Ryukyu Islands

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The Ryukyu Islands or Nansei Islands (南西諸島 Nansei-shotō, which translates literally as "southwest islands"), are an island chain stretching southwestward from the island of Kyushu in Japan. The portion south of Yoron belongs to Okinawa Prefecture, and the portion north of Yoron belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture. The archipelago is home to the Ryukyuan languages.

The islands have a subtropical climate with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very high, and is affected by the rainy season and typhoons.

History & modern independence movement

Main article: Ryukyuan history

The Ryukyu Kingdom was once an independent kingdom occupying the island chain, from Yonaguni Island in the southwest to Amami Oshima in the north. In 1372, it obtained tributary status to the Chinese emperor. A 1609 expedition from Satsuma on Kyushu captured the kingdom. After that, the kings of the Ryukyus paid tribute to the Japanese shogun as well as the Chinese emperor.

In 1879, the Meiji government announced the annexation of the Ryukyus. China objected and the ex-President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant was asked to arbitrate. He decided that Japan's claim to the islands was stronger and ruled in Japan's favor. The claims of the indigenous Ryukyuans to the land were ignored.

Today, there are a host of problems arising from the Ryukyus' history. Some Ryukyuans and some Japanese feel that people from the Ryukyus are not "real" Japanese. Some natives of the Ryukyus claim that the central government is discriminating against the islanders by allowing so many American soldiers to be stationed on bases in Okinawa with a minimal presence on the mainland.

Many popular singers and musical groups come from the Ryukyus. These include (among many others) the pop group Begin, singer Amuro Namie and the group Da Pump. See also Ryukyuan songs.

People

The Ryukyuans are known for their longevity. The Okinawa Centenarian Study attributes this phenomenon to a combination of diet, exercise, and lifestyle practices.

Ecology

Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests

The Ryukyu Islands are recognized by ecologists as a distinct subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion. The flora and fauna of the islands have much in common with Taiwan, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia, and are part of the Indomalaya ecozone.

Coral reefs

The coral reefs of the Ryukyus are one of the World Wildlife Fund's Global 200 ecoregions. The reefs are endangered by sedimentation and eutrophication, mostly a result of agriculture, as well as damage from fishing.

Major islands

Nansei Islands
- Satsunan Islands
  - Osumi Islands: Tanegashima, Yakushima, Kuchinoerabushima, Mageshima
  - Tokara Islands: Kuchinoshima, Nakanoshima, Suwanosejima, Akusekijima, Tairajima, Kodakarajima, Takarajima
- Ryukyu proper (Ryūkyū Shotō)
  - Amami Islands: Amami Ōshima, Kikaigashima, Kakeromajima, Yoroshima, Ukeshima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, Yoronjima
  - Okinawa Islands: Okinawa Island (aka. Okinawan mainland, Okinawa hontō), Kumejima, Iheyajima, Izenajima, Agunijima, Iejima
    - Kerama Islands: Tokashikijima, Zamamijima, Akajima, Gerumajima
    - Daitō Islands: Kita daitō, Mimami daitō, Oki daitō
  - Miyako Islands: Miyakojima, Ikema, Ogami, Irabu, Shimoji, Kurima, Minna, Tarama
  - Yaeyama Islands: Iriomote, Ishigaki, Taketomi, Kohama, Kuroshima, Aragusuku, Hatoma, Yubujima, Hateruma, Yonaguni
  - Senkaku Islands: Uotsurijima

Note: for some of the island names above, the suffix -jima, -shima, and -gashima can be interchanged, omitted, or appended. The suffix means "island." In general, the islands are listed from north to south where possible.

Reference

This article incorporates text from OpenHistory.

External link