SPACEPHOTOS

Northern Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands August 1991. Okinawa is the largest island of the chain of islands called the Ryukyu that are located in the tropical north Pacific Ocean between mainland Japan and the island of Taiwan. In this northeast-looking view, the northern two-thirds of the island of Okinawa is visible. Okinawa is a long, narrow, irregular shaped island of volcanic origins with coral formations extending around most of its coastline. As seen in this view, the northern portion of the island is mountainous rising to 1657 feet (505 meters), and has a dense vegetation cover. Sugarcane, sweet potatoes, and rice are grown mostly in the southern portions and along the narrow coastal plains in the north. Fishing and tourism are also important island industries. Okinawa is prone to Pacific Ocean tropical storms and typhoons, which can cause extensive damage to the infrastructure of the island