Miyako Islands
Native name: Miyako-rettō (宮古列島) | |
|---|---|
Map of the Miyako Islands | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Archipelago | Sakishima Islands |
| Adjacent to | East China Sea |
| Total islands | 12 |
| Major islands | Miyako Island, Irabu Island, Tarama Island |
| Area | 226.20 km2 (87.34 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Prefecture | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 55,522 (January 2018) |
| Pop. density | 246.2/km2 (637.7/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Ryukyuan, Japanese |
The Miyako Islands (宮古列島, Miyako-rettō; Miyako: Myaaku, Tarama dialect: Meeku, Okinawan: Naaku, Northern Ryukyuan: みやこ Miyako) (also Miyako Jima group) are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, belonging to the Ryukyu Islands. They are situated between Okinawa Island and the Yaeyama Islands.
In the early 1870s, the population of the islands was estimated to number approximately 10,000. Miyako Island has 55,914 people. A bridge connects Miyako Island to Ikema Island, which has 801 people. Tarama village has 1,214 people, between the two islands of Minna and Tarama.