Editing Saitama Prefecture (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:Saitama-ken géolocalisation relief.svg|thumb|The [[Tone River|Tone river]] is part of Saitama's northern border. The [[Arakawa River (Kanto)|Ara]] and [[Edo River|Edo river]]s drain a large part of Saitama.<ref>[[MLIT]], [[Kantō region]]al development bureau: [https://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/tonejo/tonejo00185.html 利根川の東遷] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629012356/https://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/tonejo/tonejo00185.html |date=2020-06-29 }} (Japanese: ''Tonegawa no tōsen''; "Eastward shift of the Tone river")</ref>]]
[[File:Map of Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|thumb|Map of Saitama Prefecture<br />{{legend0|#D8E|Government Ordinance Designated City}} {{legend0|#EAB|City}} {{legend0|#ED9|Town}} {{legend0|#BFE|Village}}]]
{{historical populations|13=1890|14=1,081,121|15=1903|16=1,240,280|17=1913|18=1,343,674|19=1920|20=1,319,533|21=1925|22=1,394,461|23=1930|24=1,459,172|25=1935|26=1,528,854|27=1940|28=1,608,039|29=1945|30=2,047,261|31=1950|32=2,146,445|33=1955|34=2,262,623|35=1960|36=2,430,871|37=1965|38=3,014,983|39=1970|40=3,866,472|41=1975|42=4,821,340|43=1980|44=5,420,480|45=1985|46=5,863,678|47=1990|48=6,405,319|49=1995|50=6,759,311|51=2000|52=6,938,006|53=2005|54=7,054,243|55=2010|56=7,194,556|57=2015|58=7,261,271|percentages=pagr|footnote=source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.html|title=Statistics Bureau Home Page|website=www.stat.go.jp|access-date=2022-05-12|archive-date=2022-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512233027/https://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
Saitama Prefecture is bordered by [[Tokyo]], [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]], [[Ibaraki Prefecture|Ibaraki]], [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]], [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]], [[Nagano Prefecture|Nagano]], and [[Yamanashi Prefecture|Yamanashi]] Prefectures. It is located central-west of the Kanto region, measuring 103&nbsp;km from east to west and 52&nbsp;km from north to south.  At 3,797.75&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, it ranks as the ninth-smallest prefecture. The eastern border with [[Chiba Prefecture]] is defined by the [[Edo River]]. The northern and north-western border lines with [[Gunma Prefecture]] are marked by the [[Tone River]] and the [[Kanagawa River]] and the [[drainage divide]]s of the [[Arakawa River (Kanto)|Arakawa River]] and Kanagawa River. The southwestern border is defined by the drainage divides of the Arakawa River, [[Tama River]], and [[Fuefuki River]]. The eastern section of the southern border line, however, does not overlap with any geological feature.

The topography of Saitama Prefecture is largely divided by the Hachiōji Tectonic Line, which runs through [[Kodama, Saitama|Kodama]], [[Ogawa, Saitama|Ogawa]], and [[Hannō, Saitama|Hannō]], into the western mountain area and the eastern lowland area. The altitude, highest on the western side, gradually lowers eastward from mountain ranges to hills to plateaus to lowlands. The eastern lowlands and plateaus occupy 67.3% of the area.<ref>{{cite web|author=埼玉県総務部広聴広報課 |url=http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/kodomo/ken/kisyoh.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206034809/http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/kodomo/ken/kisyoh.htm |archive-date=2008-02-06 |title=埼玉県／彩の国わくわくこどもページ／県のあらまし／土地・気象 |date=2008-02-06 |access-date=2010-12-07}}</ref>

The eastern side, part of the [[Kantō Plain]], can be further divided into nine separate expanses of hills and ten plateaus.  The former occupy small areas neighboring the Kantō Mount Range, including the Hiki Hills and Sayama Hills. The latter are mainly surrounded by alluvial flood plains. In the southeastern portion of the prefecture, the Ōmiya Plateau stands in a southeastward direction, sandwiched by the Furutone River to the east and the Arakawa River to the west.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/A08/BG00/kasen/koumoku/kasen2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040928022615/http://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/A08/BG00/kasen/koumoku/kasen2.html |archive-date=2004-09-28 |title=地形と歴史 |date=2004-09-28 |access-date=2010-12-07}}</ref>

The western side of the prefecture belongs to the [[Kantō Mountains|Kantō Mountain Range]] with Chichibu Basin located in its center. The area to the west of the basin features high peaks such as [[Mount Sanpō]] (2,483 m; 三宝山, ''Sanpō-yama'' according to the GSI, but often read ''Sanpō-zan''<!--according to [[:ja:三宝山]] or many online search hits, even on pref. gov. pages for children: https://www.pref.saitama.lg.jp/a0206/kodomo/data01_tochi-kishou.html!-->) on the Western border with Nagano, Saitama's highest mountain,<ref>[[Geospatial Information Authority of Japan|GSI]]: [https://www.gsi.go.jp/kihonjohochousa/kihonjohochousa41196.html 都道府県の最高地点] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704135108/https://www.gsi.go.jp/kihonjohochousa/kihonjohochousa41196.html |date=2020-07-04 }} (Japanese, ''-to/-dō/-fu/-ken no saikōchiten''; "highest points of each prefecture"), retrieved June 27, 2020.</ref> and [[Mount Kobushi|Mount Kōbushi]] (2,475 m), in which the Arakawa River has its source. Most of the land is contained in [[Chichibu Tama Kai National Park]]. The area to east of the basin consists of relatively low mountains.

=== Cities ===
{{See also|List of cities in Saitama Prefecture by population}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" |Name
! rowspan="2" |Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
! rowspan="2" |Population
! rowspan="2" |Population density (per km<sup>2</sup>)
! rowspan="2" |Map
|-
![[Romanization of Japanese|Rōmaji]]
![[Kanji]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Ageo, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Ageo]]
|上尾市
|45.51
|229,517
|5043.22
|[[File:Ageo in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Asaka, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Asaka, Saitama|Asaka]]
|朝霞市
|18.34
|143,195
|7807.80
|[[File:Asaka in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Chichibu, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Chichibu, Saitama|Chichibu]]
|秩父市
|577.83
|61,159
|105.84
|[[File:Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Fujimi, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Fujimi, Saitama|Fujimi]]
|富士見市
|19.77
|112,211
|5675.82
|[[File:Fujimi in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Fujimino, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Fujimino, Saitama|Fujimino]]
|ふじみ野市
|14.64
|114,566
|7825.55
|[[File:Fujimino in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Fukaya Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Fukaya]]
|深谷市
|138.37
|142,803
|1032.04
|[[File:Fukaya in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Gyoda, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Gyōda]]
|行田市
|67.49
|80,236
|1188.86
|[[File:Gyoda in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Hanno Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Hannō, Saitama|Hannō]]
|飯能市
|193.05
|79,123
|409.86
|[[File:Hanno in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Hanyu, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Hanyū, Saitama|Hanyū]]
|羽生市
|58.64
|54,304
|926.06
|[[File:Hanyu in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Hasuda Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Hasuda, Saitama|Hasuda]]
|蓮田市
|27.28
|61,540
|2255.87
|[[File:Hasuda in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Hidaka, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Hidaka, Saitama|Hidaka]]
|日高市
|47.48
|55,294
|1164.58
|[[File:Hidaka in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Higashimatsuyama, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Higashimatsuyama, Saitama|Higashimatsuyama]]
|東松山市
|65.33
|90,456
|1384.60
|[[File:Higashimatsuyama in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Honjo, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Honjō, Saitama|Honjō]]
|本庄市
|89.69
|77,900
|868.55
|[[File:Honjo in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Iruma, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Iruma, Saitama|Iruma]]
|入間市
|44.69
|147,166
|3293.04
|[[File: Iruma in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kasukabe, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kasukabe, Saitama|Kasukabe]]
|春日部市
|66.00
|233,278
|3534.52
|[[File: Kasukabe in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kawagoe, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kawagoe, Saitama|Kawagoe]]
|川越市
|109.13
|353,214
|3236.64
|[[File: Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kawaguchi, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kawaguchi, Saitama|Kawaguchi]]
|川口市
|61.95
|607,373
|9804.25
|[[File: Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kazo Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kazo, Saitama|Kazo]]
|加須市
|133.30
|112,792
|846.15
|[[File: Kazo in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kitamoto, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kitamoto, Saitama|Kitamoto]]
|北本市
|19.82
|66,022
|3331.08
|[[File: Kitamoto in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kōnosu, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kōnosu, Saitama|Kōnosu]]
|鴻巣市
|67.44
|117,995
|1749.63
|[[File: Konosu in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Koshigaya, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Koshigaya, Saitama|Koshigaya]]
|越谷市
|60.24
|345,353
|5732.95
|[[File: Koshigaya in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kuki Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kuki, Saitama|Kuki]]
|久喜市
|82.41
|152,569
|1851.34
|[[File: Kuki in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Kumagaya, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Kumagaya, Saitama|Kumagaya]]
|熊谷市
|159.82
|195,227
|1221.54
|[[File: Location of Kumagaya city Saitama prefecture Japan.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Misato, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Misato, Saitama (city)|Misato]]
|三郷市
|30.13
|142,835
|4740.62
|[[File: Misato in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Niiza, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Niiza, Saitama|Niiza]]
|新座市
|22.78
|166,208
|7296.23
|[[File: Niiza in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Okegawa, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Okegawa, Saitama|Okegawa]]
|桶川市
|25.35
|75,218
|2967.18
|[[File: Okegawa in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Saitama, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Saitama, Saitama|Saitama]] (capital)
|さいたま市
|217.43
|1,324,854
|6093.24
|[[File: Saitama in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Sakado, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Sakado, Saitama|Sakado]]
|坂戸市
|41.02
|100,612
|2452.76
|[[File: Sakado in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Satte Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Satte, Saitama|Satte]]
|幸手市
|33.93
|50,256
|1481.17
|[[File: Satte in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Sayama, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Sayama, Saitama|Sayama]]
|狭山市
|48.99
|149,826
|3058.30
|[[File: Sayama in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Shiki, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Shiki, Saitama|Shiki]]
|志木市
|9.05
|76,445
|8446.96
|[[File: Shiki in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Shiraoka Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Shiraoka, Saitama|Shiraoka]]
|白岡市
|24.92
|52,431
|2103.97
|[[File: Shiraoka in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Soka, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Sōka, Saitama|Sōka]]
|草加市
|27.46
|249,645
|9091.22
|[[File: Soka in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Toda, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Toda, Saitama|Toda]]
|戸田市
|18.19
|140,902
|7746.12
|[[File: Toda in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Tokorozawa, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Tokorozawa, Saitama|Tokorozawa]]
|所沢市
|72.11
|344,194
|4773.18
|[[File: Tokorozawa in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Tsurugashima Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Tsurugashima, Saitama|Tsurugashima]]
|鶴ヶ島市
|17.65
|69,937
|3962.44
|[[File: Tsurugashima in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Wako, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Wakō, Saitama|Wakō]]
|和光市
|11.04
|84,161
|7623.28
|[[File: Wako in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Warabi, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Warabi, Saitama|Warabi]]
|蕨市
|5.11
|75,679
|14809.98
|[[File: Warabi in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Yashio Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Yashio, Saitama|Yashio]]
|八潮市
|18.02
|92,512
|5133.85
|[[File: Yashio in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|-
|[[File:Flag of Yoshikawa, Saitama.svg|frameless|25x25px]] [[Yoshikawa, Saitama|Yoshikawa]]
|吉川市
|31.7
|73,262
|2311.10
|[[File: Yoshikawa in Saitama Prefecture Ja.svg|frameless|90x90px]]
|}

=== Towns and villages ===
<!-- template:Saitama refers to the above header -->[[File:Saitama prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg|thumb|Saitama prefecture population pyramid in 2020]]
These are the towns and villages in each [[Districts of Japan|district]]:

{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
*[[Chichibu District, Saitama|Chichibu District]]
**[[Higashichichibu, Saitama|Higashichichibu]]
**[[Minano, Saitama|Minano]]
**[[Nagatoro, Saitama|Nagatoro]]
**[[Ogano, Saitama|Ogano]]
**[[Yokoze, Saitama|Yokoze]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Hiki District, Saitama|Hiki District]]
**[[Hatoyama, Saitama|Hatoyama]]
**[[Kawajima, Saitama|Kawajima]]
**[[Namegawa, Saitama|Namegawa]]
**[[Ogawa, Saitama|Ogawa]]
**[[Ranzan, Saitama|Ranzan]]
**[[Tokigawa, Saitama|Tokigawa]]
**[[Yoshimi, Saitama|Yoshimi]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Iruma District, Saitama|Iruma District]]
**[[Miyoshi, Saitama|Miyoshi]]
**[[Moroyama, Saitama|Moroyama]]
**[[Ogose, Saitama|Ogose]]
*[[Kita-Adachi District, Saitama|Kitaadachi District]]
**[[Ina, Saitama|Ina]]
*[[Kita-Katsushika District, Saitama|Kitakatsushika District]]
**[[Matsubushi, Saitama|Matsubushi]]
**[[Sugito, Saitama|Sugito]]
{{col-break}}
*[[Kodama District, Saitama|Kodama District]]
**[[Kamikawa, Saitama|Kamikawa]]
**[[Kamisato, Saitama|Kamisato]]
**[[Misato, Saitama (town)|Misato]]
*[[Minami-Saitama District, Saitama|Minamisaitama District]]
**[[Miyashiro, Saitama|Miyashiro]]
*[[Ōsato District, Saitama|Ōsato District]]
**[[Yorii, Saitama|Yorii]]
{{col-end}}

=== Mergers ===
{{main|List of mergers in Saitama Prefecture}}