Goto Islands
| Goto Islands | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waters | East China Sea | |
| Geographical location | 32 ° 50 ′ N , 128 ° 55 ′ E | |
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| Number of islands | at least 140 | |
| Main island | Fukue-jima | |
| Total land area | 690 km² | |
| Residents | 76,311 (2005-10-01) | |
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The Gotō Islands ( Japanese 五 島 列島 , Gotō-rettō , dt. "Five-Island Chain") are a group of islands in the southwest corner of the Japanese archipelago .
geography
The archipelago is located at the southern entrance to the Korea Strait , 80 km west of Nagasaki and administratively belong to Nagasaki Prefecture . Due to the remote location, however, many administrative functions are performed by the Gotō regional office ( 五 島 地方 局 , Gotō chihō kyoku ) - Gotō sub-prefecture until 2004 .
The group includes just over 140 islands . They extend over 90 km in length and 30 km in width and form a land mass of 690 km². The largest islands from south to north are:
- Fukue-jima ( 福江島 ; 326.45 square kilometers, 32 ° 41 ' N , 128 ° 45' O ),
- Hisaka-jima ( 久 賀 島 ; 37.35 km², 32 ° 48 ′ N , 128 ° 53 ′ E ),
- Naru-shima ( 奈 留 島 ; 23.82 km², 32 ° 51 ′ N , 128 ° 56 ′ E ),
- Wakamatsu-jima ( 若 松 島 ; 30.99 km², 32 ° 53 ′ N , 129 ° 0 ′ E ) and
- Nakadori-jima ( 中通島 ; 168.42 square kilometers, 32 ° 57 ' N , 129 ° 5' O ).
The town of Gotō is on Fukue-, Hisaka-, Naru-jima and the community of Shinkamigotō is on Wakamatsu- and Nakadōri-jima .
history
The archipelago used to be a refuge for Christians persecuted in Japan .
economy
In the north of the archipelago, fishing and fish farming predominate , in the south agriculture . Another economic factor is the tourism . Since 2009, the islands serve as a testing ground for electric mobility and transport telematics .
sport and freetime
On the island of Fukue-jima, the Ironman Japan was held every summer from 2001 to 2009 . In this triathlon over the Ironman distance, the athletes had to cover 3.86 km swimming, 180.2 km cycling and 42.195 km running.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b 五 島 列島 . In: 世界 大 百科 事 典 第 ２ 版 at kotobank.jp. Retrieved November 22, 2012 (Japanese).
- ^ Nagasaki EV & ITS Project