Ehime Prefecture

	Ehime Prefecture
Japanese :	愛媛県
	Ehime-ken
Capital	Matsuyama
Region	Shikoku
Island	Shikoku
Governor	Moriyuki Katō
Area (rank)	5,676.44 km² (26th)
- % water	%
	Population (2000)
- Population	1,493,126 (27th)
- Density	263 /km²
Districts	7
Municipalities	20
ISO 3166-2	JP-38
Website	www.pref.ehime.jp/index-e.htm
	Prefectural Symbols
- Flower	Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu)
- Tree	Pine (Pinus)
- Bird	Japanese robin (Erithacus akahige)
	; Symbol of Ehime Prefecture
	Template ■ Discussion ■ Parameter ■ WikiProject Japan

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"Ehime" redirects here. For the school ship, see Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville collision.

Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県, Ehime-ken^?) is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.

[edit] History

Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo province. Since before the Heian period, the area was dominated by fishermen and sailors who played an important role in defending Japan against pirates and Mongol invasions.

After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Tokugawa shogun gave the area to his allies, including Kato Yoshiaki who built Matsuyama Castle, forming the basis for the modern city of Matsuyama.

The name Ehime comes from the Kojiki and means "beautiful maiden."

[edit] Geography

Located in the northwestern part of Shikoku, Ehime faces the Seto inland sea to the north and is bordered by Kagawa and Tokushima in the east and Kochi in the south.

The prefecture includes both high mountains in the inland region and a long coastline, with many islands in the Seto inland Sea. The westernmost arm of Ehime, the Sadamisaki Peninsula, is the longest peninsula in Japan.

[edit] Cities

Eleven cities are located in Ehime Prefecture:

Map of Ehime Prefecture.

[edit] Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

Ehime agency

† Scheduled to be merged[1].

[edit] Mergers

Main article: List of mergers in Ehime Prefecture

Former districts:

[edit] Economy

The area around Matsuyama has a number of industries, including shipbuilding, chemicals, oil refining, and paper and textile products. The rural areas of the prefecture mostly engage in agricultural and fishing industries, and are particularly known for citrus fruit such as mikan (tangerine) and iyokan and cultured pearls.

Ikata's nuclear power plant produces a large portion of Shikoku's electricity.