Shimane Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture (島根県 Shimane-ken)

Capital	Matsue
Region	Chugoku
Island	Honshu
Governor	Nobuyoshi Sumita
Area	6,707.29 km² (18th)
- % water	2.7%
Population (October 1, 2000)
- Population	761,503 (46th)
- Density	114 /km²
Districts	8
Municipalities	23
ISO 3166-2	JP-32
Web site	www.pref.shimane.jp/ section/kokusai/foreign/
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	Moutan peony (Paeonia suffruticosa)
- Tree	Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii)
- Bird	Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Symbol of Shimane Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture (島根県 Shimane-ken) is located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island, Japan. The capital is Matsue. The Oki Islands are part of Shimane Prefecture.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Old provinces of Japan 2 Geography 2.1 Cities 2.2 Towns and villages 2.3 Mergers 3 Economy 4 Demographics 5 Culture 5.1 Universities in Shimane Prefecture 6 Tourism 7 Prefectural symbols 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 See also 10 External links

History

Old provinces of Japan

• Iwami Province
• Izumo Province
• Oki Province

Geography

Cities

• Gotsu
• Hamada
• Izumo
• Masuda
• Matsue (capital)
• Oda
• Unnan
• Yasugi

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

Hikawa District Hikawa Iishi District Iinan Kanoashi District Tsuwano Yoshika

Mino District Hikimi Mito Nita District Okuizumo Ochi District Kawamoto Misato Oonan

Oki District Ama Chibu Nishinoshima Okinoshima Yatsuka District Higashiizumo

Mergers

• On October 1, 2004, the town of Saigou and the villages of Fuse, Goka and Tsuma (all from Oki District) merged to form the new town of Okinoshima.

• On October 1, 2004, the towns of Iwami and Mizuho and the village of Hasumi (all from Ochi District) merged to form the new town of Oonan.

• On October 1, 2004, the town of Ochi and the village of Daiwa (both from Ochi District) merged to form the new town of Misato.

• On October 1, 2004, the town of Sakurae from Ochi District merged into the city of Gotsu.

• On October 1, 2004, the towns of Hakuta and Hirose from Nogi District merged into the city of Yasugi. Nogi District was dissolved as a result.

• On November 1, 2004, the towns of Daito, Kamo and Kisuki from Ohara District and the towns and villages of Kakeya, Mitoya and Yoshida from Iishi District merged to form the new city of Unnan. Ohara District was dissolved as a result.

• On January 1, 2005, the towns of Akagi and Tonbara from Iishi District merged to form the new town of Iinan.

• On March 22, 2005, the city of Hirata and the towns of Koryo, Sada, Taisha and Taki from Hikawa District merged into the city of Izumo.

• On January 31, 2005, the towns of Nita and Yokota from Nita District merged to form the new town of Okuizumo.

• On March 31, 2005, the towns of Kashima, Mihonoseki, Shimane, Shinji, Tamayu and Yatsuka and the village of Yakumo (all from Yatsuka District) merged into the city of Matsue.

• On September 25, 2005, the town of Nichihara from Kanoashi District merged into the town of Tsuwano.

• On October 1, 2005, the village of Kakinoki and the town of Muikaichi from Kanoashi District merged to form the new town of Yoshika.

• On October 1, 2005, the towns of Nima and Yunotsu from Nima District merged into the city of Oda. Nima District was dissolved as a result.

• On October 1, 2005, the towns of Asahi, Kanagi, Misumi and Yasaka from Naka District merged into the city of Hamada. Naka District was dissolved as a result.

Economy

Demographics

Culture

Universities in Shimane Prefecture

• Shimane University (National university) [1]
• The University of Shimane (Prefectural university) [2]

Tourism

Prefectural symbols

Miscellaneous topics

See also

• Lafcadio Hearn
• Liancourt Rocks

External links

• Official homepage of Shimane Prefecture
• Shimane JET Programme participants homepage

Shimane Prefecture
Cities
Gotsu | Hamada | Izumo | Masuda | Matsue (capital) | Oda | Unnan | Yasugi
Districts
Hikawa | Iishi | Kanoashi | Mino | Nita | Ochi | Oki | Yatsuka
See also: Towns and villages by district edit

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