Japan

Japan

Eastern Asia · JP / JPN

An island nation where ancient ritual and high technology sit side by side, spread across an arc of nearly 14,000 islands in the Pacific.

CapitalTokyo

Population123.37 million

Total area377,930 km²

Football confederationAFC

Reported IQ rank#3 · 106.30Open full ranking ↗

National record · JP

Essential
facts.

Official nameJapan

CapitalTokyo

Population123.4 million · World Bank 2025

Population rank#12 of 195

Total area377,930 km²

Area rank#61 of 195

Residents / total km²326 · population 2025

ContinentAsia

SubregionEastern Asia

LandlockedNo

Language registerJapanese

CurrencyJapanese yen (¥)

Calling code+81

Time zonesAsia/Tokyo

Driving sideleft

Country domain.jp · .みんな

DemonymJapanese

Land bordersNone

Independence / formationTraditional founding: 660 BCE

Field factJapan has more than 100 active volcanoes and thousands of natural hot springs.

Dated statistical record

Economy &
wellbeing.

Nominal GDP$4.44TObservation: 2025

Economic output in current US dollars

World Bank source ↗

GDP per person$35,951Observation: 2025

Output per resident; not a salary

World Bank source ↗

Life expectancy at birth84.0 yearsObservation: 2024

Expected years at birth under observed mortality rates

World Bank source ↗

Internet users85.5%Observation: 2024

Percentage of the population using the internet

World Bank source ↗

Retrieved 2026-11-13. The latest available year differs by indicator and country; these are observations, not 2026 forecasts. Missing data stays blank rather than receiving an estimate.

Beyond the quick facts

Japan
in depth.

The state in one line

Japan is a sovereign country in Eastern Asia, Asia. Its capital is Tokyo.

A sense of scale

The country covers 377,930 km², ranking #61 by total area in TerraScope’s 195-country index. Its atlas population is 123.4 million, with a density of about 326 people per km².

Language and identity

The structured language register lists Japanese. The common English demonym is Japanese.

Connected to the wider world

Japan has maritime access and has no land borders.

Money and connection

The currency register lists Japanese yen (¥). The international calling prefix is +81, while .jp · .みんな is used for country-code web domains.

Cities and landmarks

Tokyo: The country’s leading international gateway and largest urban region. Kyoto: Historic capital with temples, gardens and traditional districts. Mount Fuji: Japan’s highest mountain and most recognisable natural landmark.

History · culture · geography

10 interesting
facts.

Editorially curated

A place, right now

Get your bearings.

Six more ways to get your bearings

A little
deeper.

Names written locally

日本

Position on the planet

The atlas reference point is 36.0° north and 138.0° east. This is a country reference point, not an address.

World Heritage record

28 UNESCO-listed properties are associated with Japan in this snapshot. Shared properties appear in every participating country.

Cultural landscapes

23 listed properties carry cultural or mixed status. The register includes living traditions, built places and archaeological landscapes, not only monuments.

Nature in the register

5 listed properties carry natural or mixed status. Protected places can include ecosystems, geology and cultural connections to land.

A name, a place, a source

Use the linked UNESCO records for each property's history and conservation context. The country's 2025 population observation and the heritage check date describe different snapshots.

Names and reference coordinates: world-countries / ISO data. Heritage: UNESCO World Heritage List ↗, checked 2026-10-17.

History you can put on a map

Places with
a past.

28 World Heritage properties

Start with cultural landmarks and historic landscapes, then explore the country's natural heritage. Open a record for its history, significance and conservation context. Listing is not a guarantee of visitor access.

Essentialfacts.

Economy &wellbeing.

Japanin depth.

The state in one line

A sense of scale

Language and identity

Connected to the wider world

Money and connection

Cities and landmarks

10 interestingfacts.

Get your bearings.

A place worth sharing.

A littledeeper.

Names written locally

Position on the planet

World Heritage record

Cultural landscapes

Nature in the register

A name, a place, a source

Places witha past.

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area

Himeji-jo

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama

Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine

Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara

Shrines and Temples of Nikko

Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu

Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape

Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land

Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration

Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites

Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement

Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region

Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region

Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan

Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan

Sado Island Gold Mines

Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara

Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls

Shirakami-Sanchi

Yakushima

Shiretoko

Ogasawara Islands

Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island

See a little of Japan, right now.

Government.

Emperor Naruhito

Electionwatch.

Next national election

Travelguide.

Tokyo

Kyoto

Mount Fuji

Exploresports.

Footballdossier.

Notablepeople.

Hayao Miyazaki

Yayoi Kusama

Naomi Osaka

Shigeru Miyamoto

Kenzaburō Ōe

Hideki Yukawa

Everyday life in Japan.

Cost of living · price comparison

Currency strength · 30-day USD change

Safety & official advice

When to visit

A taste of Japan.

Words for the journey.

Essential
facts.

Economy &
wellbeing.

Japan
in depth.

10 interesting
facts.

A little
deeper.

Places with
a past.

Election
watch.

Travel
guide.

Explore
sports.

Football
dossier.

Notable
people.