Worksheet

GEOGRAPHY OF JAPAN STUDENT WORKSHEET

General Directions: On your outline map, neatly and accurately label the following items. The following hints will make your map easier to understand.

1. Print with small letters.
2. If possible, print the words horizontally.
3. Center names on large area items.
4. For small items such as cities, use a dot and print the name beside the dot.

Put the following items on your outline map:

Using an atlas, answer the following questions:

Size and Comparison

1. Between Japan and the mainland of Asia is found the
_____________________________________________________________

2. Name the two countries located nearest to Japan.
______________________________and ______________________________

3. Name two countries near Japan that are much larger in area than Japan.
______________________________ and ______________________________

4. How does Japan compare in size with California?
______________________________________________________________

5. How does Mt. Fuji compare in height to the highest mountain in the U.S.?
______________________________________________________________

6. How does Mt. Fuji compare in height to the highest mountain in your state?
______________________________________________________________

Climate

7. What U.S. state lies along the same latitude line as Japan's northern-most island?
_______________________________________________________________

8. What U.S. state lies along the same latitude as Japan's southern-most tip?
_______________________________________________________________

9. ______________________________ is a large city in the U.S. at approximately the same latitude as Sapporo.

10. The latitude of Japan is similar to the latitude of the east coast of the United States.
 

True ________ or false ________.

11. Name two other factors besides latitude that influence Japan's climate.
_______________________________________________________________

and
_______________________________________________________________

12. Average winter temperatures in Japan range from _____________ in northern Japan to _____________________ in southern Japan.

13. Average annual precipitation in Japan is ______________________________________

Natural Features

14. Why are there no long or large rivers in Japan?
_________________________________________________________________

15. Why does Japan have little arable land?
_________________________________________________________________

16. Why is most farmland located near the coasts of Japan?
_________________________________________________________________

17. What is the largest island in Japan?
_________________________________________________________________

18. Which Japanese city was devastated by a major earthquake in 1995?
_________________________________________________________________

19. What two kinds of natural disasters have threatened Japan over the centuries?
______________________________ and ________________________________

Population

20. What is the population of Japan? ___________________________

21. What is the population density of Japan? ____________________

22. Which of the four major islands is least densely populated?
_________________________________________________________________

23. Where are areas of high population density generally located?
_________________________________________________________________

24. What is the birth rate in Japan? ____________________________

25. What percentage of the people live in urban areas? _____________

Agriculture

26. What is the main agricultural crop of Japan? ________________

27. Why is fish such a popular source of food in Japan?
__________________________________________________________________

Natural Resources

28. What natural resources does Japan possess?

Map of Japan Online

Adapted from "geography of Japan" by William Miller, Robert Gauksheim, Kathleen Ross, and Kelly Toy, http://www.indiana.edu/~japan/LP/LS28.html