a prefecture in Japan, in the northern part of the island of Kyushu. Area, 4,900 sq km. Population, 4.3 million (1975). The capital is the city of Fukuoka. Most of the prefecture is occupied by hills and low mountains, which rise to 1,200 m. Evergreen and broad-leaved forests cover about half the prefecture.
Fukuoka has both industry and agriculture. Kitakyushu (Yaha-ta) is one of the largest industrial centers in Japan and leads the country in the output of coal and metal products. The metalworking industry and machine-building industry, which makes aircraft, ships, electrical equipment, and other products, are highly developed. The food, chemical, porcelain, printing, rubber, wood-products, and paper industries are also of considerable importance. Hard coal is mined at Chikuho, Miike, and Hichiku. The Genkai Atomic Power Plant has a capacity of more than 500 megawatts.
In Fukuoka 26.5 percent of the land is cultivated; rice, barley, and wheat are the main crops. The prefecture has tobacco and tea plantations; vegetables, mandarins, and grapes are also grown. Sericulture and fishing occupy important places in the economy.
Many foreign tourists visit Fukuoka, which has three national preserves and five prefecture parks, including the seaside park Genkai and the mountainous Hiko-san area. The prefecture also has hot springs. The principal seaports of Fukuoka are Dokayo and Moji (part of Kitakyushu). They are linked to the port of Shimonoseki on the island of Honshu by a bridge and three tunnels across the Kammon Strait.
N. A. SMIRNOV
a city and major port in Japan, on the northern coast of the island of Kyushu, near Hakata Bay. Capital of Fukuoka Prefecture. Population, 935,600 (1975).
Fukuoka is an important industrial center. The city manufactures chemical, metal, and wood products and such textiles as silk and cotton. It also produces glass, porcelain, electrical equipment, ships, aircraft, and various types of machinery. National handicrafts, especially luxury articles, Hakata Ori rugs, and Hakata Ningyo toys, are made in the city. Fukuoka has an airport and special facilities for trawlers and seaplanes. The Naka River divides the city into two parts: Hakata (the commercial section) and Fukuoka proper (the administrative section). A university, which was founded in 1911, is located in Fukuoka.