Editing Okinawa Prefecture (section)

==Geography==
{{main|Ryukyu Islands}}

===Major islands===
[[File:Map-okinawa-pref.png|thumb|upright=1.7|The islands of Okinawa Prefecture]]

The islands comprising the prefecture are the southern two thirds of the archipelago of the {{nihongo|Ryūkyū Islands|琉球諸島|Ryūkyū-shotō}}. Okinawa's inhabited islands are typically divided into three geographical archipelagos. From northeast to southwest:
* {{nihongo|[[Okinawa Islands]]|沖縄諸島|Okinawa-shotō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Iejima]]|伊江島|Iejima}}
** {{nihongo|[[Kumejima, Okinawa|Kume-jima]]|久米島町|Kumejima-chō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Okinawa Island]]|沖縄島|Okinawa-jima}}
** {{nihongo|[[Kerama Islands]]|慶良間諸島|Kerama-shotō}}
* {{nihongo|[[Miyako Islands]]|宮古列島|Miyako-rettō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Miyako-jima]]|宮古島|Miyako-jima}}
* {{nihongo|[[Yaeyama Islands]]|八重山列島|Yaeyama-rettō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Iriomote Island]]|西表島|Iriomote-jima}}
** {{nihongo|[[Ishigaki Island]]|石垣島|Ishigaki-jima}}
** {{nihongo|[[Yonaguni]]|与那国島|Yonaguni-jima}}
* {{nihongo|[[Senkaku Islands]]|尖閣諸島|Senkaku-shotō}}
* {{nihongo|[[Daitō Islands]]|大東諸島|Daitō-shotō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Minamidaitōjima]]|南大東島|Minami-Daitō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Kitadaitōjima]]|北大東島|Kita-Daitō}}
** {{nihongo|[[Okidaitōjima]]|沖大東島|Oki-Daitō}}

===Natural parks===
Approximately 36% percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as [[List of national parks of Japan|natural parks]], namely the [[Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park|Iriomote-Ishigaki]], [[Kerama Shotō National Park|Kerama Shotō]], and [[Yambaru National Park|Yambaru]] National Parks; [[Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park|Okinawa Kaigan]] and [[Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Park|Okinawa Senseki]] Quasi-National Parks; and [[Irabu Prefectural Natural Park|Irabu]], [[Kumejima Prefectural Natural Park|Kumejima]], [[Tarama Prefectural Natural Park|Tarama]], and [[Tonaki Prefectural Natural Park|Tonaki]] Prefectural Natural Parks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.env.go.jp/park/doc/data/natural/naturalpark_4.pdf |script-title=ja:自然公園都道府県別面積総括 |trans-title=General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture |language=ja |publisher=[[Ministry of the Environment (Japan)|Ministry of the Environment]] |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806004612/https://www.env.go.jp/park/doc/data/natural/naturalpark_4.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Ecology===
The [[dugong]] is an endangered marine mammal related to the [[manatee]].<ref name="CBD">{{cite web|title=Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Construction of U.S. Military Airstrip in Japan That Would Destroy Habitat of Endangered Okinawa Dugongs|url=http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/okinawa-dugong-07-31-2014.html|publisher=Center for Biological Diversity|access-date=August 2, 2014|date=July 31, 2014|archive-date=August 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803070141/http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/okinawa-dugong-07-31-2014.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Iriomote Island|Iriomote]] is home to one of the world's rarest and most endangered cat species, the [[Iriomote cat]]. The region is also home to at least one [[endemism|endemic]] [[pit viper]], ''[[Trimeresurus elegans]]''. The islands of Okinawa are surrounded by some of the most abundant coral reefs found in the world.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 5, 2013 |title=Establishing World-Class Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring in Okinawa |url=https://www.oist.jp/news-center/press-releases/establishing-world-class-coral-reef-ecosystem-monitoring-okinawa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302155239/https://www.oist.jp/news-center/press-releases/establishing-world-class-coral-reef-ecosystem-monitoring-okinawa |archive-date=March 2, 2016 |access-date=February 20, 2016 |publisher=Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Coral Reefs |url=http://en.okinawastory.jp/learn/blue_ocean/coral/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302135347/http://en.okinawastory.jp/learn/blue_ocean/coral/ |archive-date=March 2, 2016 |access-date=February 20, 2016 |publisher=Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau}}</ref> The world's largest colony of rare blue coral is found off [[Ishigaki Island]].<ref>{{cite iucn|title=''Heliopora coerulea''|page=e.T133193A3624060|author=Obura, D.|date=2008|access-date=November 11, 2021|author2=Fenner, D.|author3=Hoeksema, B.|author4=Devantier, L.|author5=Sheppard, C.|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T133193A3624060.en}}</ref> The [[sea turtle]]s return yearly to the southern islands of Okinawa to lay their eggs. The summer months carry warnings to swimmers regarding venomous [[jellyfish]] and other dangerous sea creatures.

Okinawa is a major producer of [[sugar cane]], [[pineapple]], [[papaya]], and other tropical fruit, and the [[Southeast Botanical Gardens]] represent tropical plant species.

===Geology===
The island is largely composed of [[coral]], and rainwater filtering through that coral has given the island many caves, which played an important role in the Battle of Okinawa. Gyokusendo<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7106.html |title=Gyokusendo Cave |publisher=Japan-guide.com |date=May 29, 2013 |access-date=August 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001222651/http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7106.html |archive-date=October 1, 2011 }}</ref> is an extensive [[Limestone cave#Solutional cave|limestone cave]] in the southern part of Okinawa's main island.

===Climate===
The island experiences temperatures above {{convert|20|C}} for most of the year. The climate of the islands ranges from [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa'') in the north, such as [[Okinawa Island]], to [[tropical rainforest climate]] (Köppen climate classification ''Af'') in the south such as [[Iriomote Island]]. Snowfall is unheard of at sea level. However, on January 24, 2016, sleet was reported in Nago for the first time on record.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 25, 2016 |title=沖縄本島で観測史上初のみぞれ 名護 |url=http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASJ1T0352J1SUEHF00F.html |newspaper=The Asahi Shimbun Company |access-date=February 20, 2016 |archive-date=February 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227142117/http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASJ1T0352J1SUEHF00F.html |url-status=live }}</ref>