Everything about Okinawa Island totally explained
Okinawa Island (沖縄本島
Okinawa-hontō,or 沖縄島
Okinawa-jima) is the largest of the
Ryukyu Islands, and is home to
Naha, the capital of
Okinawa Prefecture. The island has an area of .
During the
American occupation of Japan, following the Imperial Japanese surrender after WW II, the
United States controlled Okinawa Island, which remained under U.S. governance until
June 17,
1972.
Since then,
United States Armed Forces personnel and
Kadena Air Base have remained on Okinawa Island by invitation of the
Japanese government as part of the
Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan.
In 1990, the total population of Okinawa Island was an estimated 1.22 million people, comprising
Ryūkyūans (especially native Okinawans),
Japanese people, and
expatriates, as well as American military personnel and their families.
Whereas northern Okinawa Island is largely unpopulated, the south is markedly
urbanized—particularly the city of
Naha, and the urban corridor stretching north from there to the city of
Okinawa. The island also houses six
gusuku, Okinawan fortresses most of which now lie in a state of
ruin.
The southern end of the island consists of uplifted
coral reef, whereas the northern half has proportionally more igneous rock. The easily eroded
limestone of the south has many caves, the most famous of which is Gyokusendō in
Nanjō. An 850 m stretch is open to tourists.
The island's
subtropical climate supports a dense northern forest and a
rainy season occurring in late spring.
Okinawans eat low-fat, low-salt foods, such as fish, tofu, and seaweed. Okinawans are known for their longevity. Five times as many Okinawans live to be 100 than the rest of Japan, and the Japanese are the longest lived nationality in the world.
Photo gallery
Image:Manzamo.jpg|Cliffs at Manzamo
Image:GusukuWall.jpg|Gusuku wall
Image:KinjoPot1656.jpg|Okinawa Island is the home of Tsuboya-yaki, pottery in the Ryūkyūan tradition.
Image:OkinawaHonto.JPG|Okinawa Island from Space Shuttle Mission STS-43 (Earth Sciences and Image Analysis, NASA-Johnson Space Center)
Image:GusukuArch.jpg|Gusuku Ruins
Image:TogyuWP.jpg|Bullfighting arena. Okinawa is the home of a form of bullfighting sometimes compared to sumo
Image:NakamuraHouse2.jpg|Traditional Okinawan house
Image:Map-okinawa-pref.png|Map of Okinawa Prefecture showing location of Okinawa Island
Image:OkinawaOnna1.jpg|Village of Onna
Image:OkinawaOnna2.jpg|Pond
Image:OkinawaOnna3.jpg|Farmland on Okinawa Island
Image:OkinawaOnna4.jpg|A beach on Okinawa
Education
Public elementary and middle schools on the island are operated by the municipalities.
Public high schools are operated by the
Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education.
The
United States Department of Defense operates the following schools for children of military crews:
Transportation
Naha Airport serves the island.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Okinawa Island'.
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