Native name: Alamagan | |
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 US Geological Survey photo of Alamagan | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 17°36′2″N145°50′0″E / 17.60056°N 145.83333°E /17.60056; 145.83333 |
| Archipelago | Northern Mariana Islands |
| Area | 12.96 km2 (5.00 sq mi)[1] |
| Length | 4.8 km (2.98 mi) |
| Width | 4 km (2.5 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 744 m (2441 ft) |
| Highest point | Bandeera Peak |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| Commonwealth | Northern Mariana Islands |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1 (2020) |
Alamagan is an island in theNorthern Mariana Islands in thePacific Ocean, 30 kilometres (16 nmi) north ofGuguan, 250 kilometres (135 nmi) north ofSaipan, and 60 kilometres (32 nmi) south ofPagan. It is currently undergoing resettlement since 2018, with a few people living there. The project was coordinated by the Northern Islands Mayor's office and the people there have radio contact with the mainland.
Alamagan was once settled by theChamorros, who left behind archaeological evidence including stone columns (calledlatte stones) and ceramics.[2] From a European perspective, Alamagan was discovered in 1669 by the Spanish missionaryDiego Luis de San Vitores, who named itConcepción (Immaculate Conception in Spanish). It is likely that it was previously visited in 1522 by the Spanish sailorGonzalo de Vigo, a deserter from theMagellan expedition in 1521 and the first European castaway in the history of the Pacific.[3] In 1695, Alamagan's natives were forcibly removed toSaipan, and three years later toGuam.
Following the sale of the Northern Marianas by Spain to theGerman Empire in 1899, Alamagan was administered as part ofGerman New Guinea. During this time, a private firm, the Pagan Society, owned by a German and a Japanese partner, developed more coconut plantations. However, severe typhoons in September 1905, September 1907 and December 1913 destroyed the plantations and bankrupted the company.[4]
DuringWorld War I, Alamagan came under the control of theEmpire of Japan and was administered as theSouth Seas Mandate. FollowingWorld War II, it came under the control of theUnited States and was administered as part of theTrust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Since 1978, it has been part of theNorthern Islands Municipality of theCommonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
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The island was inhabited, and continued to be used for the production ofcopra, with the main settlements of Song Song in the south and Patida camp in the northwest. However, by 1962 the population had dropped so much that the elementary school was closed for lack of students.[5] Due to what was thought to be increased volcanic activity, the islanders were evacuated in December 1998 when an eruption was feared. However, analysis of the event concluded that it was excess rainwater entering fumaroles, causing extra steam, not an eruptive event.[6]
At the 2000 census, only six people were living on Alamagan. In September 2009,Typhoon Choi-wan passed directly over Alamagan, destroying many of the island's trees and forcing the evacuation of the remaining residents toSaipan.[7][8] As of the2010 United States census, the island was officially uninhabited at that time.[9]
In 2018, 18 embarked on a mission to repopulate the northern islands of Alamagan and Agrihan. They left Saipan aboard the M/V Super Emerald, and the families had originally come from Alamagan to resettle there. The months long project was coordinated by the mayor's office, and plans to have clean water and radio contact, and also to hopefully send more families there.[10] One returning Marianan remarked " I was born and raised on Saipan but my family is from Alamagan. We are going to live there for a long time....[10]
In 2019, Rep.Sheila Babauta took an expedition by sea to the northern islands visiting Agriga, Alamagangan, and Pagan.[11]
As of 2000, there is about 6 on the island, 0 in 2010, but 1 in 2020, in a place called "the village".[12] The 2020 U.S. Census reports 1 person living in Alamagan village.[13] In June 2020, the crew of a boat on its way to Pagan stopped with engine trouble and ultimately sank near Alamagan with two crew abandoning ship and staying at the Village at Alamagan.[14]
In 2023, when an injured 30 year old had an emergency medical evacuation to Saipan from Alamagan, he was transported by sea aboard the USGC CutterOliver Henry.[15]
Alamagan is roughly elliptical in shape, with a length of 4.8 kilometers (3.0 mi), width of 4 km (2.5 mi), and area of 13 km2 (5.0 sq mi).[16] The entire island is the summit of astratovolcano which rises over 4,000 meters (13,120 ft) from the ocean floor, to an altitude of 744 m (2,441 ft) above sea level at Bandeera Peak, at the north-western edge. The volcano is topped by a caldera, 700–900 meters in diameter and about 370 m (1,210 ft) deep. There are three smaller cones to the north, northwest and south of the main crater. The volcano has not erupted in historical times, but byradiocarbon dating, eruptions occurred in 540 AD and 870 AD, with a potential dating error of around 100 years. These eruptions involvedpyroclastic flows and had aVEI of 4. Claims of the most recent historical eruptions are not clear, eruptions might have occurred as late as 1887.[17] Within the main crater and on the western slopes are a number of activefumaroles.
Two historical eruptions were around the year 870 give or take a century, and another 540 give or take 75 years.[18]
The island has extremely steep slopes on its eastern side which are prone to landslides. The western slope has deep canyons as the result of erosion. The shoreline is dominated by steep cliffs of up to 100 m (330 ft) on the eastern shore. Vegetation on the island's west side includes swordgrass (Miscanthus floridulus). The south-east side is a steep slope of bare lava. Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera), grow on the gradual slopes. There are deep valleys with caves, and there are fresh water springs on the northern part of the west coast.
Alamagan does not have sand or pebble beach, but rather mid-sized stones piled on one another.[11]
The island has been recognized as anImportant Bird Area (IBA) byBirdLife International because it supports populations ofMicronesian megapodes,white-throated ground doves,Micronesian myzomelas,Saipan reed warblers andMicronesian starlings.[19]
Two rare plants,Leptecophylla mariannensis, discovered by Japanese botanistRyōzō Kanehira, andPsychotria hombroniana var. mariannensis, are only known to exist on Alamagan.[19]
As of 1980 the population of Alamagan was 36.[20] It was uninhabited at times, but since 2018 has had a small settlement called the village. Since 2018, some families that were originally from the island returned to live there.[12][10]
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