Place · island

Ryukyu Islands

Also known as Nansei Islands

The Ryukyu Islands are a chain of islands stretching south-west from Kyushu towards Taiwan, of which Okinawa is the largest. They were the home of the Ryukyu Kingdom, a trading state that paid tribute to China, until Japan annexed them in 1879. After the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 the United States governed them until their return to Japan in 1972.

Mentioned in 1 state history

United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Ryukyu Islands. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ryukyu-islands
MLA: “Ryukyu Islands.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ryukyu-islands. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Ryukyu Islands.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ryukyu-islands.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Ryukyu Islands’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/ryukyu-islands (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻