Shikoku

[shee-kaw-koo]

Shikoku, island (1990 pop. 4,240,265), 7,247 sq mi (18,770 sq km), S Japan, separated from Honshu and Kyushu by the Inland Sea. The smallest of the major islands of Japan, its high mountains and steep slopes limit agriculture and impede communication; there are no volcanoes. Shikoku's climate is humid subtropical. Rice, grains, mulberry, palms, and camphor are the chief products. Fishing and salt production are important, along with the petroleum, metal, paper, and textile industries. A large copper mine is located at Besshi. Population is concentrated along the coast; Takamatsu and Matsuyama are the largest cities.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press

Shikoku

Smallest main island (pop., 2004 est.: 4,111,000) of Japan. It is located south of Honshu and east of Kyushu. Much of its 7,065 sq mi (18,298 sq km) is mountainous, and the population is concentrated in urban areas along the coast. Rice, barley, wheat, and mandarin oranges are among the island's major crops. Industries include petroleum refining, textiles, paper, and fishing.

Learn more about Shikoku with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Shikoku, Japan

See Shikoku

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia © 2001-2006 Wikipedia contributors (Disclaimer)
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Friday July 12, 2002 at 15:08:28 PDT (GMT -0700)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation