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| Korea administers the islands as part of its ], ] Province. Japan classifies them as part of its ], ], ]. | Korea administers the islands as part of its ], ] Province. Japan classifies them as part of its ], ], ]. | ||
| == Geography == | |||
| ] | |||
| The Liancourt Rocks are composed mainly of two islets, 150 meters apart<ref name="net">Korea.net (1999–2006). . Retrieved ], 2006.</ref> (''Nishi-jima'' and ''Higashi-jima'' in Japanese, ''Seodo'' and ''Dongdo'' in Korean; both literally meaning ''western island'' 西島 and ''eastern island'' 東島, respectively). The western islet is the larger of the two islets. Altogether, there are about 90 islets and reefs,<ref name="cyb">Gyongsangbuk-do (2001). . Retrieved ], 2006.</ref> ]s formed in the ] era.<ref name="t1"> truthofdokdo.or.kr, retrieved 2007-08-21, 'Dokdo is composed of alkaline effusive rocks which erupted during the Cenozoic Era. Dokdo began to form about 4.6 million years ago'</ref> | |||
| A total of 37 of these islets are recognized as permanent land.<ref name="cyb" /> In 2006, a geologist reported that the islets formed 4.5 million years ago and are quickly eroding.{{Fact|date=August 2007}}<!-- given cites are not in English: --><ref>, ], 2006/12/01. , ], 2006/12/01.</ref> | |||
| The total area of the islets is about 187,450 square meters (2,017,695 sq ft), with their highest point at 169 meters (554 ft) in the western islet.{{Fact|date=August 2007}}<!-- 169 m inconsistent with 151 m Seodo from ref and 174 m from de: and fr: --> The western islet is about 88,640 square meters in area; the eastern islet about 73,300 square meters.<ref name="cyb" /> Liancourt Rocks are located at about 131°52′ East longitude and about 37°14′ North latitude.<ref name="cyb" /> The western islet is located at {{coor dms|37|14|31|N|131|51|55|E}} and the eastern islet is located at {{coor dms|37|14|27|N|131|52|10|E}}. The islets are 217 km (135 mi) from mainland Korea and 250 km (150 mi) from mainland Japan.<ref name="net" /> The nearest Korean territory (]) is 87 km (54 mi) away (can be visible on clear days) and the nearest Japanese territory (]) is 157 km (98 mi) away.<ref name="net" /><ref name="cyb" /> | |||
| The western islet consists of a single peak and features many caves along the coastline. The cliffs of the eastern islet are about 10 to 20 meters high. There are two large caves giving access to the sea, as well as a crater.<ref name="t1" /><ref name="tru">Truth of Dokdo. . Retrieved ], 2006.</ref> | |||
| ==International dispute== | ==International dispute== | ||
Revision as of 21:37, 7 January 2008
"Dokdo" redirects here. For the former currency of Kutch, see Kutch kori. "Takeshima" redirects here. For other uses, see Takeshima (disambiguation).
The Liancourt Rocks are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). They are situated at 37°14′30″N 131°52′W / 37.24167°N 131.867°W / 37.24167; -131.867Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function. Sovereignty over the islands is disputed between Japan and South Korea. Korea has controlled them since after the Second World War.
The islets are known as Dokdo or Tokto (독도/獨島, literally solitary island) in Korean and as Takeshima (竹島) (literally Bamboo island) in Japanese. The English name Liancourt Rocks derives from the name of a French whaling ship whose crew discovered and charted the islets in 1849.
The Liancourt Rocks comprise two main islets and 35 smaller rocks. Their total surface is 187,450 square meters and their highest elevation is 169 meters. They are currently uninhabited except for a small Korean police detachment, administrative personnel and lighthouse staff.
Korea administers the islands as part of its Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province. Japan classifies them as part of its Okinoshima, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture.
Geography
The Liancourt Rocks are composed mainly of two islets, 150 meters apart (Nishi-jima and Higashi-jima in Japanese, Seodo and Dongdo in Korean; both literally meaning western island 西島 and eastern island 東島, respectively). The western islet is the larger of the two islets. Altogether, there are about 90 islets and reefs, volcanic rocks formed in the Cenozoic era. A total of 37 of these islets are recognized as permanent land. In 2006, a geologist reported that the islets formed 4.5 million years ago and are quickly eroding.
The total area of the islets is about 187,450 square meters (2,017,695 sq ft), with their highest point at 169 meters (554 ft) in the western islet. The western islet is about 88,640 square meters in area; the eastern islet about 73,300 square meters. Liancourt Rocks are located at about 131°52′ East longitude and about 37°14′ North latitude. The western islet is located at 37°14′31″N 131°51′55″E / 37.24194°N 131.86528°E / 37.24194; 131.86528 and the eastern islet is located at 37°14′27″N 131°52′10″E / 37.24083°N 131.86944°E / 37.24083; 131.86944. The islets are 217 km (135 mi) from mainland Korea and 250 km (150 mi) from mainland Japan. The nearest Korean territory (Ulleung-do) is 87 km (54 mi) away (can be visible on clear days) and the nearest Japanese territory (Oki Islands) is 157 km (98 mi) away.
The western islet consists of a single peak and features many caves along the coastline. The cliffs of the eastern islet are about 10 to 20 meters high. There are two large caves giving access to the sea, as well as a crater.
International dispute
There are conflicting interpretations about the state of sovereignty over the islands in pre-modern times. A Korean claim is partly based on references to a Korean islands called Usan-do in various historical records and maps. According to the Korean view, these refer to today's Liancourt Rocks, while the Japanese side argues that they must refer to a different island, today called Jukdo, a small islet located in the immediate vicinity of the nearest larger Korean island Ulleung-do.
Japan officially incorporated the islands as part of its territory in 1905, shortly before it occupied Korea itself as a protectorate.
The present-day conflict largely stems from conflicting interpretations of whether Japan's renunciation of sovereignty over its occupied territories after the Second World War was supposed to cover the Liancourt Rocks too. A decision by the Supreme Command of the Allied occupation powers (SCAP), Instruction #677 of January 29, 1946, listed the Liancourt Rocks as part of those territories over which Japanese sovereignty was to be suspended, but the final peace treaty between Japan and the Allied powers, the Treaty of San Francisco, did not mention them.
References
- Charles Scanlon "South Koreans vent fury at Japan" BBC Online, 18 March 2005
- "Liancourt Rocks / Takeshima / Dokdo / Tokto", Globalsecurity
- ^ Korea.net (1999–2006). Dokdo: A Profile. Retrieved 9 January, 2006. Cite error: The named reference "net" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- Korea.net (1999–2006). Dokdo: Inhabitants and Visitors. Retrieved 9 January, 2006.
- ^ Gyongsangbuk-do (2001). Cyber Dokdo. Retrieved 9 January, 2006.
- ^ Geography of Dokdo truthofdokdo.or.kr, retrieved 2007-08-21, 'Dokdo is composed of alkaline effusive rocks which erupted during the Cenozoic Era. Dokdo began to form about 4.6 million years ago'
- "독도, 일본보다 빠른 속도로 침몰하고 있다", The Korea Times, 2006/12/01. 손영관교수 `독도ㆍ울릉도 `침몰하고 있다``, JoongAng Ilbo, 2006/12/01.
- Truth of Dokdo. Story of Dokdo. Retrieved 9 January, 2006.