Koshikijima Islands
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Native name: 甑島列島 Koshikishima Rettō | |
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  Koshikijima Islands Location in Japan | |
| Geography | |
| Location | East China Sea |
| Coordinates | 31°45′12″N 129°47′03″E / 31.75328°N 129.78424°E |
| Archipelago | yes |
| Total islands | 11 |
| Major islands | 3 |
| Area | 118.68 km2 (45.82 sq mi) |
| Length | 39 km (24.2 mi) |
| Width | 11 km (6.8 mi) |
| Administration | |
Japan | |
| Prefecture | Kagoshima Prefecture |
| City | Satsumasendai |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 5576 (2010) |
| Pop. density | 47/km2 (122/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Japanese |
The Koshikijima Islands (甑島列島, Koshikishima-rettō[1]) in the East China Sea are an island chain located 38 kilometres (21 nmi; 24 mi) west of the port city of Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima.
Major islands[edit]
| Island | Coordinates | area, km² | population (2010) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamikoshiki-jima (上甑島) | 31°50′05″N 129°53′20″E / 31.834790°N 129.888989°E | 45.08 | 2488 |
| Naka-Koshiki-jima (中甑島) | 31°48′08″N 129°49′38″E / 31.802107°N 129.827191°E | 7.29 | 308 |
| Shimokoshiki-jima (下甑島) | 31°42′15″N 129°43′25″E / 31.704047°N 129.723703°E | 66.27 | 2780 |
Minor islands[edit]
All minor islands are currently (as of 2017) uninhabited.
| Island | Coordinates | area, km² |
|---|---|---|
| No-jima (野島) | 31°51′58″N 129°57′38″E / 31.866071°N 129.960427°E | 0.11 |
| Chika-jima (近島) | 31°51′05″N 129°57′01″E / 31.851494°N 129.950236°E | 0.10 |
| Futago-jima (双子島) | 31°51′44″N 129°58′34″E / 31.862180°N 129.976023°E | 0.05 |
| Okinoshima (沖の島) | 31°51′52″N 129°59′03″E / 31.864498°N 129.984074°E | 0.02 |
| Benkei-jima (弁慶島)# | 31°46′25″N 129°50′04″E / 31.773680°N 129.834574°E | 0.02 |
| Kasetō (筒島) | 31°52′01″N 129°57′12″E / 31.866938°N 129.953346°E | 0.02 |
| Napoleon Rock | 31°42′11″N 129°41′14″E / 31.703060°N 129.687216°E | 0.01 |
| Yurashima (由良島)[2] | 31°44′35″N 129°45′19″E / 31.743005°N 129.755239°E | 0.01 |
| Matsushima (松島) | 31°52′00″N 129°56′54″E / 31.866748°N 129.948315°E | 0.004 |
- seems to undergo significant erosion and may disappear
History[edit]
The islands once consisted of 14 villages, belonging to Shikijima-gun, Satsuma Province (Satsuma no Kuni) during the Meiji period. In 1889, the islands were consolidated into Kami-Koshiki and Shimo-Koshiki villages. In 1897, the islands were merged with Satsuma-gun. Later, Kashima village and Sato village broke off, for a total of four villages. In 2004, during "the great Heisei merger", the villages were merged with the city of Sendai, on the coast of Kyushu.
Important Bird Area[edit]
The islands have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support populations of Japanese wood pigeons and Pleske's grasshopper warblers.[3]
Attractions[edit]
The cruise course visiting many scenic coastal rocks and islets is available from Shimo-Koshiki island.[4]
External links[edit]
- ^ Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, Teikoku-Shoin Co., Ltd. Tokyo, ISBN 4-8071-0004-1
- ^ Yurajima photo
- ^ "Koshikijima islands". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ 甑島：国内屈指の断崖･奇岩クルージング！（観光船かのこ）
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