Yaeyama Islands

The Yaeyama Islands (八重山列島 Yaeyama-rettō, also 八重山諸島 Yaeyama-shotō, Yaeyama: Yaima, Yonaguni: Daama, Okinawan: Yeema, Northern Ryukyuan: やへま Yapema) are an archipelago in the southwest of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and cover 591.46 square kilometres (228.36 sq mi).[3] The city of Ishigaki serves as the political, cultural, and economic center of the Yaeyama Islands.[10] The Yaeyama Islands are home to numerous species of subtropical and tropical plants and mangrove forests.[2][12] Coral reefs around the islands are ideal habitats for dolphins, sea turtles, and larger fish such as manta rays and whale sharks.The islands have been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support populations of resident black wood pigeons and Ryukyu green pigeons, wintering ruddy turnstones, migrating grey-tailed tattlers, and breeding colonies of bridled, roseate and black-naped terns.
Pacific OceanSakishima IslandsEast China SeaIshigaki IslandIriomote IslandYonaguni IslandMount OmotoOkinawa PrefectureRyukyuansJapaneseYaeyamaYonaguniOkinawanNorthern RyukyuanarchipelagoMiyako IslandsRyukyu IslandsHaterumaIshigakiProto-RyukyuanmangrovesugarcanepineapplesCoral reefsdolphinssea turtlesmanta rayswhale sharkswhalesdugongsImportant Bird AreaBirdLife Internationalblack wood pigeonsRyukyu green pigeonsruddy turnstonesgrey-tailed tattlersbridledroseateblack-naped ternsSatakentia liukiuensisSatakentiaendemicIriomoteYaeyama DistrictSenkaku IslandsIshigaki CityTaketomi TownAragusuku IslandHateruma IslandKayama IslandKohama IslandKuroshima IslandSotobanari IslandTaketomi IslandYubu IslandHatoma IslandYonaguni TownYonaguni languageYaeyama languageMiruku