Ryukyu Islands

British  

/ rɪˈuːkjuː /

plural noun

1. Japanese name: Nansei-shoto.  a chain of 55 islands in the W Pacific, extending almost 650 km (400 miles) from S Japan to N Taiwan: an ancient kingdom, under Chinese rule from the late 14th century, invaded by Japan in the early 17th century, under full Japanese sovereignty from 1879 to 1945, and US control from 1945 to 1972; now part of Japan again. They are subject to frequent typhoons. Chief town: Naha (on Okinawa). Pop: 1 318 220 (2000). Area: 2196 sq km (849 sq miles)

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Example Sentences

Now, an international group of researchers have discovered a previously unknown species of large foraminifer, shedding new light on the ecological evolution and biodiversity of coral reefs in the Ryukyu Islands.

From Science Daily

Two U.S. aircraft carriers, the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan, had been operating around the geopolitically important Ryukyu Islands in the Philippine Sea since Thursday, Global Times cited a Beijing-based think tank as saying.

From Reuters

Japan has been quietly building up its firepower in locations near the potential combat zone, establishing new military bases along the southern Ryukyu Islands chain, notably on the islands of Ishigaki and Miyako.

From Washington Times

The other choke point is in the Miyako Strait, east of Taiwan in Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.

From Washington Times

Until a few months ago, he lived on Sotobanari, a tropical island on the far southern tip of the Ryukyu Islands below Japan.

From The Guardian