Head of state: Emperor Akihito Prime minister: Yoshihiko Noda
Population
10,884,958
127,368,088
Life Expectancy
58.610 years
83.910 years
Capital City
Tokyo
Largest city
Camayenne (population: 1,871,240)
Tokyo (population: 8,336,600)
Human Development Index
0.423
0.956
GDP per capita
$35,200 US
Literacy Rate
29.5%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
1.6
7.3
Percentage of Women in Parliament
19.3%
12.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Tadashi Yanai & family ($6.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.600%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
republic
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Independence date
660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
Religions
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Languages
French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language
Japanese
Exports
transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
External Debt
$2,719,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
25
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Area
245,857 km sq
377,915 km sq
Coastline
320 km
29,751 km
Climate
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
