Izu Islands

The Izu Islands (Japanese伊豆 诸岛, Izu - shotō ) are a chain of islands extending south-east of the Izu Peninsula of the island of Honshu to the south of the Pacific. They lie approximately 100 to 350 km from the Japanese capital Tōkyō to their prefecture they belong administratively.

The islands are of volcanic origin and geologically belong to the Izu - Bonin - Mariana island arc. With the 290 km further south-southeast and also located on this island arc belonging Ogasawara Islands, they are combined to form the " Southern Islands " ( Nampo - shotō ). They are the northeastern boundary of the Philippine Sea.

The Izu Islands form part of the Fuji -Hakone -Izu National Park, is an area known for its natural beauty and for water recreation area of Greater Tōkyō. In good weather, many trippers for swimming, diving, fishing and surfing on the islands. On the island chain are amongst the most notable and largest breeding colonies of Japanalks, a species of bird in the family of the Auks.

Islands

The island chain is formed of the following islands:

Population

Izu - Oshima, also briefly Ōshima is the northernmost and largest island, and has the highest population of all the Izu Islands. As the next island located in Tōkyō it is by many tourists because of its central location, active volcano ( Mihara, 758 m) attended. Hachijo -jima is with only a slightly lower population even after the area the second largest island in the chain.

In criminal law, the Tokugawa Shogunate the islands, especially Hachijo -jima and Izu - Oshima served as a place of exile for criminals from eastern Japan, ie Mino Province and east of it.

The 3,000 residents of Miyake- jima were evacuated in 2000 because of a be announcing the outbreak of Oyama and returned in the summer of 2005, mainly back.

Administrative divisions of the island chain

Administrative affiliation of the islands to municipalities:

  • Sub-prefecture Ōshima   Ōshima: Izu - Oshima
  • Toshima: Toshima
  • Niijima: Niijima ( with satellite islands Hanshima and Jinai -tō ), Shikine -jima, -shima Udone
  • Kozushima: Kōzu -shima
  • Miyake: Miyake- jima and Ōnohara -jima
  • Mikurajima: Mikura -jima and Inamba -jima
  • Hachijo: Hachijo -jima and Hachijo- kojima
  • Aogashima: Aogashima
  • Free community area ( de facto): Bayonnaise Rocks, Sumisu -tō, Torishima and Sōfugan

For the Bayonnaise Rocks, Sumisu -tō, Torishima and Sōfugan is undecided whether to the community or Hachijo Aogashima slammed with which they are de facto community free.

Volcanism Udone-shima Shikine-jima Miyake-jima Mikura-jima Inamba-jima Smith Island (Japan) Aogashima, Tokyo
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