Narita

Narita is a city located in Chiba, Japan. It is the site of Narita International Airport, the main international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area.

As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 127,182 and population density of 595 persons per kmē. Its total area is 213.84 kmē.

There are various theories regarding the origin of Narita's name, composed of the characters for "become" (nari) and "rice paddy" (ta): that the name "Narita" comes from the ringing (nari) of thunder in the area, that nari is derived from an obsolete word for "fertile," and that the nari is derived from the word for "livelihood" (nariwai).

Narita is known to have been inhabited since prehistoric times; rice farming began in the area around 100 BCE. As the city is located roughly equidistant from the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay, around a number of small rivers, it was a natural political and commercial center for the region.

Urbanization of the area began during the Nara period. Narita-san Temple was founded in 940 CE.

Narita was incorporated as a town in 1889, and Narita City was founded on March 31, 1954. Growth in the area began in earnest in 1966, when Prime Minister Eisaku Sato laid out the plan for Narita International Airport. The development of the airport and accompanying access to central Tokyo led to widespread residential, commercial and industrial development in the city.

Narita was once part of Inba District until March 31, 1954. The city annexed the towns of Taiei and Shimofusa from Katori District on March 27, 2006 and the city now expanded into the Katori District areas. (In the same day in Chiba Prefecture, the cities of Katori, Sanmu, and the town of Yokoshibahikari in Sanbu District were created by the mergers)

The enlarged Narita now has an estimated population of 121,214. The total area is now 213.84kmē, as of May 1, 2006. Narita is also known to be a sign of peace.