Moving on from the last geography blog, today we will be looking at the geography of Japan; specifically, we will be looking at the human and physical attributes of the country.
Task 1
Your first task for today is to watch the video below and to use what you learn to answer the following question. In geography, what is the difference between a human and physical feature? Write your explanation in the comments
Task 2
Read through the information given below. Follow this by reading the selection of statements given; use the text to decide whether the statements are true or false, or to answers the questions.
Select at least 2 cards; please write the statements and the evidence you have found to support your answer. It would be great if you could use these to create PEE Paragraphs.
Japan’s islands are the exposed parts of mountain chains that rise abruptly from the ocean floor. Some rise from extreme depthsโto the east, the Japan Trench plunges to nearly 28,000 feet (8,500 m) below sea level, the Kuril Trench to more than 32,000 feet (10,000m).
About four-fifths of Japan is either hilly or mountainous. Several hundred peaks rise more than 6,500 feet (2,000 m) above sea level. In central Honshu, especially in what are sometimes called the Japanese Alps, numerous peaks crest between 8,000 and 10,500 feet (2,400 and 3,200 m). Fujiyama, a 12,389-foot (3,776-m) volcanic cone southwest of Tokyo, is the country’s highest mountain.
Plains and relatively flat areas account for about a fifth of Japan’s total area and occur mainly along the coast. Except for the Kanto Plain, on which Tokyo is situated, all are comparatively small. They are, however, of great significance as centers of farming, manufacturing, and population.
Japan lies in a volcanic, earthquake-prone belt called the Ring of Fire, which fringes most of the Pacific basin. About 50 of Japan’s 192 volcanoes are classed as active although few erupt. Earthquakes are frequent; most, however, are only minor tremors that do little or no damage. A notable exception was the earthquake of 1923 that devastated Tokyo and Yokohama, killing 100,000 people.
The rivers of Japan are generally short and swift. The longest is the Shinano, some 230 miles (370 km) in length. Many of the rivers are used for hydroelectric power and to irrigate lowland rice fields. Navigation is of no importance except in the mouths of some of the rivers. Floods, especially those caused by torrential typhoon rains, sometimes cause widespread damage and many deaths.
Virtually all the lakes of Japan are small. The largest is Biwa Lake, covering some 265 square miles (686 km 2 ) on Honshu. Hot springs, associated with underground volcanic activity, are numerous.
Japan has some 16,000 miles (26,000 km) of coastline. Much of the coast is rocky and deeply indented by bays and inlets. The Inland Sea, between Honshu, Shikoku. and Kyushu, is a scenic and generally placid arm of the Pacific, dotted by hundreds of islands
Challenge: can you sort the statements into human or physical features. Create two lists.
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