The Micronesia Islands

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The Micronesia Islands Key terms 1. Atoll: a ring-shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral. 2. Barrier reef: a coral reef running parallel to the shore but separated from it by a channel of deep water. 3. Copra: dried coconut kernels, from which oil is obtained. 4. Fringing reef: a coral reef that lies close to the shore. 5. Lagoon: a stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a low sandbank or coral reef. Micronesia is one of the three island groups in the Pacific region; there is also Polynesia and Melanesia. The Micronesia region is located in the Northwest Pacific. There are about twenty languages spoken throughout the islands. Some examples are English, Marshallese, Yapese, and Chamorro. There are four groups of islands…show more content…
km). The overall geology of Guam consists of limestone rock in the northern half and volcanic rock in the southern half. The northern half resembles a raised coral island. It is relatively a flat limestone plateau. There are no rivers since rainwater is able to seep into the permeable limestone. The southern half of the island is very hilly, with mountains up to 1,300 feet (390 m). There are numerous rivers and waterfalls since the volcanic rock does not absorb much water. The climate is warm with a humidity of about 70%. There are two major seasons here, wet and dry. The indigenous people of Guam are the Chamorros. In 1950, Guam became a U.S. territory and its people became U.S. citizens. Guam has many ethnic groups. There are Chamorro, Mexican, Filipino, stateside Americans, Asians (mainly Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, and Vietnamese), and other Pacific Islanders (Hawaiians, Samoans, Chuukese, etc.). English is the official language and Chamorro is widely used as well. Tourism boomed on Guam in the 1980s and continues to grow as an industry. Aside from enjoying the natural and modern endeavors Guam has to offer, fiestas (large parties) remain a focal point of the social…show more content…
Yap consists of four islands and eleven inhabited island atolls. There is plenty of rain to support subsistence agriculture. Yap remains the most traditional island in Micronesia. There is no real economy aside from the government jobs, which are funded by U.S. grants. Chuuk consists of a cluster of volcanic islands surrounded by a barrier reef and twenty-four inhabited island atolls. The high islands of Chuuk are lush and fertile thanks to the plentiful rainfall. Today, there are power plants on Tonoas and Fefen; Faichuuk is expecting electricity as well. Pohnpei consists of one large volcanic island and six inhabited atolls. Although Pohnpei does not have beaches, the 200+ inches of rainfall per year create mangroves, rivers and waterfalls. The natural beauty of Pohnpei is the reason that tourism is slowly rising. Local agriculture produces a lot of food for local consumptions. Kosrae (Ko-shy) is one volcanic island of about 42 square miles. Kosraeans were saved by the Protestant missionaries, but also lost a lot of traditions along the way. Today, the island is very religious, with no bars and no dancing. Kosrae has many rivers and waterfalls due to plentiful annual

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