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Ōra

邑楽町
Ōra 邑楽町
Town
	Ōra town hall
	Flag Seal
	Location of Ōra in Gunma Prefecture
	Ōra
	Coordinates: 36°15′8.6″N 139°27′44.3″E / 36.252389°N 139.462306°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Gunma
District	Ōra
Area
• Total	31.11 km2 (12.01 sq mi)
Population (August 2020)
• Total	26,267
• Density	840/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- Tree	Pinus densiflora
- Flower	Azalea
Phone number	0276-88-5511
Address	3040 Nakano, Ōra-machi, Gunma-ken 370-0692
Website	Official website

Ōra (邑楽町, Ōra-machi) is a town located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. As of 31 August 2020^[update], the town had an estimated population of 26,267 in 10,382 households,^[1] and a population density of 840 persons per km². The total area of the town is 31.11 square kilometres (12.01 sq mi).

Geography

Ōra is located in the extreme southern corner Gunma prefecture, bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the north.

Surrounding municipalities

Gunma Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

Ashikaga

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,^[2] the population of Ōra peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1960	15,159	—
1970	15,030	−0.9%
1980	21,869	+45.5%
1990	26,380	+20.6%
2000	27,512	+4.3%
2010	27,023	−1.8%
2020	25,522	−5.6%

History

The villages of Nakano, Takashima and Nagae were created within Ōra District, Gunma Prefecture on April 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system after the Meiji Restoration. On March 1, 1955, Nakano and Takashima merged to form the village of Nakajima. Nakae merged with neighboring Tominaga and Eiraku to form the village of Chiyoda. However, on September 30, 1956 the former Nakae village was transferred from Chiyoda to Nakajima, and Nakajma was renamed Ōra on January 1, 1957. Ōra was elevated to town status on April 1, 1968.

Government

Ōra has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral town council of 14 members. Ōra, together with the other municipalities in Ōra District contributes three members to the Gunma Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the town is part of Gunma 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Education

Ōra has four public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one public high school operated by the Gunma prefecture Board of Education.