|BNational holiday|N: Foundation Day, February 11.
|BNature and climate|N: A 3800 km long, bended chain of four big and more than 3900 small islands between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. Almost all of the islands are very mountainous. More than 80% of the area are mountainous with more than 580 peaks reaching over 2000 m.a.s.l. Highest peak is the holy mountain Fuji, an extincted volcano, reaching 3776 m.a.s.l. 30 volcanoes are still active. Earthquakes are frequent.
The great distance between the southern and northern parts makes great differences in vegetation. In south there are rainforests and in the north defoliating forests. As Japan in centuries have been very densely populated the fauna is threatened. There are bears, deers, wild boars and many sepcies of birds, but many species are extincted.
The climate is a tempered monsoonclimate and warm streams in the Ocean give a much warmer climate than continents on the same latitude. Average temperature in January between +4 and +6°C in the southern parts and between -6 and -10°C in the northern parts. In July 25°C in the southern parts and +16°C in the north. Percipitation between 1000 and 2500 mm, most on the South and East sides of the islands.
|BPeople|N: 99% Japanese. A small ethnic group, the Ainos, still live in the interior of Hokkaido and is probably a remainder of an aboriginal population.
