Abashiri Subprefecture

is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. It has an area of 10,690.09 square kilometers and a population of 329,446 as of July 31, 2004. It was established in 1897.

Abashiri Subprefecture has two airports. Monbetsu Airport is located in the City of Monbetsu. Memanbetsu Airport is located in the Town of Ōzora; the airport was located in the Town of Memanbetsu prior to the town's 2006 merger into the Town of Ōzora.

Names

Abashiri Subprefecture is often called the nihongo|Okhotsk region|オホーツク地方|Ohōtsuku-chihō, named after the Sea of Okhotsk, which is named after the Russian port of Okhotsk. [Official wbsites of [http://abashiri.jp/tabinavi_en/index.html Abashiri] , [http://www.city.kitami.lg.jp/e01/e01.htm Kitami] , and [http://mombetsu.jp/english/index.html Monbetsu] , all retrieved on February 27, 2008. All these websites use the name "the Okhotsk region".] Since the subprefecture has two central cities (Abashiri and Kitami), the name is used as a neutral alternative to "Abashiri". "Okhotsk" is used for various names, including mountain, train, airport, [http://www.bioindustry.nodai.ac.jp/ college] , [http://giza-ryuhyo.com/ museum] , [http://okhotsk12.plala.jp/ newspaper] , [http://www.beers.co.jp/index.htm brewery] , and others.

Geography

Cities

* Kitami
* Abashiri (capital)
* Monbetsu

Towns and villages by district

*Abashiri
** Ōzora
** Bihoro
** Tsubetsu
*Shari
** Shari
** Kiyosato
** Koshimizu
*Tokoro
** Kunneppu
** Oketo
** Saroma
*Monbetsu
** Engaru
** Kamiyūbetsu
** Yūbetsu
** Takinoue
** Okoppe
** Nishiokoppe
** Ōmu

Mergers

:"See List of mergers in Hokkaidō Prefecture#Abashiri Subprefecture."

References

External links

*ja icon [http://www.abashiri.pref.hokkaido.jp/ Abashiri Subprefecture official website]