Stretching for 1300 kilometers, Ryukyu once was a kingdom embracing the Amami Islands south of Kyushu, Japan, all the
way further south to Hateruma and Yonaguni Islands, the latter situated east of Taiwan.
Ryukyu's major island was what we today call Okinawa main island, the largest of more than 160 islands. Okinawa is also the name
of the second largest city on the main island and the name of Japan's southernmost prefecture.
Most of the population and the agricultural areas, which produce sugarcane, sweet potatoes, and rice, exist in the southern half of the island. Fishing and tourism are also important island industries. Okinawa is prone to Pacific Ocean tropical storms and typhoons, which can cause extensive damage to the infrastructure of the island. US airforce and navy facilities spread over one fifth of the island's area -- a heavy environmental burden for this small island.
This site concentrates on the district of Nanjo-City, while the information provided represent an independent, solely personal view without favors.
