Japan has 6,852 islands. Approximately 260 are inhabited.[1][2] Japan is the largest island country in East Asia and the fourth-largest island country in the world.[3]
The four main islands of Japan are:[4][5]
Most of these are located in the East China Sea.
The northern half is administratively part of Kagoshima Prefecture and Kyushu.
The North-Eastern Group:
The North-Western Group:
The Shichi-tō:
The Southern Half, Okinawa Prefecture
The Central Group or Ryukyu proper:
Also known as the Further Isles:
There are four disputed Kuril Islands that are controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan. These islands are called the Chishima Islands.[17]
Main article: List of islands of Japan by area |
These are the 50 largest islands of Japan. It excludes the disputed Kuril islands known as the northern territories.
Rank | Island name | Area (km2) |
Area (sq mi) |
Island group |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Honshu | 227,960 | 88,020 | |
2 | Hokkaido | 83,424.31 | 32,210.31 | |
3 | Kyushu | 36,782 | 14,202 | |
4 | Shikoku | 18,800 | 7,300 | |
5 | Okinawa Island | 1,207 | 466 | Ryukyu Islands |
6 | Sado Island | 855.26 | 330.22 | |
7 | Amami Ōshima | 712.35 | 275.04 | Amami Islands |
8 | Tsushima Island | 708.7 | 273.6 | |
9 | Awaji Island | 592.17 | 228.64 | Seto Inland Sea islands |
10 | Shimoshima Island, Amakusa | 574.01 | 221.63 | |
11 | Yakushima | 504.88 | 194.94 | Ōsumi Islands |
12 | Tanegashima | 444.99 | 171.81 | Ōsumi Islands |
13 | Fukue Island | 326.43 | 126.04 | Gotō Islands |
14 | Iriomote Island | 289.27 | 111.69 | |
15 | Tokunoshima | 247.8 | 95.7 | Amami Islands |
16 | Dōgojima | 241.58 | 93.27 | Oki Islands |
17 | Kamishima Island, Amakusa | 225.32 | 87.00 | Amakusa islands |
18 | Ishigaki Island | 222.5 | 85.9 | |
19 | Rishiri Island | 183 | 71 | |
20 | Nakadōri Island | 168.34 | 65.00 | Gotō Islands |
21 | Hirado Island | 163.42 | 63.10 | |
22 | Miyako-jima | 158.87 | 61.34 | |
23 | Shōdoshima | 153.30 | 59.19 | |
24 | Okushiri Island | 142.97 | 55.20 | |
25 | Iki Island | 138.46 | 53.46 | |
26 | Suō-Ōshima | 128.31 | 49.54 | |
27 | Okinoerabujima | 93.63 | 36.15 | Amami Islands |
28 | Etajima | 91.32 | 35.26 | |
29 | Izu Ōshima | 91.06 | 35.16 | Izu Islands |
30 | Nagashima Island, Kagoshima | 90.62 | 34.99 | |
31 | Rebun Island | 80 | 31 | |
32 | Kakeromajima | 77.39 | 29.88 | Amami Islands |
33 | Kurahashi-jima | 69.46 | 26.82 | |
34 | Shimokoshiki-jima | 66.12 | 25.53 | |
35 | Ōmishima Island, Ehime | 66.12 | 25.53 | |
36 | Hachijō-jima | 62.52 | 24.14 | |
37 | Kume Island | 59.11 | 22.82 | Okinawa Islands |
38 | Kikaijima | 56.93 | 21.98 | Amami Islands |
39 | Nishinoshima | 55.98 | 21.61 | |
40 | Miyake-jima | 55.44 | 21.41 | |
41 | Notojima | 46.78 | 18.06 | |
42 | Kamikoshiki-jima | 45.08 | 17.41 | |
43 | Ōshima (Ehime) | 41.87 | 16.17 | |
44 | Ōsakikamijima | 38.27 | 14.78 | |
45 | Kuchinoerabu-jima | 38.04 | 14.69 | |
46 | Hisaka | 37.23 | 14.37 | |
47 | Innoshima | 35.03 | 13.53 | |
48 | Nakanoshima (in Kagoshima) | 34.47 | 13.31 | Tokara Islands |
49 | Hario Island | 33.16 | 12.80 | |
50 | Nakanoshima (in Shimane) | 32.21 | 12.44 | Oki Islands |