Hokkaido Islands, Location, Geography, Climate Change, Features

Hokkaido Islands are Japan’s northernmost and second largest island, covering 83,423.84 km² and ranking 21st globally by area. It lies north of Honshu, separated by the Tsugaru Strait and close to Russia across the La Pérouse Strait. The island is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west, the Sea of Okhotsk to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south. Sapporo City is located on the Ishikari River and serves as the administrative headquarters. Hokkaido forms a key part of the Japanese Archipelago.

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Hokkaido Islands Features

The major highlighting features of the Hokkaido Islands have been listed below:

• Position in Japanese Archipelago: Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan’s five main islands within the 14,125 Islands of the Japanese Archipelago. 
• Location: It lies near Russia’s Sakhalin Oblast and forms the northern arc of Japan’s island chain stretching over 3,000 km.
• Surrounding Water Bodies: The island is bordered by the Sea of Japan in the west, the Sea of Okhotsk in the north and the Pacific Ocean in the east and south. Key straits include Tsugaru Strait, La Pérouse Strait and Nemuro Strait.
• Area and Relief: With 83,423.84 km² area, it is Japan’s second largest island. The interior is mountainous with volcanic plateaux. Major plains include Ishikari 3,800 km², Tokachi 3,600 km², Kushiro 2,510 km² and Sarobetsu 200 km².
• Rivers: The Ishikari River flows through Sapporo city of Hokkaido. 
• Wetlands: Kushiro Wetland is Japan’s largest wetland and a Ramsar site since 1980. Other wetlands include Lake Utonai and Lake Akkeshi.
• Climate: Hokkaido has a sub arctic climate with 8°C annual average temperature and 1,150 mm rainfall. January averages -9°C in Asahikawa; August averages 21°C. Snowfall reaches 11 metres in western mountains.
• Recent Climate Change: In April 2024, Sapporo recorded 26°C, its earliest summer day. Japan’s temperature has risen 1.28°C per century since 1898. Sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk has reduced thickness by 30% in 30 years.
• Biodiversity: The island has three lineages of Ussuri brown bear, Asia’s largest population outside Russia. Species include Steller’s sea eagle, Yezo sika deer, Ezo red fox and Sakhalin fir.
• Geological Activity: Major earthquakes include 7.7 magnitude in 1993, 8.3 in 2003, 6.6 in 2018 and 6.1 in 2021.
• Volcano: Active volcanoes include Mount Usu, Mount Tokachi and Mount Meakan.

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