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Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
.






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Chuuk
Map Chuuk Islands1
Chuuk Islands (satellite)
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia is an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, north of Papua New Guinea. The country is a sovereign state in Associated state with the United States....
 (FSM), along with Kosrae
Kosrae

Kosrae , formerly known as Kusaie, is an island in Micronesia and is by itself one of four states of the Federated States of Micronesia....
, Pohnpei
Pohnpei

Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four state s in the Federated States of Micronesia , and among the Senyavin Islands ....
, and Yap
YAP

Yet Another Previewer or Yet Another Prolog are two document previewing applications and one Prolog compiler often referred to as YAP....
. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's states. Geographically, Chuuk is also part of the larger Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands

The Caroline Islands form a large archipelago of widely scattered islands in the western Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end....
 group. Chuuk means mountain in the Chuukese language
Chuukese language

Chuukese is a Trukic languages of the Austronesian languages spoken primarily on the islands of Chuuk in the Caroline Islands in Federated States of Micronesia....
 and was known mainly as Truk (a mispronunciation of Ruk), until 1990.

Geography

The main population center of Chuuk State is the Chuuk Lagoon
Truk Lagoon

Truk Lagoon, also known as Chuuk, is a sheltered body of water almost fifty miles long by thirty miles wide surrounded by a protective reef, with an area of 3130 km? ....
, a large archipelago with mountainous islands surrounded by a string of islets on a barrier reef
Barrier reef

Barrier reef can refer to:*a coral reef,*the Great Barrier Reef in Australia,*the Belize Barrier Reef,*the New Caledonia Barrier Reef,*Barrier Reef , an Australian television series....
. The two major geographical and dialectic divisions of the Chuuk Lagoon are Faichuuk, the western islands, and Namoneas, the eastern islands. Chuuk State also includes several more sparsely populated "outer island" groups, including the Mortlock Islands
Satawan

Satawan Atoll is part of the Mortlock Islands in the Caroline Islands, administratively part of Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia....
 to the southeast, the Hall Islands (Pafeng) to the north, Namonuito Atoll
Namonuito Atoll

Namonuito Atoll, also called Namonweito, Weito, or Magur Islands, is the largest atoll of the Federated States of Micronesia and of the Caroline Islands, with a total area of 2267 km?, unless one considers the still larger Truk Lagoon as a type of atoll in an early stage of development....
 to the northwest, and the Pattiw
Pattiw

Pattiw is the name of the westernmost area of the State of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia, consisting of the three islands or atolls of Houk, Poluwat and Pollap, with a total land area of 7.17 km? and a population of 2,736 ....
 Region to west. The Pattiw Region is of particular interest in that they are some of the most traditional islands in the Pacific and culturally related to outer islands of Yap
YAP

Yet Another Previewer or Yet Another Prolog are two document previewing applications and one Prolog compiler often referred to as YAP....
. This group, includes the islands of Pollap, Tamatam, Poluwat
Poluwat

Poluwat, also Polowat, formerly Puluwat, is a coral atoll and a municipality of Chuuk state, Federated States of Micronesia. Poluwat is located in the northwestern region , and there in the western area of Chuuk state....
, and Houk. Today you can still find master navigators— Poluwat and Pollap are considered to have some of the best navigators and ocean-going outrigger canoe
Outrigger canoe

The outrigger canoe is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull ....
s in the Pacific. The islands of Pattiw Region and some of the Islands of Yap, you will still today find last two remaining schools of navigation, Weriyeng
Weriyeng

Weriyeng, is one of the last two schools of traditional navigation found in Central Caroline Islands in Micronesia, the other being Faaluush. By tradition these two schools were considered to be the most high of all the schools of navigation that once dotted the islands of Central Caroline Islands....
 and Faaluush. Visiting the Pattiw Region in the west, however, is hard due to lack of reliable transportation. Houk has probably the most accessible airstrip in the Pattiw Region, with planes landing every one or two weeks.

History

It is not known when the islands of Chuuk were first settled, but, based on archaeological and scriptural evidence, these islands had originally been settled more than 2000 years ago. It is not known with certainty where the original inhabitants came from. Based on archaeological evidence, it seems that, after about 200 CE, there was no continuous settlement until about 1300 CE. With further archaeological work, it is possible this gap could be filled in. However, because Chuuk is not high on the archaeological agenda (See List of archaeological sites sorted by country
List of archaeological sites sorted by country

This is a list of notable archaeological sites sorted by country. For one sorted by continent and time period, see the list of archaeological sites sorted by continent and age....
), it is improbable that such a developed study will begin soon. It is probable that people came from Pohnpei
Pohnpei

Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four state s in the Federated States of Micronesia , and among the Senyavin Islands ....
 and Kosrae
Kosrae

Kosrae , formerly known as Kusaie, is an island in Micronesia and is by itself one of four states of the Federated States of Micronesia....
 to the east, based on many legend and language similarities.

As part of the colonial
Colony

In politics and in history, a colony is a Territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies....
 territory of the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands

The Caroline Islands form a large archipelago of widely scattered islands in the western Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end....
, Truk was part of the Spanish
Spanish Empire

The Spanish Empire was one of the largest empires in world history, and one of the first global empires. It included territories and colonies ruled by Spain in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania between the 15th and late 19th centuries....
, then German
German Empire

The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of William I, German Emperor as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became Weimar republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of William II, German Emperor ....
 and the Japanese empires
Empire of Japan

The Empire of Japan was a Japanese political entity that existed during the period from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until its defeat in World War II in 1945....
.

During World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, Truk Lagoon
Truk Lagoon

Truk Lagoon, also known as Chuuk, is a sheltered body of water almost fifty miles long by thirty miles wide surrounded by a protective reef, with an area of 3130 km? ....
 was the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan

The Empire of Japan was a Japanese political entity that existed during the period from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until its defeat in World War II in 1945....
's main base in the South Pacific theatre. A significant portion of the Japanese
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 fleet was based there, with its administrative center on Tonoas (south of Weno). Truk was the base for Japanese operations against Allied forces in New Guinea
New Guinea

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the List of islands by area, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the last glacial period....
 and the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands

For the group of islands rather than the nation, see Solomon Islands .The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands....
.

Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone

Operation Hailstone was a massive naval air and surface attack launched on February 17-18, 1944, during World War II by the United States Navy against the Empire of Japan naval and air base at Chuuk in the Caroline Islands, a pre-war Japanese territory....
, executed by the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 in 1944, culminated in one of the most important naval battles of the war at Truk. Twelve Japanese warship
Warship

A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way than cargo ship....
s, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft
Aircraft

An aircraft is a vehicle which is able to flight by being supported by the air, or in general, the atmosphere, of a planet. Examples include balloons, airplanes and helicopters....
 were destroyed, although the larger warships had received advance warning and were already at sea.

Chuuk was one of six districts of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from July 18, 1947, comprising the former South Pacific Mandate, a League of Nations Mandate administered by Empire of Japan and taken by the U.S....
 which were administered by the United States under charter from the United Nations
United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, Social change, human rights and achieving world peace....
 from the end of the Second World War to the early 1990s.

On July 2, 2002, heavy rains from Tropical Storm Chataan
Typhoon Chataan

Typhoon Chataan was the 8th tropical depression , the 6th named storm, and the 4th typhoon of the 2002 Pacific typhoon season. The name of the typhoon is the Chamorro word for rain....
 caused more than thirty landslides that killed forty-seven people and injured dozens others, in the state's deadliest weather disaster. The landslides occurred throughout the day, some within just minutes of each other.

Economy and infrastructure

Most of the roads and transportation systems are poor or in disrepair. Taxis cost between $1 to $2 depending on distance to destination. There is a small international airport on the administrative island of Weno. The airport (IATA airport code
IATA airport code

An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association ....
 TKK
Chuuk International Airport

Chuuk International Airport is an airport located on Moen , the main island of the State of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia....
) is served by Continental Micronesia
Continental Micronesia

Continental Micronesia, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary airline of Continental Airlines. It operates daily flights to Honolulu, as well as international services to Asia, Micronesia and Australia from its base of operations at Antonio B....
, a division of Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines, Inc. is a United States certificated Airline. Based in Houston, Texas, it is the fourth-largest airline in the US based on revenue passenger miles....
, locally known as AirMic. The government of the state operates a radio station
Radio station

This article is about radio broadcasting, for other uses see Radio .Radio broadcasting is an audio broadcasting service, traditionally broadcast through the air as radio waves from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device....
. Interisland communication is often accomplished using citizens' band radio
Citizens' band radio

Citizens' Band radio is, in many countries, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27-Hertz band....
. Telephone services are limited on Chuuk, though a cellular network is established within some islands of the lagoon and in the near future on the outer islands.

Tourism, especially scuba diving
Scuba diving

SCUBA diving is Underwater diving, or taking part in another activity, while using a scuba set. By carrying a source of breathing gas , the scuba diver is able to stay underwater longer than with the simple breath-holding techniques used in snorkeling and free-diving, and is not hindered by air lines to a remote air source....
 among the many wrecks of Truk Lagoon, is the island's main industry. Copra
Copra

Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. The name copra is derived from the Malayalam language word kopra for dried coconut....
, dried coconut
Coconut

The Coconut Palm is a member of the Family Arecaceae . It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaf 4-6 m long, pinnae 60-90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth....
 meat, is the only cash crop but output is relatively insignificant. Most of the inhabited outlying islands engage in subsistence activity only.

Culture


Jesuit mission at Weno

The New York Province of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits
Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic religious order of clerks regular whose members are called Jesuits, Soldiers of Jesus Christ, and Foot soldiers of the Pope, because the founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a knight before becoming a Holy Orders....
, maintains a mission school on the island of Weno in Chuuk. Xavier High School
Xavier High School (Micronesia)

Xavier High School is a Jesuit run secondary school located in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. It was the first high school in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands....
 is housed at the former Japanese communications center. It is a coeducational institution, drawing students from the all island groups of the Federated States of Micronesia, as well as the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Teachers are both Jesuit and lay and come from Micronesia, the U.S., Indonesia
Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
, Japan, and Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
. All lay teachers are volunteers.

Gallery


Municipalities

Of the 40 municipalities of the state, 16 fall within Truk Lagoon
Truk Lagoon

Truk Lagoon, also known as Chuuk, is a sheltered body of water almost fifty miles long by thirty miles wide surrounded by a protective reef, with an area of 3130 km? ....
 and 24 in the Outer Islands.

Northern Nomoneas (Shiki) Islands, Truk Lagoon:
  1. Moen
    Moen (island)

    Moen, also called Weno or Wono, is an island in Truk Lagoon, the main island group of the state of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia....
  2. Fono
    Fono

    The Fono or Legislative Assembly is the parliament of Samoa. "Fono" is a Samoan and Polynesian term for councils great and small. It applies to national assemblies and legislatures, as well as local village councils....
  3. Pis-Paneu


Southern Nomoneas (Shiki) Islands, Truk Lagoon:
  1. Fefan
    Fefan

    Fefan is the third largest inhabited island of the Truk Lagoon in the Federated States of Micronesia. It has an area of 13.2 km? and a population of about 3,000 ....
  2. Tonowas
    Tonowas

    Tonowas, also known by its Spanish name of Dublon, is an island in the Chuuk Truk Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia. It has an area of 8.8 km? and the population was 3,200 at the time of the last census ....
  3. Uman
    Uman, Micronesia

    Uman is a municipality of Chuuk, in the Federated States of Micronesia....
     (including uninhabited Kuop (Neoch) Atoll?)
  4. Parama
    Param, Micronesia

    Param is a municipality of Chuuk, in the Federated States of Micronesia....
  5. Tsis
    Tsis

    Tsis is a municipality of Chuuk, in the Federated States of Micronesia....


Faichuk (Shichiyo) Islands, Truk Lagoon:
  1. Tol
    Tol

    Tol can refer to:* Aryl, the toluyl functional group* A Birthday, especially the first one, in Korean culture .* Jicaque, an indigenous and near-extinct language of Honduras, also known as Tol....
  2. Wonei (Onei)
  3. Polle
  4. Paata (Pata)
(Nomwisofo):
  1. Udot
    Udot

    Udot or UDOT may refer to the following:*The island of Udot, Federated States of Micronesia in the Federated States of Micronesia*Utah Department of Transportation in Utah, United States of America...
  2. Fanapanges
  3. Romanum
  4. Eot
    EOT

    EOT is an abbreviation for:* Embedded OpenType, a font file format* End-of-tape, a term in in magnetic tape data storage* End Of Train device, see Flashing rear-end device, as used by the railroad industry...


Hall Islands (north):
  1. Nomwin (including uninhabited Fayu Island)
  2. Fananu (eastern islets of Nomwin Atoll)
  3. Murilo
  4. Ruo (southeast islet of Murilo Atoll)


Namonuito Atoll
Namonuito Atoll

Namonuito Atoll, also called Namonweito, Weito, or Magur Islands, is the largest atoll of the Federated States of Micronesia and of the Caroline Islands, with a total area of 2267 km?, unless one considers the still larger Truk Lagoon as a type of atoll in an early stage of development....
 (Magur Islands) (northwest):
  1. Pisaras
  2. Magur
  3. Ono
  4. Onari
  5. Ulul


Pattiw (western islands):
  1. Pulap (north islet of Pulap Atoll)
  2. Tamatam (south islet of Pulap Atoll, with Fanadik islet in the center)
  3. Pulusuk
  4. Poluwat
    Poluwat

    Poluwat, also Polowat, formerly Puluwat, is a coral atoll and a municipality of Chuuk state, Federated States of Micronesia. Poluwat is located in the northwestern region , and there in the western area of Chuuk state....
     (Puluwat)


Eastern Islands (Upper Mortlock Islands):
  1. Nama
  2. Losap
    Losap

    Losap is the 2nd Island in the Eastern Islands group, that's one of the islands in the state of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia....
  3. Pis-Losap (islet of Losap Atoll)
  4. Namoluk


Mortlock Islands:
  1. Ettal
    Ettal

    Ettal is a Germany town in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen , in Bavaria....
  2. Lukunor
  3. Oneop (west islet of Lukunor Atoll)
  4. Satawan
    Satawan

    Satawan Atoll is part of the Mortlock Islands in the Caroline Islands, administratively part of Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia....
  5. Kutu
    Kutu

    The Kutu are a matrilineal ethnic and linguistic group based in the Morogoro Region of central Tanzania. In 1987 the Kutu population was estimated to number 45,000 ....
     (west islet of Satawan Atoll)
  6. Moch (north islet of Satawan Atoll)
  7. Ta
    Ta

    Ta as a word can mean:* Thank You in British English, Australian English, New Zealand English and South African English English language* Ta?; the sixteenth letter of the Arabic alphabet...
     (southeast islet of Satawan Atoll)


External links