reclaimed land; cleared land; developed area
Refers to land that has been cleared, reclaimed, or opened up for cultivation, settlement, or development. Often used in historical or agricultural contexts.
In Hokkaido's reclaimed lands, traces of that era still remain.
The people who first settled on the cleared land endured great hardship.
Compound of 開拓 (reclamation, development) + 地 (land). The exact historical derivation is straightforward.