Japan confirmed that has more than 14 thousand islandsafter the Japan Geospatial Information Authority (GSI) conducted its first land count in 36 years.

Until now, the generally accepted figure has been 6852, announced 1987 Japan Coast Guard, according to NHC.

However, the new digital mapping revealed a total of 14,125 islands within Japanese territory, more than double the number released. 36 years ago.

This week GSI clarified that despite the update on the number of islands, does not mean that the territory of Japan was expanded, were it not for this technology, it would allow a better appreciation of the country’s topography.

He added that while there is no international agreement on how to count the islands, he used the same size criteria as in the review three decades ago.

This included counting all natural land with circumference of at least 100 meters.

The new number does not include artificially reclaimed land.

The islands surrounding Japan have been at the center of several territorial disputes, including southern Kuriles controlled by Russia and Senkaku Islands uninhabited in the East China Sea.

You are with the prefectures with the most islands:

Nagasaki from 1479

Hokkaido from 1473

Kagoshima from 1256

Iwate since 861

Okinawa since 691