Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Japan (2002) - Madagascar (2004) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Japan (2002) - Madagascar (2004)

Compare Japan (2002) z Madagascar (2004)

 Japan (2002)Madagascar (2004)
 JapanMadagascar
Administrative divisions 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 9,465,282; female 8,999,888)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 43,027,320; female 42,586,112)


65 years and over: 18% (male 9,664,112; female 13,231,914) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 3,935,523; female 3,922,077)


15-64 years: 52% (male 4,509,877; female 4,596,662)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 245,168; female 292,564) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Airports 173 (2001) 116 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 141


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 37


1,524 to 2,437 m: 38


914 to 1,523 m: 27


under 914 m: 32 (2002)
total: 29


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 31 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 27 (2002)
total: 87


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 42


under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)
Area total: 377,835 sq km


land: 374,744 sq km


water: 3,091 sq km


note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
total: 587,040 sq km


land: 581,540 sq km


water: 5,500 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than California slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Background While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth. Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner.
Birth rate 10.03 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 41.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $441 billion


expenditures: $718 billion, including capital expenditures (public works only) of about $84 billion
revenues: $739.6 million


expenditures: $1.071 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2003)
Capital Tokyo Antananarivo
Climate varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Coastline 29,751 km 4,828 km
Constitution 3 May 1947 19 August 1992 by national referendum
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Japan
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar


conventional short form: Madagascar


local long form: Republique de Madagascar


local short form: Madagascar


former: Malagasy Republic
Currency yen (JPY) Malagasy franc (MGF)
Death rate 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $NA $4.6 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr.


embassy: 1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420


mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 205, APO AP 96337-5004


telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000


FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862


consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo


consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT


embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101


mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo


telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56


FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO


chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700


FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187


consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle


consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA


chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526


FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, claimed by Japan; Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Tokdo) disputed with South Korea; Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Economic aid - donor ODA, $9.1 billion (1999) (1999) -
Economic aid - recipient - $354 million (2001)
Economy - overview Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) have helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and third largest economy in the world after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s largely because of the aftereffects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000-02 by the slowing of the US and Asian economies. The crowding of habitable land area and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength, with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots". Internal conflict over the proper means to reform the ailing banking system will continue in 2003. Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.
Electricity - consumption 943.71 billion kWh (2000) 772.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.015 trillion kWh (2000) 830.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 61%


hydro: 9%


nuclear: 29%


other: 2% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m


highest point: Fujiyama 3,776 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered
Environment - international agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914) (2000) Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Exchange rates yen per US dollar - 132.66 (January 2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), 130.91 (1998), 120.99 (1997) Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,210 (2003), 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)


head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 24 April 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the Diet designates the prime minister; the constitution requires that the prime minister must command a parliamentary majority, therefore, following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister


note: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshiro MORI, Junichiro KOIZUMI was elected as the new president of the majority Liberal Democratic Party, and soon thereafter designated by the Diet to become the next prime minister
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%
Exports $383.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners US 30.1%, China 7.7%, South Korea 6.3%, Taiwan 6.0%, Hong Kong 5.8% (2001) France 37.4%, US 29.2%, Germany 5.5%, Mauritius 5.2% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.55 trillion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $13.02 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 31%


services: 68% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 34.5%


industry: 7.8%


services: 57.7% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -0.3% (2002 est.) 6% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 36 00 N, 138 00 E 20 00 S, 47 00 E
Geography - note strategic location in northeast Asia world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
Heliports 15 (2002) -
Highways total: 1,152,207 km


paved: 863,003 km (including 6,114 km of expressways)


unpaved: 289,204 km (1997 est.)
total: 49,827 km


paved: 5,780 km


unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 5%


highest 10%: 22% (1993)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 29% (1999)
Illicit drugs - illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
Imports $292.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles (2001) capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners US 18.1%, China 16.6%, South Korea 4.9%, Taiwan 4.1%, Indonesia 4.3% (2001 est.) China 14.2%, France 13.2%, South Africa 6.4%, Iran 6.2% (2003)
Independence 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu) 26 June 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate -1.4% (2002 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Industries among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals; textiles, processed foods meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Infant mortality rate 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 78.52 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.9% (2002 est.) 8% (2003 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 73 (2000) -
Irrigated land 26,790 sq km (1998 est.) 10,900 sq km (2000 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet) Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Labor force 67.7 million (December 2000 ) 7.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation services 70%, industry 25%, agriculture 5% (2002 est.) -
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 86.86% (1998 est.)
arable land: 5.07%


permanent crops: 1.03%


other: 93.91% (2001)
Languages Japanese French (official), Malagasy (official)
Legal system modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or Sangi-in (247 seats - formerly 252; one-half of the members elected every three years - 73 seats of which are elected from the 47 multi-seat prefectural districts and 48 of which are elected from a single nationwide list; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - 180 of which are elected from 11 regional blocks on a proportional representation basis and 300 of which are elected from 300 single-seat districts; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Councillors - last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2004); House of Representatives - last held 25 June 2000 (next must be held by June 2004, but may occur sooner)


election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 110, DPJ 59, Komeito 23, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, Conservative Party 5, independents 14; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: LDP 115, DPJ 60, Komeito 24, JCP 20, SDP 8, Liberal Party 8, independents 6, others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDP 233, DPJ 127, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20, SDP 19, other 28; note - the distribution of seats as of January 2002 is: LDP 242, DPJ 126, Komeito 31, Liberal Party 22, JCP 20, SDP 19, NCP 7, other 13
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); Senate (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year terms)


elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.91 years


male: 77.73 years


female: 84.25 years (2002 est.)
total population: 56.54 years


male: 54.19 years


female: 58.96 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (1970 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.9%


male: 75.5%


female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
Location Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Map references Asia Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM; between 3 NM and 12 NM in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath
Merchant marine total: 615 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,995,839 GRT/14,405,159 DWT


ships by type: bulk 133, cargo 48, chemical tanker 17, combination bulk 24, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 50, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 189, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea passenger 6, vehicle carrier 54


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT


by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2


registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
Military branches Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Japanese Coast Guard People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $40,774.3 million (FY01) $69.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (FY01) 1.2% (2003)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 29,644,498 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 25,637,387 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 765,817 (2002 est.) males: 169,186 (2004 est.)
National holiday Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933) Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Nationality noun: Japanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Japanese
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)


adjective: Malagasy
Natural hazards many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
Natural resources negligible mineral resources, fish graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 84 km; petroleum products 322 km; natural gas 1,800 km -
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Yukio HATOYAMA, leader, Naoto KAN, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Tetsuzo FUWA, chairman, Tadayeshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito [Takenori KANZAKI, president, Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president, Taku YAMASAKI, secretary general]; Liberal Party [Ichiro OZAWA, president, Hirohisa FUJII, secretary general]; New Conservative Party or NCP [Takeshi NODA, president, Toshihiro NIKAI, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Takako DOI, chairperson, Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, secretary general] Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
Population 126,974,628 (July 2002 est.) 17,501,871 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 71% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.15% (2002 est.) 3.03% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima, Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Radio broadcast stations AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001) AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios 120.5 million (1997) -
Railways total: 23,654 km (15,895 km electrified)


standard gauge: 3,059 km 1.435-m gauge (entirely electrified)


narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (entirely electrified); 20,491 km 1.067-m gauge (12,732 km electrified); 27 km 0.762-m gauge (entirely electrified) (2000)
total: 732 km


narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Religions observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%) indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 20 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international service


domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind


international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via Guam) (1999)
general assessment: system is above average for the region


domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions


international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 60.381 million (1997) 59,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 63.88 million (2000) 279,500 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 211 plus 7,341 repeaters


note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly rugged and mountainous narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Total fertility rate 1.42 children born/woman (2002 est.) 5.7 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 5.4% (2002) 5.9% (1998)
Waterways 1,770 km approximately


note: seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas
600 km (2004)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.