- Also called:
- Nansei Islands
- Japanese:
- Ryūkyū-Shotō, or Nansei-Shotō
- Ryukyuan:
- Okinawa
Ryukyu Islands
-
What are the Ryukyu Islands?
The Ryukyu Islands are an archipelago that stretches approximately 700 miles (1,100 km) southwest from Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan, to Taiwan's northeast. They mark the divide between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea.
These islands consist of 55 islands and islets, which are divided into three main groups: the Amami Islands in the north, the Okinawa Islands in the center, and the Sakishima Islands in the south. The islands are under Japanese administration, with the Amami group forming the southern part of Kagoshima prefecture and the Okinawa and Sakishima islands forming the Okinawa prefecture.
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Where are the Ryukyu Islands located?
The Ryukyu Islands are an archipelago that stretches for about 700 miles (1,100 km) southwest from Kyushu, the southernmost Japanese island, to northeastern Taiwan. They define the boundary between the East China Sea to the west and the Philippine Sea to the east. The Ryukyus consist of 55 islands and islets and are divided into three major groups: the Amami Islands in the north, the Okinawa Islands in the center, and the Sakishima Islands in the south. Administratively, the Ryukyus are part of Japan.
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Which are the main islands in the Ryukyu chain?
The Ryukyu Islands are an archipelago stretching from Kyushu to Taiwan, marking the boundary between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The archipelago is divided into three major groups: the Amami Islands in the north, the Okinawa Islands in the center, and the Sakishima Islands in the south.
The two largest islands in the Ryukyu chain are Okinawa (1,204 square km) and Amami Great Island (712 square km). The larger islands are mainly volcanic and mountainous, while the smaller ones are coralline and relatively flat.
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What kind of climate do the Ryukyu Islands have?
The Ryukyu Islands have a subtropical climate with considerable rainfall and are subject to annual typhoons. The climate is influenced by the islands' latitudinal extent, surrounding oceans, and proximity to the Asian landmass. The warm Kuroshio (Japan Current) flows through the islands, moderating temperatures. Summers are long and hot, from April or May to September or October. Winters are short and mild, with occasional snow in the mountains and lower elevations in the north.
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What are some unique cultural aspects of the Ryukyu Islands?
The Ryukyu Islands possess a unique cultural blend influenced by Japan and China, yet they maintain their own distinct identity. The Ryukyuans developed indigenous musical forms and a local textile craft on Okinawa. The Ryukyuan language consists of three dialect groups corresponding to the main island clusters.
Shinto, the ethnic religion of Japan, is characterized by shrine festivals called matsuri. These festivals include purification rites, prayers, sacred music and dance, and a feast. The kami (deity or sacred power) is often taken out in a procession in a portable shrine.
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How have the Ryukyu Islands influenced Japanese history and culture?
The Ryukyu Islands have a complex history marked by periods of both Chinese and Japanese influence. Though the Ryukyuan language is related to Japanese, the distinct dialects are mutually unintelligible with Japanese.
From the 14th to 19th centuries, both Chinese and Japanese sovereignty were imposed on the archipelago. In 1879, the Ryukyus became an integral part of Japan. Today, Okinawan culture shares many traits with Japanese culture, though there is a desire among Okinawans to maintain their distinct cultural identity.
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Ryukyu Islands, archipelago, extending some 700 miles (1,100 km) southwestward from the southern Japanese island of Kyushu to northeastern Taiwan. The archipelago defines the boundary between the East China Sea (west) and the Philippine Sea (east). With a total land area of 1,193 square miles (3,090 square km), the Ryukyus consist of 55 islands and islets divided into three major groups: the Amami island chain in the north, the central Okinawa islands, and the Sakishima islands in the south. Administratively, the Ryukyus are part of Japan, the Amami group constituting a southern extension of Kyushu’s Kagoshima prefecture (ken) and the Okinawa and Sakishima islands making up Okinawa prefecture.
The two largest islands are Okinawa (465 square miles [1,204 square km]) and Amami Great Island (275 square miles [712 square km]). The larger islands are generally volcanic in origin and have mountainous terrain, while most of the smaller islands are coralline and relatively flat. The climate is subtropical with considerable rainfall, and the archipelago is subject to annual typhoons.
The people of the islands are thought to be descendants of Japanese and Southeast Asians who migrated to the Ryukyus in prehistoric times. The Ryukyuan language, which is classified with Japanese, consists of three dialect groups corresponding to the main island clusters. There is no mutual intelligibility between these dialects and Japanese nor among the dialect groups. Japanese is commonly spoken by the majority of the Ryukyuans, but local dialects are also used.
Culturally, the Ryukyuans have been subjected to both Japanese and Chinese influence. Nonetheless, they developed indigenous musical forms and, on Okinawa, a local textile craft. In ancient times the islands formed an independent kingdom. Chinese and Japanese sovereignty were successively forced on the archipelago from the 14th to the 19th century, and in 1879 the Ryukyus became an integral part of Japan.
After the defeat of Japan (1945) in World War II, the United States took control of the islands. The military government was replaced in 1951 by a civil administration based in Naha (on Okinawa), the islands’ largest city. The chief executive, who originally was appointed by the U.S. high commissioner, was elected by the legislature in 1966. His election was made popular two years later. By terms of the treaty ending World War II (1952), the United States recognized Japan’s residual sovereignty over the Ryukyus, and the Amami island chain was returned in 1953. Following a second treaty signed in 1971, the remaining islands were returned in 1972. The United States continues to maintain a large number of military installations and thousands of troops on Okinawa Island.
The Ryukyus are primarily rural. Agriculture is the dominant occupation, with sweet potatoes and rice the staple crops. Sugar and canned pineapples are among the leading exports. Tuna fishing is increasingly important. Traditional industries include lacquer and pottery manufacture; newer enterprises produce industrial compounds. Tourism has become a major component of the economy. Okinawa University, Kokusai University, and the University of the Ryukyus are all located on Okinawa.