is a

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

located in

Okinawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city o ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Modern translation of Shimajiri means "Butt of the island" which may refer to its southerly position on the island of Okinawa. Compare this to

Kunigami District, Okinawa is a district located in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Roughly translated, kunigami means "head of the country", referring to its northern location on the island of Okinawa. Compare this to Shimajiri District, Okinawa. As of 2020, the district h ...

. However, there are hundreds of geographic references throughout Japan and even into the northern Kuriles using "shiri", to approximate the ''Ainu'' word ''shir'', meaning ''island''. Despite Okinawa being so far south, historically Jōmon culture was dominant as on the mainland, and words likely have survived, though their original meanings have long been lost or modified. As of 2020, the district has an estimated

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 105,230 and the

density Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' can also be used. Mathematical ...

of 447.98 persons per km². The total area is 234.9 km². The district also includes

Kume Island is an island, part of the Okinawa Islands and administratively part of the town of Kumejima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It has an area of . The island had a population of 8,713 (2010). Kume Island is a volcanic island. Its principal economic ...

, the islands of

Iheya is a village located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It encompasses the island of Iheya. As of October 2016, the village has an estimated population of 1,214 and the density of 56 persons per km². The total area is 21.72&n ...

and Izena, the

Kerama Islands The are a subtropical island group southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Geography Four islands are inhabited: Tokashiki Island, Zamami Island, Aka Island, and Geruma Island. The islands are administered as Tokashiki Village and Zamami Villa ...

, the

Aguni Islands The are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. They are about 60 km west of Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least ...

, and the

Daitō Islands The are an archipelago consisting of three isolated coral islands in the Philippine Sea southeast of Okinawa. The islands have a total area of and a population of 2,107. Administratively, the whole group belongs to Shimajiri District of Okina ...

Towns and villages

* Haebaru Town * Kumejima Town * Yaese Town * Yonabaru Town * Aguni Village * Iheya Village * Izena Village * Kitadaitō Village * Minamidaitō Village * Tokashiki Village * Tonaki Village * Zamami Village

Mergers

*On April 1, 2002 the villages of Gushikawa and Nakazato merged to form the new town of

Kumejima is a town located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The town consists of the islands of Kume, Ōjima, Ōhajima, Torishima, and Iōtorishima. Among the islands, only Kumejima and Ōjima are populated. Kumejima is located approx ...

. *On January 1, 2006 the town of Kochinda, and the village of Gushikami merged to form the new town of Yaese. *On January 1, 2006 the town of Sashiki, and the villages of Chinen, Ōzato and

Tamagusuku was a legendary local ruler of Okinawa Island. According to Ryukyu's official history, Okinawa was split into three polities during the reign of Tamagusuku.Kerr, He was the third son of Eiji (r. 1309-1313), he was the fourth ruler of the E ...

merged to form the new city of

Nanjō is a city located in the southern part of Okinawa Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Translated literally, the name Nanjō means "southern castle". Many castle ruins, called gusuku in the Okinawan language, can be found throughout the city. T ...

Transportation

The following airports are located in Shimajiri District and serve various islands: *

Aguni Airport is an airport serving Aguni, Okinawa, Aguni, a village in the Shimajiri District, Okinawa, Shimajiri District of the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan. The prefecture operates the airport, which is classified as a List of airports in Japan, third cla ...

(Aguni) *

Kerama Airport is an airport serving the Kerama Islands in Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is located on , which is part of the Village of Zamami. The airport is linked by a road bridge to the islands of Geruma and Aka. The prefecture ...

(Zamami) *

Minami-Daito Airport is an airport in Minamidaitō, Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The prefecture operates the airport, which is classified as a third class airport. Only a round flight from Naha, to Minami-Daito and Kitadaitō, back to Naha i ...

(Minamidaito)

Naha Airport is a second class airport located west of the city hallAIS Japan
in Naha 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 km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area i ...

serves Shimajiri District areas in or near

Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five main islands of Japan. The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an ...

. Districts in Okinawa Prefecture {{Okinawa-geo-stub