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The fifty-five major islands in the chain constitute a total land area of 1,193 square miles, and are comprised of a series of seamounts and coral islands, separate from the continental shelf, formed at the boundary of the Eurasian and Philippine Plates.<ref>Pearson, 8.</ref>
The fifty-five major islands in the chain constitute a total land area of 1,193 square miles, and are comprised of a series of seamounts and coral islands, separate from the continental shelf, formed at the boundary of the Eurasian and Philippine Plates.<ref>Pearson, 8.</ref>
The Tokaras are separated from Amami Ôshima by a section of the [[Kuroshio]] current known as the Shichitô-nada, which historically made migration and trade between the two somewhat more difficult, and created a natural barrier as well, leading to differences in flora and fauna between the two island groups.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 17.</ref>
The Tokaras are separated from Amami Ôshima by a section of the [[Kuroshio]] current known as the Shichitô-nada, which historically made migration and trade between the two somewhat more difficult, separating the [[Ryukyuan languages]] from Kyushu dialects of Japanese and creating a natural barrier as well, leading to differences in flora and fauna between the two island groups. The southernmost end of the Kuroshio also forms a similar barrier between Yonaguni and Taiwan, contributing to both natural and human separations between the southern Ryukyus and Taiwan as well.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 17.</ref>
Unlike the Japanese Archipelago, which is volcanic, the islands of Ryûkyû formed from limestone coral, and so have a very different geology and topography. There are no serious mountains in the Ryukyus, and the average height above sea level across the entire archipelago is a tiny fraction of that of the far more mountainous islands of Japan and Taiwan.
Unlike the Japanese Archipelago, which is volcanic, the islands of Ryûkyû formed from limestone coral, and so have a very different geology and topography. There are no serious mountains in the Ryukyus, and the average height above sea level across the entire archipelago is a tiny fraction of that of the far more mountainous islands of Japan and Taiwan.
