Information about Japan
Origin of the name Japan
Japan (Nippon/Nihon 日 (sun) 本 (root/origin), literally "the origin
of the sun") is a country in East Asia situated between the Pacific
Ocean and east of the Korean peninsula. Its name, often translated as
"The Land of the Rising Sun," comes from China and refers
to Japan's eastward position relative to the Asian continent. Before
Japan had relations with China, it was known as Yamato (大和). Wa (倭)
was a name early China used to refer to Japan, around the time of the
Three Kingdoms Period.
Nippon v. Nihon
The Japanese names for Japan are Nippon and Nihon. They are both written
the same in Japanese. The Japanese name Nippon is used for most official
purposes, including money, stamps, and international sporting events.
Nihon is a more casual term used in Japan. For example, Japanese people
call themselves Nihonjin and their language Nihongo: literally "Japan
People" and "Japan Language" respectively. The English
word for Japan came to the west from early trade routes. The early Mandarin
Chinese word for Japan was recorded by Marco Polo as Cipangu. However,
the Cantonese word for Japan, form which the word Japan was probably
originally born, is Jatbun. In Malay the Cantonese word became Japang
and was thus encountered by Portuguese traders in Malacca in the 16th
century. It is thought the Portuguese traders were the first to bring
the word to Europe. It was first recorded in English in 1577 spelled
Giapan.
In English, the official title of the country is simply "Japan".
The official Japanese title is Nihonkoku (日本国), literally "Country
of Japan."
Geography of Japan
Japan is a country in East Asia located between the Pacific Ocean and
the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean peninsula.
Japan comprises a chain of islands, the largest of which are, from
south to north, Kyushu (九州), Shikoku (四国), Honshu (本州, the largest island),
and Hokkaido (北海道).
Geographic coordinates: 36 00 N, 138 00 E
Area: water: 3,091 sq km (.08%), land: 374,744 sq km, total: 377,835
sq km
Quick Facts about Japan
| Official language |
Japanese |
| Capital |
Tokyo |
| Largest City |
Tokyo |
| Emperor |
Akihito |
| Prime minister |
Koizumi Junichiro |
Area - Total |
377,835 km2 |
Population
- Total (2003)
- Density
|
127,214,499
335/km2
Ranked 10th |
GDP
- Total (2002)
- GDP/head |
$4.52 trillion (2nd largest in the world)
$28,000(ppp) |
GNP
- Total (2000)
- GNP/head
|
$4.85 trillion
$38,000 |
| Currency |
Yen \ |
| Time zone |
UTC +9 |
| National anthem |
Kimi Ga Yo |
| Calling Code |
81 |
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