is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 455,555 in 223812 households, and a population density of 9000 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Amagasaki is located in far southeastern Hyōgo Prefecture, next to Osaka. It has the fourth largest population in Hyōgo Prefecture after Kobe, Himeji, and Nishinomiya. Residential areas account for most of the rest of the coastal areas, industrial areas along the Meishin Expressway and JR West Fukuchiyama Line, commercial areas around Hanshin Amagasaki Station and JR JR Amagasaki Station, and its population density is the highest among municipalities in Hyogo Prefecture. Ground subsidence caused by the pumping up of groundwater by factories has reduced one-third of the city's area to sea level, causing flooding damage due to storm surges. Neighboring municipalities Hyōgo Prefecture Itami Nishinomiya Osaka Prefecture Osaka (Nishiyodogawa-ku, Yodogawa-ku) Toyonaka Climate Amagasaki has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Amagasaki is 15.0 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1475 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in January, at around 26.9 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.7 °C. Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Amagasaki peaked around 1970s has been decreasing steadily since . History The area of Amagasaki was part of ancient Kawabe District of Settsu Province and has been inhabited since ancient times, with the traces of Yayoi period settlementsand many kofun burial mounds found within the city limits. From the Heian period, the area was known for its port of Daimotsuura. During the Edo period, Amagasaki prospered as the castle town of Amagasaki Domain undertake Aoayama and subsequently the Matsudaira clans. The town of Amagasaki was established on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system. It was elevated to city status on October 1, 1916. The 1934 Muroto typhoon caused 145 fatalities and much of the city was destroyed by air raids on June 1 and June 15, 1945 during World War II. The 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake also caused considerable damage and 49 fatalities. Amagasaki was designated a special city on April 1, 2001 with increased local autonomy. A commuter train derailed on the Fukuchiyama Line near Amagasaki on April 25, 2005, resulting in more than 100