Angaur

Angaur (Japanese: アンガウル, Hepburn: Angauru) or Ngeaur is an island in the island nation of Palau. The island, which forms its own state, has an area of 8 km² (3 mi²). Its population was 130 in 2012.[1] The state capital is the village of Ngeremasch on the western side. A second village, Rois, is immediately east of Ngeremasch.

Angaur

アンガウル州
State
Flag
Location of Angaur in Palau
Coordinates:
Country Palau
CapitalNgeremasch
Area
 • Total8 km2 (3 sq mi)
Population
 (2015)
 • Total119
 • Density15/km2 (39/sq mi)
 • Official languages
Palauan English Japanese
Time zoneUTC+9 (Palau Standard Time)
Area code(+680) 277
ISO 3166 codePW-010

Political system

The state of Angaur, with population of less than 150, has an elected chief executive, governor. The state also has a legislature elected every two years.[2] The state population elects one of the members of the House of Delegates of Palau.

Overview
Map including Ngeaur (DMA, 1991)
Map of Angaur State with the Lukes (traditional place).
Location of Angaur (upper right)

The first sighting of Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror, and Peleliu recorded by Westerners was by the Spanish expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos at the end of January 1543. They were then charted as Los Arrecifes (The Reefs in Spanish).[3] In November and December 1710, these three islands were again visited and explored by the Spanish missionary expedition commanded by Sargento Mayor Francisco Padilla on board of the patache Santísima Trinidad. Two years later they were explored in detail by the expedition of Spanish naval officer Bernardo de Egoy.[4]

From 1909 until 1954 phosphate mining took place on Angaur, originally by the Germans, then the Japanese, and finally by Americans. Angaur is the site of a major World War II battle. The Battle of Angaur was part of the larger offensive campaign called Operation Forager that ran from June to Nov 1944. Many American and Japanese battle relics[5] remain scattered throughout the island. The 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion under Lieutenant colonel Henry R. Paige served as garrison forces for the remainder of the War. Angaur is the only place in Micronesia that has feral monkeys; they are descended from macaques that escaped during the period of German occupation.[6] Thus it is also called Monkey Island.

Angaur Island is located southwest of Peleliu, and it is a popular surfing location. Angaur is accessible by boats and small planes, and Belau Air has service to Angaur Airstrip. From 1945 to 1978 the U.S. Coast Guard operated a LORAN transmitting station, LORSTA Palau, as part of the worldwide LORAN navigation system. The eastern side of the island is mostly sandy with rocky outcroppings, while the western side of the island has a small lagoon with a small fishing and transportation port.

Population development

[1]

Japanese as an official language

According to the state constitution of 1982, Angaur's official languages are Palauan, English and Japanese.[7] It is the only place in the world where Japanese is a de jure official language, as it is only the de facto official language of Japan. However, the results of the 2005 census show that in April 2005 there were no usual or legal residents of Angaur aged 5 or older who spoke Japanese at home at all.[8] No residents of Anguar reported themselves or were reported as being of Japanese ethnic origin.[9] One person born (but apparently not residing) on Angaur reported to speak Japanese and Palauan equally often at home.[8] The 2012 mini census showed 7 people aged 10 or older literate in any language other than Palauan and English for Angaur, out of a total population of 130.[1]

Education

The Ministry of Education operates public schools.

Angaur Elementary School was established in 1945. A new building in another location opened in 1953. It moved to the original site in 1966 in a new building but it later moved back to the second site.[10]

Palau High School in Koror is the country's only public high school, so children from this community go there.[11]

See also

References
  1. "2013 ROP Statistical Yearbook" (PDF). Bureau of Budget & Planning. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  2. "State/National Election Schedule". Palau Election Commission. 5 November 2020.
  3. Burney, James A chronological history of the discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean, London, 1813, v.I, p.233.
  4. Coello, Francisco "Conflicto hispano-alemán" Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid, t.XIX. 2º semestre 1885, Madrid, p.296.
  5. Panoramio photos Archived 2014-12-19 at the Wayback Machine of Japanese command post on north end of Angaur Island, Palau.
  6. Micronesia Handbook by Neil M. Levy, pp. 174–176
  7. "Constitution of the State of Angaur". Pacific Digital Library. Article XII. Retrieved 4 August 2014. The traditional Palauan language, particularly the dialect spoken by the people of Angaur State, shall be the language of the State of Angaur. Palauan, English and Japanese shall be the official languages.
  8. "2005 Census of Population & Housing" (PDF). Bureau of Budget & Planning. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  9. "2005 Census Monograph Final Report" (PDF). Bureau of Budget & Planning. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  10. "Angaur Elementary School Archived 2018-02-14 at the Wayback Machine." Ministry of Education (Palau). Retrieved on February 22, 2018.
  11. "About Archived 2018-03-03 at the Wayback Machine." Palau High School. Retrieved on February 22, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.