Southernmost of the main islands of Japan,
separated from Shikoku and Honshu by Bungo
Channel and Suo Bay, but connected to Honshu
by bridge and rail tunnel area 42,150 sq
km/16,270 sq mi, including about 370 small
islands capital Nagasaki towns Fukuoka,
Kumamoto, Kagoshima physical mountainous,
volcanic, with subtropical climate features
the active volcano Aso-take (1,592 m/5,225
ft) with the world's largest crater products
coal, gold, silver, iron, tin, rice, tea,
timber population (1986) 13,295,000.