Okinawa prefecture
沖縄県
おきなわけん
Located in the southernmost, westernmost part of Japan, the Okinawan
archipelago extends east and west 1000 kilometers and north and
south 400 kilometers. It is composed of 160 small and large islands,
50 of which are populated. Only part of Japan located in the subtropical
zone. The kingdom of Ryukyu ruled for 450 years, from 1429, when
the first Sho dynasty was founded by Sho Hashi, to
1879, when the Meiji government made Okinawa a prefecture of Japan
and ended the second Sho dynasty. From the fifteenth to the
seventeenth centuries, Ryukyu made use of its advantageous geographical
position and flourished from vigorous trade with China and Southeast
Asia. Under the influence of its overseas trading partners, textiles,
lacquerware, ceramics, and performing arts developed to shape Okinawa's
distinctive culture.
At the end of World War II, Okinawa became the scene of a battle
fought on Japanese soil between Japan and Allied troops. The island
was occupied by the United States at the end of the war, but reverted
to Japanese sovereignty in 1972. U.S. military bases cover 11 %
of the total territory of Okinawa. The major industries are in the
tertiary sector, mainly tourism. Pop.: approx. 1,325,000 (2001).
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