Fukuoka–Kitakyushu

Fukuoka-Kitakyushu Greater Metropolitan Region (福岡・北九州大都市圏, Fukuoka Kitakyūshū Daitoshiken) is the most common name given to the region comprising the metropolitan areas of the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan and in between.^[3] Alternate names are many, including Kitakyushu-Fukuoka Greater Metropolitan Region (北九州・福岡大都市圏),^[4] Northern Part of Kyushu Greater Metropolitan Region (北部九州大都市圏)^[5]

Fukuoka–Kitakyushu Fukuoka-Kitakyushu Greater Metropolitan Region
Metropolitan area
Fukuoka Kitakyushu
A map showing Fukuoka and Kitakyushu Metropolitan Employment Areas in 2015.
Country	Japan
Prefectures	Fukuoka
Area
• Metro	5,741 km2 (2,217 sq mi)
Population  (2015)
• Metro	5,538,142
• Metro density	960/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
GDP[1][2]
• Metro	JP¥19,047 billion (2021) US$173 billion (2021)

One reason for complications in naming is because the whole region itself was once referred to as "Kitakyushu", which had become ambiguous after the city merger in 1963 which created the city by the same name.

These cities may be referred to separately, but often are lumped together since they are close and lie in the same prefecture. Furthermore, their economic spheres, infrastructure, and transport links overlap. Note that the metro areas include the tip of Honshu island (Shimonoseki on Honshu is a significant suburb of Kitakyushu), as well as the northern part of Kyushu. The definition of Northern Kyushu is not a superset of Fukuoka–Kitakyushu; among the ways it differs: it generally does not include any cities on Honshu island.

Definition

The region consists of the following areas:

Administrative division	Population
Fukuoka-Kurume-Saga within Greater Fukuoka (福岡都市圏)	2,868,977 (Oct 2006)[6]
Greater Kitakyushu (北九州都市圏)/Kanmon Metropolitan Area (関門都市圏) including Shimonoseki (下関都市圏)	2,400,000 (2005 Census)[7]
Iizuka region (飯塚都市圏)	200,000 (2005 Census)
Ube region (宇部都市圏)	270,000 (Nov 2006)[8]
Fukuoka–Kitakyushu	5,738,977

• The Ube region may or may not be considered part of this region, depending on definition
• Note: The cities of Ōita, Sasebo, Kumamoto are never included as being part of Fukuoka–Kitakyushu, despite their relative proximity to Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, rather, they are part of Northern Kyūshū.

Trends

Fukuoka metropolitan area Fukuoka MEA
Urban Employment Area
Fukuoka MEA as of 2015
Country	Japan
Prefectures	Fukuoka Prefecture
Core city	Fukuoka
Area (2011)[9]
• Total	1,282.99 km2 (495.37 sq mi)
• Inhabitable area	771.07 km2 (297.71 sq mi)
Population  (2015)[10]
• Total	2,565,501
• Rank	5th in Japan
• Density	2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)[9]	8.92 trillion Japanese yen (2010)
Website	www.fukuoka-tosiken.jp

There is a trend for concentration near Fukuoka, with the other areas declining in importance.

Population^[10]

Metropolitan area	1980	1990	2000	2010	2015
Fukuoka MEA	1,773,129	2,129,424	2,329,021	2,495,552	2,565,501
Kitakyushu MEA	1,524,747	1,428,014	1,425,920	1,397,618	1,314,276
Kurume MEA	384,264	461,686	419,616	432,441	431,897
Shimonoseki MEA	348,875	338,049	287,935	280,947	268,517
Iizuka McEA	188,420	217,059	209,400	196,546	189,195

• 
  Kitakyushu MEA as of 2010
• 
  Kurume MEA as of 2010
• 
  Shimonoseki MEA as of 2010
• 
  Iizuka McEA as of 2010

Transport

Main article: Transport in Fukuoka-Kitakyushu