The Kagoshima prefecture reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Kagoshima prefecture

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Kagoshima prefecture (鹿児島県 Kagoshima-ken) is located on Kyushu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.

Kagoshima prefecture (鹿児島県)
Kagoshima prefectural symbol
Kagoshima prefectural symbol
CapitalKagoshima
Region:Kyushu
Island:Kyushu
Area
 - Total
 - % water
Ranked 10th
9,132.42 km²
0.2%
Population
 - Total (2000)
 - Density
Ranked 24th
1,786,214
196/km²
Districts:12
Municipalities:96
:JP-46
Symbols
Pref. Flower:Miyamakirishima
(Rhododendron kiusianum)
Pref. Tree:Camphor tree
(Cinnamomum camphora)
Pref. Bird:Lidth's jay
(Garrulus lidthi)
Image:Japan_kagoshima_map_small.png

Table of contents
1 History
2 Geography
3 Economy
4 Demographics
5 Culture
6 Tourism
7 Prefectural symbols
8 Miscellaneous topics
9 External links

History

Geography

Kagoshima prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, Kumamoto prefecture to the north, and Miyazaki prefecture to the east, it has 2,632km of coastline (including the 28 islands). Its position made it a 'gateway' to Japan at various times in history.

The prefecture boasts active and dormant volcanoes, including the great Sakurajima, which towers out of the bay opposite Kagoshima city. A steady trickle of smoke and ash emerges from the caldera, punctuated by louder mini-eruptions on an almost daily basis. On some days in Kagoshima city an umbrella is advisable to ward off the ash. Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes. Major eruptions occurred in 1914, when the island mountain spilled enough material to become permanently connected to the mainland, and a lesser eruption in 1960. Volcanic materials in the soil make Sakurajima a source for world record 'Daikon' radishes, roughly the size of a basketball. Many beaches around Kagoshima Bay (Kinkowan) are littered with well-worn pumice stones. A crater lake in the south western tip of the prefecture, near the spa town of Ibusuki, is home to a rare species of giant eel.

Cities

Districts

Economy

GPP: 4,834,400m
Yen
Agricultural products: Sweet potato, Radish, Satsuma pottery, Pongee rice.

Demographics

Culture

Tourism

Prefectural symbols

Miscellaneous topics

External links


Prefectures of Japan
Aichi | Akita | Aomori | Chiba | Ehime | Fukui | Fukuoka | Fukushima | Gifu | Gunma | Hiroshima | Hokkaido | Hyogo | Ibaraki | Ishikawa | Iwate | Kagawa | Kagoshima | Kanagawa | Kochi | Kumamoto | Kyoto | Mie | Miyagi | Miyazaki | Nagano | Nagasaki | Nara | Niigata | Oita | Okayama | Okinawa | Osaka | Saga | Saitama | Shiga | Shimane | Shizuoka | Tochigi | Tokushima | Tokyo | Tottori | Toyama | Wakayama | Yamagata | Yamaguchi | Yamanashi