Niigata city新潟市 新潟alternative words: Niigatashi city, Niigatashi, Niigata shi, Niigata keywords: town , world cup related topics: Niigata prefecture , Sado island , Shinano river related web sites: http://www.city.niigata.niigata.jp explanation: Located at the delta of 2 big rivers, Shinano and Abukuma, Niigata has developed during Edo period as a harbor to collect the rice. Opened in 1858 to foreigners, it has become the biggest harbor of Hokuriku region with links to Sado island and Vladivostok. A reserve of natural gas and oil gave the birth of petroleum and chemical industry, but the exploration has stopped due to a subsidence. Some matches of soccer world cup 2002 will be organized there. The population is a half million. Niigata Prefecture新潟県 新潟alternative words: Niigata, Niigataken, Niigata-ken, Niigata ken, Nigata Prefecture, Nigata, Nigataken, Nigata-ken, Nigata ken keywords: prefecture related topics: Sado Island , Shinano river , Niigata city related web sites: http://www.pref.niigata.jp explanation: Niigata prefecture occupies the north-eastern part of Chubu region facing Japanese Sea. Its surface is 12,578 km2 and the population 2.4 millions. The prefectural office is at Niigata City. The prefecture owns the largest rice fields in Japan but in winter the agricultural activity ceases because of a heavy snow fall. Gold mine in Sado Island as well as oil field are exhausted but chemical industry remains very active. There exist may popular ski resorts thanks to the vicinity to Tokyo. | |