View source for Volcano Islands

{{Short description|Group of Japanese-governed islands in Micronesia}}
{{Distinguish|Volcanic island}}

{{Infobox islands
| name             = Volcano Islands
| native_name      = {{nobold|火山列島}}
| native_name_link = Japanese language
| native_name_lang = ja
| sobriquet        = <!-- or |nickname= -->
| image_name       = 
| image_size       = 
| image_caption    = 
| image_alt        = 
| map_image        = Ogasawara LocationVolcanoIs.PNG
| map_caption      = Location in the Pacific
| coordinates      = {{Coord|24|46|N|141|18|E|type:isle_region:JP_dim:200000|display=inline,title}}
| etymology        = 
| location         = [[Pacific Ocean]]
| pop              = 
| GridReference    = <!-- UK only -->
| archipelago      = 
| waterbody        = 
| total_islands    = 3
| major_islands    = 
| area_km2         = 32.55
| area_footnotes   = 
| rank             = 
| length_km        = <!-- or |length_m=  -->
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| width_km         = <!-- or |width_m=  -->
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| coastline_km     = <!-- or |coastline_m=  -->
| coastline_footnotes = 
| elevation_m      = 
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| highest_mount    = 
| Country_heading  = 
| country          = Japan
| country_admin_divisions_title     = [[Prefectures of Japan|Prefecture]]
| country_admin_divisions           = [[Tokyo]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1   = [[Subprefectures of Japan|Subprefecture]]
| country_admin_divisions_1         = [[Ogasawara Subprefecture]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_2   = [[Villages of Japan|Village]]
| country_admin_divisions_2         = [[Ogasawara, Tokyo|Ogasawara]]
| country_capital_type               = 
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| country_1_area_km2                 = <!-- or |country_1_area_m2= or |country_1_area_ha= -->
| demonym          = 
| population       = 380
| population_as_of = January 2008
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}}

{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Kita-ioto.jpg
| width1 = 180
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = Kitaiojima.png
| width2 = 180
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = Kita Iwo Jima
}}
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima.jpg
| width1 = 180
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = Iwo Jima.png
| width2 = 180
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = Iwo Jima
}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| image1            = Minami-ioto.jpg
| width1            = 180
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = 
| image2            = Minamiiojima.png
| width2            = 180
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = 
| footer            = Minami Iwo Jima
| image3            = South Iwo Jima Map.jpg
| width3            = 180
}}
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Nishinoshima_Island,_Ogasawara_Tokyo_Aerial_photograph._December_1,_2018.jpg
| width1 = 180
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = 
| image2 = Nishino-shima.png
| width2 = 180
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| footer = Nishinoshima 
}}

The {{Nihongo|'''Volcano Islands'''|火山列島|Kazan Rettō}}, also known as {{nihongo|'''Iwo Islands'''|硫黄列島|Iō Rettō}} are a group of three [[List of islands of Japan|Japanese islands]] in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. They lie southwest of the [[Ogasawara Islands]] and are administered as part of the [[Ogasawara Subprefecture|Ogasawara]], [[Tokyo|Tokyo Metropolis]].<ref name="n" /><ref name="c" /> The islands are all active [[volcano]]es lying atop the [[Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc]] that stretches south to the [[Marianas]]. They have an area of {{convert|32.55|km2|mi2}}, and a population of 380. The island of [[Iwo Jima]] in the Volcano Islands lies about {{convert|1240|km|nmi mi|0}} southeast of [[Miyazaki (city)|Miyazaki]].<ref>{{Google maps | url =https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Miyazaki,+Japan/24.766667,141.3/@27.588796,133.7763721,1226489m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x3538b5f6c768a27b:0xd4ce23b1878ee7d!2m2!1d131.4202196!2d31.9077285!1m0?hl=en | access-date =1 February 2020}}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Volcano Islands are:
*{{Nihongo|[[North Iwo Jima|Kita Iwo Jima]]|北硫黄島|Kita-Iō-jima / Kita-Iō-tō|extra=literally ''North Sulfur Island''}}, {{convert|5.57|km2|mi2}}, {{Convert|792|m|ft}} (Sakaki-ga-mine)
*{{Nihongo|[[Iwo Jima]]|硫黄島|Iō-jima / Iō-tō|extra=literally ''Sulfur Island''}}, {{convert|20.60|km2|mi2}}, {{Convert|166|m|ft}} (Suribachi-yama)
*{{Nihongo|[[South Iwo Jima|Minami Iwo Jima]]|南硫黄島|Minami-Iō-jima / Minami-Iō-tō|extra=literally ''South Sulfur Island''}} {{convert|3.54|km2|mi2}}, {{Convert|916|m|ft}}
Farther north but in the same volcanic arc is:
*{{Nihongo|[[Nishinoshima (Ogasawara)|Nishino-shima]]|西之島|extra=literally ''Western Island''}}, {{convert|4.10|km2|mi2}}, {{Convert|200|m|ft}}<ref name="n"/>

There is a [[Japan Self-Defense Forces]] [[Central Field (Iwo Jima)|air base on Iwo Jima]] with a staff of 380. It is located in the village of Minami. Other than that, the islands are uninhabited.

<gallery>
File:Kazan-retto.jpg|Satellite photo of the Volcano Islands (2004)
</gallery>

*[[Fukutoku-Okanoba]] Generally submerged volcano eruptions sometimes bring it above the surface.

== History ==
The first recorded sighting by Europeans was in October 1543 by Spanish navigator [[Bernardo de la Torre]] on board of [[carrack]] ''San Juan de Letrán'' when trying to return from [[Sarangani]] to [[New Spain]].<ref name="brand"/> Iwo Jima was charted as Sufre, the old Spanish term for [[sulphur]].

The islands were uninhabited in 1889 when Japanese settlers settled the two northern islands from the [[Izu Islands]]. They were annexed by Japan in 1891.<ref name="n"/><ref name="c"/>  However, archeological evidence has revealed that islands of the greater [[Bonin Islands|Bonin archipelago]] were prehistorically inhabited by an unknown [[Micronesian people]].<ref name="history">[http://www.iwojima.jp/ogasa2.html 小笠原・火山(硫黄)列島の歴史]</ref>

The population was about 1,100 in 1939, distributed among five settlements: Higashi, Minami, Nishi, Kita, and Motoyama (meaning "East", "South", "West", "North", and "Mountain of Origin", or central mountain) on Iwo Jima; and two settlements on Kita Iwo Jima: Ishino-mura ("Ishino village"; Ishino is a surname) and Nishi-mura ("West village"). The municipal administration office was located in Higashi until 1940 when the municipality was integrated into the administration of [[Ogasawara, Tokyo]].

Iwo Jima was the site of the [[Battle of Iwo Jima]] in [[World War II]], and the island group came under the United States administration. The Volcano Islands were returned to Japanese rule in 1968.<ref name="n"/>

==Ecology==
{{main|Ogasawara subtropical moist forests}}
The Volcano Islands have a subtropical climate. They are part of the [[Ogasawara subtropical moist forests]] ecoregion and are home to unique and diverse plants and animals, including many [[endemism|endemic]] species. They have been recognised as forming an [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) by [[BirdLife International]] because they support populations of [[red-tailed tropicbird]]s, [[Japanese wood pigeon]]s and [[Matsudaira's storm petrel]]s.<ref name=bli> {{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kazan-retto-islands-iba-japan|title= Kazan-retto islands|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 28 January 2021}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Nanpō Islands]]
* [[Geography of Japan]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="c">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Nihon Rekishi Chimei Taikei |title=火山列島 |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2013-10-09 |year=2013 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=ja |trans-title=Volcano Islands |oclc=173191044 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=August 25, 2007 }}</ref>

<ref name="brand">Brand, Donald D. ''The Pacific Basin: A History of its Geographical Explorations'' The American Geographical Society (New York, 1967) p.123.</ref>

<ref name="n">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) |title=火山列島 |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2013-10-09 |year=2013 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=ja |trans-title=Volcano Islands |oclc=153301537 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=August 25, 2007 }}</ref>
}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Volcano Islands}}

{{Ogasawara, Tokyo}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Volcano Islands| ]]
[[Category:Bonin Islands]]
[[Category:Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc|Volcano_Islands]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of Japan]]
[[Category:Islands of Tokyo]]
[[Category:Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:1889 establishments]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Seabird colonies]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of the Nanpo Islands]]