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LAND

    Akita Prefecture is located in northwest Honsyu, the main island of Japan, and is approximately 450 km directly north of Tokyo. It is bordered by Iwate Prefecture on the east, Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures on the south, and Aomori Prefecture on the north (Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Honshu). The Japan sea forms Akita's western border.
    Total land area is 11,613.43 km2 , the 6th largest in Japan.
    Akita City, the capital of Akita Prefecture, is located at Approximately 40 degrees N. Lat. And 140 degrees E. Long., along with Beijing, Madrid, the Aegean Sea and Mt. Olympos, New York and San Francisco. Akita City can be reached from Tokyo in 1 hour by plane and less than 4 hours by Bullet train (Akita Shinkansen "KOMACHI").

CLIMATE

    Akita is affected by Asian continental weather, and experiences extreme heat and cold, with the difference in maximum and minimum annual temperatures reaching 40°C. The Tsushima warm current and seasonal winds from Siberia bring heavy snow to mountainous areas, but have less effect on the Japan sea coastal areas.

POPULATION (2000)

    Total population 1,189,279
    Number of households 389,190
    People per household 3.06
    Annual rate of increaseΔ 0.20
    Population density (per sq. km) 102.4

PREFECTURAL ACCOUNTS (2003)

    (100 million yen)
    Gross domestic product at current prices 38,343
    All industries 32,393
    Agriculture, forestry and fisheries 1,271
    Mining 112
    Manufacturing 5,031
    Construction 3,405
    Electricity, gas and water supply 1,270
    Wholesale and retail trade 4,778
    Finance and insurance 1,943
    Real estate 5,115
    Transport and communication 2,248
    Services 7,220

MINING AND MANUFACTURING (2004)

    Value of manufactured goods shipments, etc. (100 million yen)
    Electrical machinery 5,704
    Wood and lumber 881
    Food 1,046
    Apparel 490
    Industrial machinery 1098
    Transportation Equipment 456
    Fabricated metals 549

TRANSPORT (2002)

    Rail
    @ Freight transport(1,000t) 1,370
    Passenger transport(1,000 people) 18,922
    Motor veicles
    @ Road Transporters 524
    Vehicles 9,226
    Passenger transport(1,000 people) 21,480
    Aircraft
    @ Freight transport(t) 3,905.6
    Passenger transport(1,000 people) 1,453

FOREIGN TRADE (2004)

    Exports by product
    Total(million yen) 21,983
    Sulfuric acid 1,734
    Craft paper 1,019
    Pulp 2,969
    Other chemical products 511
    Others 15,750
    Imports by product
    Total(million yen) 77,503
    Coal 12,845
    Zine ore 12,256
    Lumber 12,115
    Logs 10,634
    Others 29,653