gypsum, and limestone. The needs of most types of mineral raw materials are met through imports: oil and gas - 99%, coal - 90%, copper - 3/4, iron ore - 99.9%, more than half - lead and zinc

Rivers in In Japan, their mountainous resources are mainly used for both irrigation and electricity generation. Numerous small lakes are an important source of drinking water

Forests cover 63% of the territory. Japan. Coniferous, broad-leaved and subtropical forests predominate. However, our own forest resources are also not enough to meet production needs!

Japan is a mountainous country. Mountains occupy over 3/5 of the territory. In many places they come very close to the sea. Above the central part of the. Honshu is a towering volcano. Fuji (3776 m). The very plains of the races located in the central part of the island. Honshu (plain. Kanto) they are crossed by numerous irrigation canals. The difficult terrain forces the construction of numerous underground transport tunnels. The decline of flat lands makes it necessary to reclaim land in the bays for the development of large coastal localities.

A characteristic feature of natural conditions. Japan is highly seismic. Sometimes earthquakes cause huge waves - tsunamis

. Climate - subtropical, monsoon. Hokkaido - moderate. In summer there is a southeast monsoon, which is characterized by a predominance of hot and humid air. The winter northwest monsoon causes intense snowfall. Precipitation here ranges from 1000 to 3000 mm per river.

agroclimatic. Japan is located in the humid zone of the temperate (favorable for growing rye, barley, winter wheat, potatoes, legumes) and subtropical (citrus fruits, tobacco, rice) zones

The basis for tourism and recreation is nature and unique cultural heritage

“State of Japan” - Origami. General characteristics. Capital of Japan. Cloth. Lesson plan. Map of Japan. Population. A political map of the World. Imperial seal. Martial arts. Food in Japanese. National composition. National traditions and characteristics of Japan. National flag of Japan. Fishing. Language and writing.

"Population of Japan" - The vast majority of the country's residents speak Japanese. Population - just over 127 million people (estimated as of July 2009) Birth rate - 7.87 per 1000 (2008). Largest cities: Tokyo (13.05 million) Yokohama (3.27 million) Osaka (2.48 million) Nagoya (2.1 million). Population of Japan. Ethno-racial composition: Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, others 0.6%.

"Economy of Japan" - Natural resources. Unusually many bats. Numerous representatives of the ancient pre-Quaternary flora have been preserved - ferns, horsetails, etc. Automotive industry. Pearl shells. Agriculture. Japan's natural conditions are generally favorable for agriculture.

“The Land of the Rising Sun Japan” - Natural resources and natural conditions History of the development of Japan Population of the country. The Japanese economy is the 3rd economy in the world. Japan Land of the Rising Sun. Population of Japan. Culture and traditions Economy of Japan Main centers of Japan. EGP of Japan. Largest cities in Japan. Megalopolis Tokaido. Lesson questions.

"Japanese Islands" - Nature and Art. Kyudo Sumo Kendo Aikido Karate. Trade or die. Population. Sports traditions. Mats covering the floor. There are no strangers between us! We are all brothers to each other Under the cherry blossoms. Japan. Fujiyama Tsukimi. School in Japan. In the world of Japanese words. EGP of Japan. Japan lost the war. Japanese food.

"Islands of Japan" - Religion. Population. Relief. Purpose: to consider the features of the development of Japan. Japan's economy ranks third in the world. Japan is covered with a dense network of short, deep rivers, mostly mountainous. Conclusion. Lowlands are located in separate areas along the coasts of the country. Geography. The area of ​​the country is 377.9 thousand km? The capital is Tokyo.

There are 30 presentations in total

Japan is a prime example of how the absence or scarcity of natural resources is not an obstacle to economic development and prosperity. The country mainly develops in the non-manufacturing sector, for example, in finance or in the service sector, and achieves enormous success in these areas. But despite this and many stopping factors, Japan uses the few natural resources it has very skillfully.

Water resources

Japan is cut by many rivers flowing through its territory. They are not suitable for navigation, but are an indispensable source for artificial irrigation of agricultural lands and for their use in hydropower needs. In Japan, you can find a large number of lakes and groundwater, which have a beneficial effect on the development of the agricultural and industrial sectors.

Land resources

Despite the fact that 80% of this island state is covered with mountains, agriculture is quite well developed thanks to the proper use and care of the land. The country cultivates only about 15% of the territory, which is not so little, given the mountainous terrain of the islands. Japan independently meets 70% of its food production needs.

Forest resources

The southern islands of Japan are covered with subtropical forests. The central part of the country is occupied by mixed forests, and the northern part of the country is planted with coniferous forests. About 65-70% of the territory is occupied by forests, half of which were planted artificially. The country is not able to fully provide itself with wood, so here too it resorts to importing goods. Over the past decades, forest boundaries have been significantly pushed back for agricultural purposes, which is why the government has resorted to the solution of artificial tree planting.

Mineral resources

The amount of minerals mined and stored in the country is extremely small. Japan can only boast a small number of mines for the extraction of lead and zinc ores, limestone, coal, and sulfur. There are also small oil reserves and production is underway. It is precisely because of the small amount of mineral resources that Japan is one of the largest importers of raw materials.

Alternative energy sources

In an attempt to reduce dependence on imported raw materials, Japan is becoming more active in the development and use of alternative energy sources. The country has all the necessary data for this. The number of sunny days per year makes up the vast majority, and, given the geographical location, there is no shortage of winds. The country's ecology has noticeably deteriorated since the industrial boom, so the Japanese are trying in every possible way to restore it, resorting to the use of solar and wind energy. These resources are endless and dispersed throughout the country.

Lesson 5. Political system. Natural conditions and resources. Population

Educational tasks:

1. Introduce the main features of the EGP, problems of using the territory, national composition, population distribution, and economic development of the country.

2. Develop the ability to compile an economic and geographical profile of the country and use various sources of geographic information.

3. To form moral values ​​and an aesthetic attitude towards the culture of the Japanese people.

Equipment: political and economic maps of Japan, atlases, outline maps, coat of arms, flag.

During the classes

I. Economic and geographical position of the “Land of the Rising Sun”.

Japan is located on four large islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu) and more than four thousand small islands. This is a whole island world! Relatively poor in natural resources, Japan is very rich in coastlines. In terms of the total length of the coastline, it is comparable to the whole of Africa.

Question: Why is Japan called “the land of the rising sun” (student message).

The ancient name of the country is Yamato. Since ancient times, the Japanese themselves have called their country Nippon or Nihon. This name consists of two hieroglyphs “sun” and “base”. The red sun circle on the Japanese flag and the round chrysanthemum (the national flower of Japan) on the national emblem also symbolize the rising sun.

The capital is Tokyo. The city is located on the largest plain, Kanto. It became the capital in 1869. “Tokyo” is translated as “eastern capital”; Edo Castle used to be there.

The Japanese have always been proud of their capital for being “the best.” Now the question arises about moving the capital. According to experts, the construction of the new capital (a city with a population of 800 thousand people) will take 20 years and cost 20 trillion yen.

Japan's EGP is determined by its island position. The Japanese islands have never been successfully invaded by foreign forces. The Korean Strait, separating the “land of the rising sun” from the Asian mainland, was a serious obstacle for the ancient conquerors. In 1274, the Mongol ruler of China attempted to invade Japan but was repulsed.

In 1281, Kublai Khan again launched a campaign. This time, according to the chroniclers, he planned to place 10,000 ships across the Korean Strait in order to connect them with wooden flooring and send Mongol cavalry across this bridge. However, this gigantic fleet was destroyed by a sudden typhoon, which in Japanese history received the name of the Divine Wind - Kamikaze.

The islands are located in the center of the Asia-Pacific region. This situation opens up very great opportunities for the country’s participation in the international geographical division of labor, including with Russia. No wonder the Japanese proverb says: “A close neighbor is more important than a distant relative.” However, the development of Japanese-Russian relations is hampered by territorial claims to part of the Kuril Islands.

II. Natural conditions and resources.

Japan is a mountainous country. Three quarters of its territory is occupied by mountain ranges. Such relief features force the reconquest of land areas suitable for economic activity from the ocean: airfields, ports, enterprises, residential and administrative complexes are located on artificial islands and peninsulas created as a result of filling shallow waters. The highest point in Japan is Mount Fuji. Its height is 3776 m above sea level. Most of the mountains of the archipelago are volcanoes; There are 150 of them in total, and 15 of them are active.

The Japanese islands are an area with increased seismic hazard. On average, about one and a half thousand earthquakes of varying strength occur here every year. Strong earthquakes cause significant destruction in cities, in addition, they result in the well-known giant waves - tsunamis.

From March 11 to March 25, 2011, Japan experienced a wave of earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 1 to 9. According to eyewitnesses, many cities shook almost constantly. All these earthquakes caused several powerful waves that hit Japan, ranging in height from 3 to a record 10 meters. Got hit by the waves , as a result of which there occurred , which became the most serious radiation accident since .

These events are called the biggest crisis in Japan since World War II.

Due to frequent earthquakes, Japan has become a world leader in the study and prediction of earthquakes. Discoveries in modern technologies make it possible to build skyscrapers even in seismically active zones.

Other natural hazards are ( 台風 Taifa: ), which come to Japan from .

Minerals

Japan has few mineral resources. occupies a central place in the Japanese mining industry (3.4 million tons of sulfur were extracted in 2010, 6th place in the world) Japan also ranks 2nd in the world in mining (9500 tons in 2015)and 1st place in iodine reserves (5 million tons) In addition, Japan produces small quantities (136.8 thousand barrels per day in 2015, 43rd place) , (167 billion cubic feet in 2014, 21st place), (7.2 tons in 2012, 38th place), (3.58 tons in 2012, 48th place). As of 1976, coal reserves amounted to 8630 million tons; iron ore - 228 million tons; sulfur - 67.6 million tons; manganese ore - 5.4 million tons; lead-zinc ore - 4.7 million tons; oil - 3.8 million tons; copper ore - 2.0 million tons; chromites - 1.0 million tons.

Climate

Japan belongs to a temperature zone with four distinct seasons, but its climate ranges from low temperatures in the north to subtropical temperatures in the south. The climate also depends on seasonal winds, blowing from the continent in winter and in the opposite direction in summer.

Japan can be roughly divided into six climate zones:

It belongs to the zone of low temperatures and is characterized by long frosty winters and cool summers.

IN the northeast seasonal wind brings heavy snowfall in winter. Summers are less warm than in the Pacific Ocean, but sometimes extreme high temperatures are observed due to the phenomenon .

Climate It has a typical island climate with a wide range of temperatures in winter and summer, night and day.

In the zone The climate is temperate due to the mountains in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions blocking seasonal winds.typhoons .

III. Political system.

In 1947, Japan adopted a new Constitution, according to which Japan was declared a constitutional monarchy, an empire. Currently, the emperor of the country is a symbol of the state and the unity of the nation, since all legislative and executive power belongs to the parliament and the cabinet of ministers. According to the government structure, Japan is a unitary state, it has 47 prefectures and the governorate of Hokkaido

IV. Population.

In terms of population, Japan is in the top ten, with 127 million people. But at present, natural population growth is decreasing. Japan became the first state to move from type II to type I. Japan is a nation of healthy people with the lowest mortality rate among children - 4 people per thousand inhabitants and the highest level of life expectancy (men - 76 years, women - 82 years). Classes on the basics of family planning are held in high school.

The national composition is homogeneous. 99% are Japanese.

The Japanese language is very specific and does not belong to any language family. The Japanese writing system is also very complex. Even in ancient times, the Japanese borrowed Chinese writing. Studying in a 9-year compulsory school gives knowledge of 1200 hieroglyphs, and in total you need to know about 2000. Japanese texts are read from top to bottom and from right to left.

Japan is a country of high culture and complete literacy, where great attention is paid to the education and upbringing of children from early childhood.

In terms of average population density, Japan ranks among the first in the world - 337 people per km2. But the actual population density is higher, since the entire population of the country is concentrated in the coastal lowlands and river valleys. Japan has a high level of urbanization - 76% of the population lives in cities. There are more than 200 large cities in the country, 12 of them are millionaire cities.