Core city in Kyushu, Japan
Core city in Kyushu, Japan
Naha
(
那覇市
,
Naha-shi
,
Japanese:
[na?ha]
,
Okinawan
:
N?fa
[1]
[2]
or
Nafa
[3]
)
is the
capital city
of
Okinawa Prefecture
, the southernmost prefecture of
Japan
. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated
population
of 317,405 and a
population density
of 7,939 persons per km
2
(20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area is 39.98 km
2
(15.44 sq mi).
Naha is located on the
East China Sea
coast of the southern part of
Okinawa Island
, the largest of Okinawa Prefecture. The modern city was officially founded on May 20, 1921. Before that, Naha had been for centuries one of the most important and populous sites in Okinawa.
Naha is the political, economic and educational center of Okinawa Prefecture. In the medieval and early modern periods,
[4]
it was the commercial center of the
Ryukyu Kingdom
.
Geography
[
edit
]
City center
[
edit
]
Central Naha consists of the Palette Kumoji shopping mall, the
Okinawa Prefecture Office
, Naha City Hall, and many banks and corporations, located at the west end of Kokusai-d?ri, the city's main street. Kokusai-d?ri
(
?際通り
, "International Avenue")
boasts a 1.6 kilometer (1 mile) long stretch of stores, restaurants and bars. Kokusai-d?ri ends at the main bus terminal in Okinawa and is served by several stations along the
Okinawa Urban Monorail
, the only train system in the prefecture.
Spurring off from Kokusai-d?ri is the covered Heiwa-d?ri Shopping Arcade and Makishi Public Market, a massive
sh?tengai
filled with fresh fish, meat, and produce stands, restaurants, tourist goods shops, and liquor shops. Just outside the market area is the neighborhood of Tsuboya
(
壺屋
, "pot/jar shop")
, which was once a major center of ceramic production (see
Tsuboya-yaki
).
Northeast of Kokusai-d?ri is a relatively new commercial district called Shintoshin
(
新都心
, "New Metropolitan Center")
. The area, formerly
United States military
housing, was released to Okinawa in 1987, but major development only began in the mid-1990s.
Omoromachi Station
is attached directly to an upscale shopping mall; another mall, Naha Main Place, a few hundred meters (yards) down the street, contains many upscale Western-brand fashion boutiques, with restaurants and other shops. Frequented by young people, the area boasts large stores such as
Toys R Us
and Best Denki (an electronics store), a co-op market, many restaurants and a movie theater.
The
Okinawa Prefectural Museum
, containing sections devoted to the art, history, and natural history of the Ryukyus, opened in the area in November 2007 and sits in front of
Shintoshin Park
.
History
[
edit
]
According to the
Irosetsuden
(
遺老??
)
, the name of Naha comes from its original name, Naba, which was the name of a large,
mushroom
-shaped stone in the city. (
Naba
is a
Western Japanese
and
Ryukyuan
word for "
mushroom
.") Gradually, the stone wore away and became buried, and the name's pronunciation and its
kanji
gradually changed.
[5]
In Naha, some archeological relics of the
Stone Age
were found. From a
J?mon period
kaizuka
(shell mound), ancient Chinese coins were found. Pottery found by archaeologists indicates that the area was an active site of trade with the Japanese archipelago and Korean peninsula at least as early as the 11th century. Though it is not known just when the area first became organized as a functioning port city, it was active as such by the time of the unification of the Ry?ky? Kingdom in the early 15th century.
[6]
Though today Naha has grown to incorporate the former royal capital city of
Shuri
, center of Chinese learning
Kumemura
, and other towns and villages, in the period of the Ry?ky? Kingdom, it was a smaller city, prominent as a major port, but not as a political center.
Medieval Naha was on a tiny island called Ukishima, connected to the mainland of Okinawa Island by a narrow causeway called Ch?k?tei
(
長虹堤
,
lit. "long rainbow embankment"
)
which led on to Shuri. The main port area for international trade, Naha proper, was divided into the East
(
東
,
higashi
)
and West
(
西
,
nishi
)
districts and was on the southwestern portion of Ukishima. A large open-air marketplace was active in front of the royal government trading center, or
oyamise
(
親見世
)
. A number of Japanese temples and shrines were located here, along with a residence and embassy, known as the Tenshikan
(
天使館
)
, for visiting Chinese officials. A pair of forts (
Mie gusuku
and
Yarazamori gusuku
) built atop embankments extending out across the entrance to the harbor defended the port, and a small island within the harbor held a warehouse,
Omono gusuku
(
御物グスク
)
, used for storing trade goods.
[7]
Tomari
(
泊
)
, on the mainland of Okinawa Island to the northeast of Ukishima, served as the chief port for trade within the Ry?ky? Islands. The administrators of Tomari were also responsible for collecting and managing the
tribute
paid to the kingdom by the
Amami Islands
, whose tribute ships made port here.
[7]
Kume-?d?ri
(
久米大通り
, "Kume Great Avenue")
ran across Ukishima from southeast to northwest, forming the center of the walled community of
Kumemura
, the center of classical Chinese learning in Ry?ky? for centuries.
[7]
Kumemura is traditionally believed to have been founded by 36
Min
families sent to Ry?ky? by the Ming Chinese Imperial Court and to be inhabited primarily or solely by descendants of those settlers; historian Uezato Takashi points out, however, that due to Naha's prominence in international maritime trade networks, it is quite likely that many other Chinese, chiefly from
Fujian
and other maritime trading areas along the southern Chinese coast, would have settled here as well.
[8]
Major sites in the community included the Tensonby?
Taoist
temple near the northern end of Kume-?d?ri and two shrines called Upper and Lower Tenpig?, dedicated to the Taoist goddess of the sea Tenpi, also known as
Matsu
.
[7]
A Confucian temple, the gift of the
Kangxi Emperor
, was built in Kumemura in the 1670s; the
Meirind?
, a school of classic Confucian Chinese learning, was established in 1718.
[9]
Following their destruction in
World War II
, the Meirind?, Confucian temple, and Tenpig? shrines were rebuilt on the site of the Tensonby? in northern Kume, where they stand today as the Confucian temple
Shiseiby?
.
On the northwest side of Ukishima lay Wakasamachi
(
若?町
, "Wakasa town")
, a community traditionally said to have been founded by Japanese settlers. It was organized around Wakasamachi-?d?ri, an avenue which intersected with Kume-?d?ri and ran across tidal mudflats to the east of Ukishima, connecting the community to the port of Tomari on the Okinawan mainland. A number of Japanese shrines and temples were located in Wakasamachi, including the
Naminoue Shrine
, the
Zen
temple K?ganji, and temples devoted to
Ebisu
and
Jiz?
. The community had lodgings specifically set aside for traders and travelers from the
Tokara Islands
.
[7]
Another settlement, known as Izumizaki, lay on the mainland of Okinawa Island, just across the Kumoji River from Ukishima. Izumizaki had no notable or major port facilities and is believed to have been simply an extension of the residential community of Naha proper, which thus spread onto the mainland as the population and according demand for land grew.
[7]
At some point, the tidal mudflats and Kumoji River separating Ukishima, that is, Naha, from Okinawa Island were filled in. The neighborhoods of Kume, Wakasa, and Tomari can still be found in Naha today.
Commodore
Matthew C. Perry
's expeditionary squadron stopped in Naha en route to Tokyo in 1853; and the American ships visited several more times. The lithographs prepared from drawings made by the expedition's official artist would be widely circulated. These images would provide the basis for 19th century impressions of the geography and people of the Ry?ky? islands.
After the replacement of the Ry?ky? Kingdom with the
Ry?ky?
Domain
in 1872, Naha became the capital city. The Ry?ky? Domain was abolished in 1879 and the former Ry?ky? Kingdom came to an end, fully annexed by Japan as
Okinawa Prefecture
, with Naha remaining as the capital city. Shuri and other neighboring municipalities were absorbed into the city.
An Imperial decree in July 1899 established Naha as an open port for trading with the United States and the United Kingdom.
[10]
During the
battle of Okinawa
in
World War II
, Naha suffered extensive damage from the fighting. The entire centre of the city had to be rebuilt. On 1 September 1954, the village of
Oroku
was merged into the city.
[11]
On April 1, 2013, Naha became a
core city
, a category of
cities of Japan
under the
Local Autonomy Law of Japan
. Naha now carries out many of the functions, notably for public health care, normally delegated to the prefectural government. Naha is the first core city in Okinawa Prefecture.
[12]
Panoramic view of Naha City seen from the Kaigungo Navy Headquarters Park
Culture
[
edit
]
Religion
[
edit
]
There are numerous shrines throughout the city, ranging from small huts to temples consisting of several houses. The religion is a mix of Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoism, and indigenous traditions. The most visible part of the local beliefs though is by far the shisa, the Okinawan
shiisaa
("lion dogs") that are considered protectors of the island and are found everywhere - walls, roofs, windows, street corners and parks.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Kainan Church) is the episcopal see of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Naha
.
Festivals
[
edit
]
Sights
[
edit
]
The restored and rebuilt
Shuri Castle
, the former royal palace of the Ry?ky? Kingdom, is one of the finest
gusuku
(Okinawan castle) and among the most important historical sites in Naha. The palace, and a series of tunnels underneath it, were used as a major command post by the Imperial Japanese military during World War II, and the castle was subsequently almost destroyed in 1945 by the US Marines, Army and Navy. After the war, the University of the Ry?ky?s was constructed on the site. Today Shuri Castle has been reconstructed, including the famous
Shureimon
, its main gate, and is registered, along with a number of other
gusuku
and other Okinawan historical and sacred sites, as a
UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
Lake Man
, covered with
mangrove
woods on the boundary of the city of
Tomigusuku
, is listed on the
Ramsar
list of
wetlands
.
Education
[
edit
]
Four universities are in the Naha area. Two are run by Okinawa Prefecture; two are private. The
University of the Ryukyus
, the sole national university in Okinawa Prefecture, was also in Naha, on the site of Shuri Castle. Before the restoration of the castle, the university moved to the town of
Nishihara
to the northeast of Naha.
Naha's public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the
Naha City Board of Education
.
[13]
Naha's public high schools are operated by the
Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education
. Private schools include the
Okinawa Actors' School
.
Martial arts
[
edit
]
Naha-te
, (Naha-hand), called
Nawate
by
Gichin Funakoshi
, is a type of
martial art
developed in Naha.
[14]
The successor styles to Naha-te include
G?j?-ry?
,
Uechi-ry?
,
Ry?ei-ry?
, and
T?on-ry?
.
Climate
[
edit
]
Naha has a
humid subtropical climate
(
Koppen climate classification
Cfa
)?bordering on
tropical rainforest climate
(
Koppen climate classification
Af
)?with hot summers and mild winters. Precipitation is abundant throughout the year; September is the wettest month and December is the driest. Naha has hot and humid summers with July and August being the city's warmest months, exceeding an average high of 31 degrees Celsius (88 °F). Naha has warm winters, with average high temperatures in the coolest months of January and February, hovering around 19-20 degrees Celsius (66 to 68 °F) and average lows around 14-15 degrees Celsius (57 to 59 °F). The city sees a substantial amount of rainfall, averaging in excess of 2,000 mm (79 in) of rain per year.
Climate data for Naha (1991?2020 normals, extremes 1890?present)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Record high °C (°F)
|
27.0
(80.6)
|
27.1
(80.8)
|
28.2
(82.8)
|
30.6
(87.1)
|
32.0
(89.6)
|
34.3
(93.7)
|
35.5
(95.9)
|
35.6
(96.1)
|
34.6
(94.3)
|
33.0
(91.4)
|
31.6
(88.9)
|
29.4
(84.9)
|
35.6
(96.1)
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
19.8
(67.6)
|
20.2
(68.4)
|
21.9
(71.4)
|
24.3
(75.7)
|
27.0
(80.6)
|
29.8
(85.6)
|
31.9
(89.4)
|
31.8
(89.2)
|
30.6
(87.1)
|
28.1
(82.6)
|
25.0
(77.0)
|
21.5
(70.7)
|
26.0
(78.8)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
17.3
(63.1)
|
17.5
(63.5)
|
19.1
(66.4)
|
21.5
(70.7)
|
24.2
(75.6)
|
27.2
(81.0)
|
29.1
(84.4)
|
29.0
(84.2)
|
27.9
(82.2)
|
25.5
(77.9)
|
22.5
(72.5)
|
19.0
(66.2)
|
23.3
(73.9)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
14.9
(58.8)
|
15.1
(59.2)
|
16.7
(62.1)
|
19.1
(66.4)
|
22.1
(71.8)
|
25.2
(77.4)
|
27.0
(80.6)
|
26.8
(80.2)
|
25.8
(78.4)
|
23.5
(74.3)
|
20.4
(68.7)
|
16.8
(62.2)
|
21.1
(70.0)
|
Record low °C (°F)
|
6.1
(43.0)
|
4.9
(40.8)
|
6.3
(43.3)
|
8.7
(47.7)
|
11.0
(51.8)
|
14.8
(58.6)
|
20.8
(69.4)
|
20.7
(69.3)
|
17.0
(62.6)
|
14.8
(58.6)
|
8.6
(47.5)
|
6.8
(44.2)
|
4.9
(40.8)
|
Average
precipitation
mm (inches)
|
101.6
(4.00)
|
114.5
(4.51)
|
142.8
(5.62)
|
161.0
(6.34)
|
245.3
(9.66)
|
284.4
(11.20)
|
188.1
(7.41)
|
240.0
(9.45)
|
275.2
(10.83)
|
179.2
(7.06)
|
119.1
(4.69)
|
110.0
(4.33)
|
2,161
(85.08)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.5 mm)
|
12.2
|
11.3
|
12.6
|
11.6
|
13.1
|
12.4
|
11.0
|
13.9
|
13.3
|
10.6
|
9.6
|
10.7
|
142.0
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
66
|
69
|
71
|
75
|
78
|
83
|
78
|
78
|
75
|
72
|
69
|
67
|
73
|
Mean monthly
sunshine hours
|
93.1
|
93.1
|
115.3
|
120.9
|
138.2
|
159.5
|
227.0
|
206.3
|
181.3
|
163.3
|
121.7
|
107.4
|
1,727.1
|
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency
[15]
|
Economy
[
edit
]
Naha is an economic center of Okinawa dominated by tourism, retail and service industries. Okinawa's largest banks,
Bank of the Ryukyus
,
Bank of Okinawa
and
Okinawa Kaiho Bank
, are headquartered in Naha. The
Bank of Japan
,
Mizuho Bank
,
Shoko Chukin Bank
and
Japan Post Bank
also have branches in Naha. Major international insurance companies also have call centers based in the city.
Naha Airport
is a major transportation hub for the region, and
Japan Transocean Air
and
Ryukyu Air Commuter
, subsidiaries of
Japan Airlines
, are headquartered in Naha.
[16]
[17]
Transportation
[
edit
]
Naha Airport
and Naha Port serve the city. Naha Airport is the hub of Okinawa Prefecture.
The
Okinawa Urban Monorail
, also known as the Yui Rail
(
ゆいレ?ル
)
carries passengers from Naha Airport Station to the center of Naha, Kokusai-d?ri, Shintoshin, Shuri, and to the terminal at
Tedako-Uranishi Station
in
Urasoe
.
Crime and safety
[
edit
]
Two
designated yakuza
groups, the
Kyokuryu-kai
and the
Okinawa Kyokuryu-kai
, are based in Naha.
[18]
The Okinawa Kyokuryu-kai is the largest yakuza group in Okinawa Prefecture, followed by the Kyokuryu-kai.
[19]
International relations
[
edit
]
Twin towns and sister cities
[
edit
]
Naha is
twinned
with the following locations.
[20]
Notable people
[
edit
]
Famous people with links to the city of Naha include:
- Awich
, (Akiko Urasaki) Okinawan hip hop artist
- Namie Amuro
, pop singer
- Cocco
, singer
- Gichin Funakoshi
, karate practitioner
- Eriko Imai
, pop singer, actor and politician; member of
Speed
- Satoko Ishimine
, pop singer
- Kazuki Ganaha
, football (soccer) player
- Ank? Itosu
, karate practitioner
- Ch?jun Miyagi
, martial artist who founded the G?j?-ry? school of karate
- Fumi Nikaid?
, actor and model
- Kanry? Higaonna
, martial artist
- Morio Higaonna
,
[23]
karate practitioner
- S?kon Matsumura
, karate practitioner
- Yui Aragaki
, singer, actor, model
- Orange Range
, alternative rock band. All members are from Okinawa
- Dave Roberts (outfielder)
, major league baseball player and manager
- Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
, manga artist and author of
Toriko
- Norihiro Yagi
, manga artist and author of
Claymore
- Mikiko Shiroma
, politician, mayor of Naha 2014 ? 2022
- Kurara Chibana
, model and beauty queen,
Miss Japan
2006 and first runner-up to
Miss Universe 2006
- Sho Yonashiro, singer, member of
JO1
Naha in popular media
[
edit
]
- Naha City was prominently featured in the plot of the 1986 film
The Karate Kid Part II
. However, the film was actually shot in Hawaii.
[24]
- The opening scene of David Mitchell's 1999 novel
Ghostwritten
is set in Naha.
- The name Naha was used in Microsoft's 2003 space simulation game
Freelancer
. The Gas Miner "Naha" is a station owned by the Gas Miners Guild (GMG) in the Sigma-13 system.
- Shuri Castle during the American invasion was recreated in
Call of Duty: World at War
(2008) during the final stages of the game. The player must help capture the castle and it is the final level for the American portion of the story.
- Portions of Naha have been faithfully recreated in
3D
for
Sega
's
Ryu ga Gotoku 3
, or
Yakuza 3
in its North American localization, a 2009 video game on
PlayStation 3
. This virtual version includes Kokusai-d?ri, the covered Heiwa-d?ri Shopping Arcade, Makishi Public Market and the Monorail's
Prefectural Office Station
. It also features many of the district's real-life eateries and businesses as tie-ins.
- Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
visits Okinawa in season 6, episode 3, to sample the unique Okinawan
chanpur?
cuisine and learn about the history of
Karate
.
[25]
- PBS
series
Family Ingredients
filmed two episodes in Naha and Okinawa at
Shuri Castle
and Makishi Market in 2016.
[26]
- Karate Kid
spin-off
Cobra Kai
, filmed Season 3, Episodes 4 and 5, "The Right Path" and "Miyagi-Do", in Naha and other parts of
Okinawa Island
, filming at
Naha Airport
,
Yanbaru National Park
, and the Mutabaru Observatory at the abandoned Shah Bay resort in Ogimi.
[27]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- Ooshiro, Sally.
Irosetsuden
, thesis translation of ancient Ry?ky? record compilation. Submitted to University of Hawaii, 1964.
- ^
"ナ?ファ"
.
首里?那覇方言音?デ?タベ?ス
(in Japanese).
- ^
"な?ふぁ【那覇】"
.
JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary
.
- ^
"ナファ"
.
首里?那覇方言音?デ?タベ?ス
(in Japanese).
- ^
Specifically, the medieval period of Okinawan history, referred to as
ko-ry?ky?
(古琉球, lit. "Old Ryukyu") in Japanese, extending from roughly the 12th century until the
Invasion of Ryukyu
by Japanese forces in 1609. The early modern period extends from that year until roughly 1879, the year the Ryukyu Kingdom was abolished and replaced with Okinawa Prefecture.
- ^
Oshiro, 1964.
- ^
Uezato, Takashi. "The Formation of the Port City of Naha in Ryukyu and the World of Maritime Asia: From the Perspective of a Japanese Network."
Acta Asiatica
vol 95 (2008). Tokyo: T?h? Gakkai (The Institute of Eastern Culture). pp57-58.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Uezato. p62.
- ^
Uezato. p59.
- ^
Kerr, George H.
Okinawa: The History of an Island People
. revised ed. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp194,204, 221.
- ^
US Department of State. (1906).
A digest of international law as embodied in diplomatic discussions, treaties and other international agreements
(John Bassett Moore, ed.), Vol. 5, p. 759
.
- ^
小?
[Oroku] (in Japanese). Naha City. 16 June 2020
. Retrieved
3 September
2020
.
- ^
"Naha starts as regional hub city in Okinawa"
.
Ryukyu Shinpo
. Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan: Ryukyu Shimpo Co. Ltd. Apr 2, 2013
. Retrieved
2013-04-16
.
- ^
"Edu.city.naha.okinawa.jp"
. Archived from
the original
on 2006-10-07
. Retrieved
2006-09-24
.
- ^
Cezar Borkowski, Marion Manzo, 1998
The complete idiot's guide to martial arts.
p178
- ^
?象? / 平年値(年?月ごとの値)
.
Japan Meteorological Agency
. Retrieved
May 19,
2021
.
- ^
"
Company Profile
" (Japanese).
Japan Transocean Air
. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
- ^
?社?要
.
Ryukyu Air Commuter
. Archived from
the original
on April 17, 2009
. Retrieved
May 19,
2009
.
所在地 沖??那覇市山下町3番1?(?900-0027)
."
- ^
"2010 Police White Paper Chapter 2 : Furtherance of Organized Crime Countermeasures"
, 2010,
National Police Agency
(in Japanese)
- ^
"Boryokudan condition in the prefecture"
Archived
2012-06-19 at the
Wayback Machine
, October 2007,
Okinawa Prefectural Conference for the Expulsion of the Boryokudan
(in Japanese)
- ^
"Naha Sister Cities"
. Archived from
the original
on 2007-05-09
. Retrieved
2007-04-12
.
- ^
"Pesquisa de Legislacao Municipal - No 14471"
[Research Municipal Legislation - No 14471].
Prefeitura da Cidade de Sao Paulo [Municipality of the City of Sao Paulo]
(in Portuguese). Archived from
the original
on 2011-10-18
. Retrieved
2013-08-23
.
- ^
Lei Municipal de Sao Paulo 14471 de 2007
WikiSource
(in Portuguese)
- ^
Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Israel: Founders ? Sensei Morio Higaonna
Archived
2010-02-09 at the
Wayback Machine
Retrieved on February 20, 2010.
- ^
Cowan, Jared (16 June 2016).
"30 years ago, The Karate Kid, Part II Took us from The Valley to "Okinawa"
"
. LA Weekly
. Retrieved
15 June
2021
.
- ^
"Okinawa: Travel to Japan's tropical southern end"
.
CNN Travel
. Retrieved
15 June
2021
.
- ^
"Family Ingredients"
.
pbs.org
. Retrieved
15 June
2021
.
- ^
Kudaka, Shoji (10 April 2021).
"Walk in footsteps of Karate Kid at Mutabaru Observatory on Okinawa"
.
stripes.com
. Stars and Stripes
. Retrieved
15 June
2021
.
External links
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edit
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Naha
.
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※
also a
prefectural capital
;
†
eligible for core city status but not yet nominated;
☆
to become core cities
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2,000,000 and more
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1,000,000?1,999,999
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500,000?999,999
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200,000?499,999
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International
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National
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Geographic
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Academics
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Other
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