Japan

Japan, one of the world’s most literate and technically advanced nations, is an East Asian archipelago country made up of four primary islands and more than 6,800 others. While most of Japan is covered by mountains and heavily wooded areas, the country’s people lead a distinctly urban lifestyle. Long culturally influenced by its neighbors, today the country blends its ancient traditions with aspects of Western life.

The country can trace its political unification to the late fourth and early fifth centuries B.C. Civilization flourished in the late eighth to the late 12th centuries, followed by even more centuries of military rule. The country was isolated from the early 1600s to the mid-19th century, at which point its ports opened up to the West. Japan had grand territorial ambitions in the 1900s, invading several countries, only to be defeated in World War II.

Japan has a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy. The emperor still holds his title as a symbol of national unity, but elected politicians hold actual decision-making power.

The nation with the third-largest economy in the world, Japan has largely bounced back from the manufacturing disruption caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The country is among the world's largest producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment and steel. The service sector makes up the highest percentage of the economy in terms of gross domestic product and employment.

[Explore the top universities in Japan]