Fukui Prefecture

Fukui Prefecture
福井県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
  Japanese 福井県
  Rōmaji Fukui-ken

Flag
Country Japan
Region Chūbu (Hokuriku)
Island Honshū
Capital Fukui
Government
  Governor Issei Nishikawa
Area
  Total 4,188.99 km2 (1,617.38 sq mi)
Area rank 34th
Population (June 1, 2013)
  Total 795,437
  Rank 43rd
  Density 189.93/km2 (491.9/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code JP-18
Districts 7
Municipalities 17
Flower Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta)
Tree Pine tree (Pinus)
Bird Dusky thrush (Turdus naumanni)
Website www.pref.fukui.jp/english/
Current map of Fukui Prefecture
Row of sakura, Asuwa River, Fukui, Fukui

Fukui Prefecture (福井県 Fukui-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island.[1] The capital is the city of Fukui.[2]

Prehistory

The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded animals such as the megaraptoran Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis, hadrosauroid Fukuisaurus tetoriensis, coelurosaurian Fukuivenator paradoxus and titanosauriform Fukuititan nipponensis as well as an unnamed dromaeosaurid.

History

Fukui originally consisted of the old provinces of Wakasa and Echizen, before the prefecture was formed in 1871.[3]

During the Edo period, the daimyō of the region was surnamed Matsudaira, and was a descendant of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

During World War II, the city was heavily bombed and its palace, surrounded by a moat, was demolished. The Fukui Prefectural government buildings were built on the site.

Geography

The province faces the Sea of Japan, and has a western part (formerly Wakasa) which is a narrow plain between the mountains and the sea, and a larger eastern part (formerly Echizen) with wider plains including the capital and most of the population. The mountain side of the eastern part has much snow in winter.

As of 31 March 2008, 15% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Hakusan National Park; Echizen-Kaga Kaigan and Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Parks; and Okuetsu Kōgen Prefectural Natural Park.[4]

Cities

Nine cities are located in Fukui Prefecture:

Towns

These are the towns in each district:

Mergers

Economy

Demographics

Fukui is one of the less populated prefectures of Japan; in September 2015 there were an estimated 785,508 people living in 281,394 households.[6] As seen in most of Japan, Fukui is facing the problem of both an aging and decreasing population; 28.6% of the population were over the age of 65 in July 2015[6] and the population has decreased 2.6% from the 806,000 measured in the October 2010 national census.[7]

Culture

Friendship cities

Education

University

Transportation

Railroad

Road

Expressway and Toll Road

National Highway

Port

Tsuruga Port

Tourism

Notes

  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fukui-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 217, p. 217, at Google Books; "Chūbu" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 126, p. 126, at Google Books.
  2. Nussbaum, "Fukui" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 217, p. 217, at Google Books.
  3. Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books.
  4. "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  5. Fujioka, Chisa. "Japan anti-nuclear movement gains traction as crisis drags on". Reuters. 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
  6. 1 2 "福井県の推計人口" [Fukui Prefecture Population Estimate] (in Japanese). Fukui Prefectural Government. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  7. "第2章 人口の地域分布" [Regional distribution of population] (PDF) (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  8. Ansari, Aziz; Klinenberg, Eric. Modern Romance. p. 155. ISBN 1594206279.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fukui prefecture.

Coordinates: 35°59′N 136°11′E / 35.983°N 136.183°E / 35.983; 136.183

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