MEXT, as of +2005 about 75.9 percent of high school graduates attend a university, junior college, trade school, or other higher education institution. [«School Education» MEXT 2007]
The two top-ranking universities in Japan are the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University. [TOP - 100 ». Global Universities Ranking 2010] [«QS World University Rankings 2010» 2010] The Programme for International Student Assessment coordinated by the OECD currently ranks the overall knowledge and skills of Japanese 15 - year-olds as sixth best in the world. [«OECD's PISA survey shows some countries making significant gains in learning outcomes»]
2. Geography/climate
Japan has a total of 6,852 islands extending along the Pacific coast of East Asia. [«Facts and Figures of Japan 2007 01: Land». Foreign Press Center Japan] [Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications »2010.] The main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaid ?, Honsh ?, Shikoku and Ky? Sh ?. The Ry? Ky? Islands, including Okinawa, are a chain to the south of Ky? Sh ?. Together they are often known as the Japanese Archipelago. [McCargo, Duncan (2000). Contemporary Japan. Macmillan. pp. 8-11]
About 73 percent of Japan is forested, mountainous, and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial, or residential use. [«Japan». US Department of State] As a result, the habitable zones, mainly located in coastal areas, have extremely high population densities. Japan is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. [«World Population Prospects» 2007]
The islands of Japan are located in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. They are primarily the result of large oceanic movements occurring over hundreds of millions of years Japan was originally attached to the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent. The subducting plates pulled Japan eastward, opening the Sea of ??Japan around 15 million years ago. [Barnes, Gina L. (2003). «Origins of the Japanese Islands»] has 108 active volcanoes. Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunami, occur several times each century. [«Tectonics and Volcanoes of Japan» 2007] The 1923 Tokyo earthquake killed over 140,000 people [James, CD (2002). «The 1 923 Tokyo Earthquake and Fire»] More recent major quakes are the тисяча дев'ятсот дев'яносто-п'ять Great Hanshin earthquake and the +2011 T? Hoku earthquake, a 9.0 - magnitude [«USGS analysis as of 2011-03-12». Earthquake.usgs.gov. 2011] quake which hit Japan on 11 March 2011, and triggered a large tsunami. [Fackler, Martin; Drew, Kevin (11 March 2011). «Devastation as Tsunami Crashes Into Japan»]
The climate of Japan is predominantly temperate, but varies greatly from north to south. Japan's geographical features divide it into six principal climatic zones: Hokkaid ?, Sea of ??Japan, Central Highland, Seto Inland Sea, Pacific Ocean, and Ry? Ky? Islands. The northernmost zone, Hokkaido, has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and very warm to cool summers. Precipitation is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snowbanks in the winter. [Karan, Pradyumna Prasad; Gilbreath, Dick (2005). Japan in the 21st century pp. 18-21, 41]
In the Sea of ??Japan zone on Honsh? 's west coast, northwest winter winds bring heavy snowfall. In the summer, the region is cooler than the Pacific area, though it sometimes experiences extremely hot te mperatures because of the foehn wind. The Central Highland has a typical inland humid continental climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter, and between day and night; precipitation is light, though winters are usually snowy. The mountains of the Ch? Goku and Shiko ku regions shelter the Seto Inland Sea from seasonal winds, bringing mild weather year-round.
The Pacific coast features a humid subtropical climate that experiences milder winters with occasional snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. The Ryukyu Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season. The generally humid, temperate climate exhibits marked seasonal variation such as the blooming of the spring cherry blossoms, the calls of the summer cicada and fall foliage colors that are celebrated in art and literature.
The average winter temperature in Japan is 5.1 ° C (41.2 ° F) and the average summer temperature is 25.2 ° C (77.4 ° F). [«Climate» JNTO] The main rainy season begins in early May in Okinawa, and the rain front gradually moves north until reaching Hokkaid? in late July. In most of Honsh ?, the rainy season begins before the middle of June and lasts about six weeks. In lat e summer and early autumn,...
