Japan is made up of four major islands, the largest of which is named Honshu. In total, the Japanese archipelago contains nearly 7,000 islands-which is a big reason why Japan makes it on this list. Nearly eighty percent of the country is mountainous and uninhabitable, which forces the majority of the population to live near the coast in some of the most densely populated cities and regions in the world. Seafood is a staple of the Japanese diet, and the shipping industry has long been an important component of Japan’s economy. Both are largely a function of this nation’s exposure to the sea.
