GOTO-RETTO

(Japanese: Goto Archipelago), archipelago, in the East China Sea, lying off the western coast of Kyushu, Nagasaki ken (prefecture), Japan. There are more than 100 islands, of which 34 are inhabited. They have a total area of 266 sq mi (689 sq km), stretching about 60 mi (100 km) from northeast to southwest. The islands were a gateway to Japan for the introduction of Chinese culture. The five largest and most densely settled islands are Fukue-jima, Hisaka-jima, Naru-shima, Wakamatsu-jima, and Nakadori-shima. All have mountainous interiors. Intensive dry-land farming is practiced on terraces and slopes; rice is irrigated on the few slender coastal plains. Fishing (mackerel and cuttlefish) is the main activity for ports, including Fukue (Fukue-jima) and Narao (Nakadorishima). The economy of the northern half of the archipelago, centred on Sasebo, Kyushu, is based on fishing. Agriculture (barley, loquats, and sweet potatoes) predominates in the southern islands, which are connected by regular ferry service to Nagasaki. Pop. (1970) 43,400.