Chuuk Lagoon | |
|---|---|
Atoll | |
 Flag | |
 Interactive map of Chuuk Lagoon | |
| Coordinates:07°24′54″N151°44′06″E / 7.41500°N 151.73500°E /7.41500; 151.73500 | |
| Country |  Federated States of Micronesia |
| State | Chuuk State |
| Capital | Weno |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Alexander R. Narruhn (since 2021) |
| Area | |
• Total | 93.07 km2 (35.93 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 443 m (1,453 ft) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 36,158 |
| • Density | 388.5/km2 (1,006/sq mi) |
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Chuuk Lagoon, previouslyTruk Atoll, is anatoll in the centralPacific Ocean. It lies about 1,800 kilometres (970 nautical miles) northeast ofNew Guinea and is part ofChuuk State within theFederated States of Micronesia (FSM). A protective reef, 225 kilometres (140 mi) around, encloses a natural harbour 79 by 50 km (43 nmi × 27 nmi), with an area of 2,130 km2 (820 sq mi).[1] It has a land area of 93.07 square kilometres (35.93 square miles), with a population of 36,158 people[2] and a maximal elevation of 443 metres (1,453 ft).Weno city on Weno (formerly Moen) Island functions as both the atoll's capital and the state capital, and is the largest city in the FSM with its 13,700 people.
Chuuk Lagoon was theEmpire of Japan's main naval base in theSouth Pacific theatre duringWorld War II. It was the site of a major U.S. attack duringOperation Hailstone in February 1944, andOperation Inmate, a small assault conducted by British and Canadian forces during June 1945.
Chuuk meansmountain in theChuukese language. The lagoon was known mainly asTruk (a mispronunciation ofRuk), until 1990. Other names includedHogoleu,Torres, Ugulat, andLugulus.[3]
Chuuk Lagoon is part of the largerCaroline Islands group. The area consists of eleven major islands (corresponding to the eleven municipalities of Truk lagoon, which areTol,Udot, Fala-Beguets, Romanum, and Eot ofFaichuk group, andWeno,Fefen,Dublon,Uman, Param, and Tsis ofNomoneas group) and 46 smaller ones within the lagoon, plus 41 on the fringing coral reef, and is known today as the Chuuk islands, part of theFederated States of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean.
This is a list of islands, villages and population following the 2010 census:
| Island | Capital | Other Cities | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuuk Atoll | 93.07 | 36158 | ||
| Faichuk | 41.8 | 11305 | ||
| Fanapanges | Nepitiw | Peniamwan, Wichuk, Seisein, Sapotiw | 1.62 | 672 |
| Paata | Sapaata | Chukufefin, Nukaf, Epin, Pokochou, Etlemar, Onas Point | 4.4 | 1107 |
| Polle | Nepanonong | Chukaram, Neton, Malaio, Unikappi, Sapou, Miari, Neirenom | 9.3 | 1496 |
| Ramanum | Winisi | Chorong, Nepor Point | 0.856 | 865 |
| Tol | Foson | Chukienu, Wichukuno, Wonip, Nechocho, Munien, Faro, Winifei, Foupo, Foup | 10.3 | 4579 |
| Udot | Fanomo | Tunuk, Wonip, Ounechen, Monowe, Chukisenuk, Mwanitiw, Penia | 4.5 | 1680 |
| Onei | Nambo | Onnap, Fanato, Nepos, Peniata, Sapitiw, Anakun, Tolokas, Ras | 10 | 638 |
| Northern Namoneas | Weno | Neiwe, Mwan, Nepukos, Iras, Mechitiw, Tunuk, Peniesene, Penia, Wichap | 20.76 | 14620 |
| Fono | Fanip | Mesor | 0.342 | 388 |
| Piis | Nukan | Sapatiw | 0.32 | 360 |
| Weno | Weno | Neiwe, Mwan, Nepukos, Iras, Mechitiw, Tunuk, Peniesene, Penia, Wichap | 19.1 | 13854 |
| Southern Namoneas | 30.42 | 10233 | ||
| Fefan | Messa | Sapota, Aun, Sapore, Upwein, Fason, Wininis, Pieis, Ununo, Fongen, Onongoch, Feini, Mwen, Saporanong, Manukun, Meseiku, Kukuwu, Sopuo | 12.15 | 3471 |
| Tonowas | Nemuanon | Pwene, Chun, Nechap, Tonof, Pata, wonpiepi, Meseran, Fankachau, Sapou, Roro, Penior, Nukanap, Penienuk, Saponong, Supun, Nukan | 8.94 | 3294 |
| Uman Island | Nepononong | Sapou, Nepon, Sapotiw, Sapota, Nesarau, Sanuk, Mochon, Nukan, Manukun | 3.86 | 2540 |
| Climate data for Chuuk Islands | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 31 (87) | 30 (86) | 31 (87) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (76) | 24 (76) | 24 (75) | 24 (76) | 24 (76) | 24 (76) | 25 (77) | 24 (76) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 230 (8.9) | 170 (6.7) | 220 (8.8) | 310 (12.3) | 360 (14.3) | 300 (12) | 350 (13.7) | 350 (13.9) | 320 (12.6) | 350 (13.6) | 290 (11.3) | 310 (12.1) | 3,560 (140.3) |
| Source: Weatherbase[4] | |||||||||||||
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It is not known when the islands of Chuuk were first settled, but archaeological evidence indicates that islands of Feefen and Wééné had human settlements in the first and second century BC. Later evidence indicates that widespread human settlements appeared in Chuuk during the 14th century AD.[6]
The first recorded sighting by Europeans was made by Spanish navigatorÁlvaro de Saavedra on board the shipFlorida during August or September 1528.[7] They were later visited by SpaniardAlonso de Arellano on 15 January 1565 on board of galleon patacheSan Lucas.[8]
As part of theCaroline Islands, Truk was claimed by theSpanish Empire, which made an effort to control the islands in the late 19th century. Chuuk Lagoon was inhabited by several tribes that engaged in intermittent warfare, as well as a small population of foreign traders and missionaries. Spanish control over the islands was nominal. The Spaniards stopped to raise a flag over Chuuk in 1886 and returned in 1895 as part of an attempt to assert control and negotiate peace between warring Chuukese tribes. No permanent Spanish settlement was established, and tribal violence continued until the German colonial era.[9] The Caroline Islands were sold to theGerman Empire in 1899, after Spain withdrew from the Pacific in the aftermath of theSpanish–American War.
During theFirst World War, theJapanese Navy was tasked with pursuing and destroying the GermanEast Asia Squadron[10] and protection of the shipping lanes forAllied commerce in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.[11] During the course of this operation, the Japanese Navy seized the German possessions in theMarianas, Carolines,Marshall Islands andPalau groups by October 1914.[12] Chuuk then became a possession of theEmpire of Japan under theSouth Seas Mandate followingGermany's defeat.[13][12][14][15]
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Naval Base Truk in the Truk Lagoon was theEmpire of Japan's main base in theSouth Pacific theatre of World War II. There was a myth that Truk was heavily fortified, and it was given nicknames like "theGibraltar of the Pacific," or Japan's equivalent of the Americans'Pearl Harbor.[16] In fact,
[T]he reality was somewhat different. (...)
The lack of fortifications was less due to Japan's regard for international law than to Japan's economic limitations. It could not afford both a large navy and extensive naval fortifications. It opted to build up its naval forces, neglecting fixed defenses.[17]
Nevertheless, Truk was the main base for Japanese operations againstAllied forces inNew Guinea and theSolomon Islands, serving as the forwardanchorage for theImperial Japanese Navy (IJN), and Truk Lagoon was considered the most formidable of all Japanese strongholds in the Pacific. On the various islands, the Japanese Civil Engineering Department and Naval Construction Department had built roads, trenches, bunkers and caves. Five airstrips, seaplane bases, a torpedo boat station, submarine repair shops, a communications center and aradar station were constructed during the war. Protecting these various facilities were coastal defense guns and mortar emplacements.
A significant portion of the Japanese fleet was based at Truk, with its administrative center on Tonoas (south of Weno). At anchor in the lagoon werebattleships,aircraft carriers,cruisers,destroyers,tankers,cargo ships,tugboats,gunboats,minesweepers,landing craft, andsubmarines. In particular,Yamato andMusashi were stationed at Truk for months around 1943, unable to participate in battle. The Japanesegarrison consisted of 27,856 IJN men, under the command ofVice Admiral Masami Kobayashi, thenVice Admiral Chuichi Hara, and 16,737Imperial Japanese Army men, under the command of Major General Kanenobu Ishuin.[18]
At one point, dropping a nuclear weapon on Truk was discussed by the United States government.[19]
In 1944, Truk's capacity as anaval base was destroyed through naval air attack inOperation Hailstone. Forewarned by intelligence a week before the U.S. raid, the Japanese had withdrawn their larger warships (heavy cruisers and aircraft carriers) toPalau. Once the American forcescaptured the Marshall Islands, they used them as a base from which to launch an early morning attack on 17 February 1944 against Truk Lagoon. Operation Hailstone lasted for three days, as American carrier-based planes sank 12 smaller Japanesewarships (light cruisers, destroyers, and auxiliaries) and 32 merchant ships, while destroying 275 aircraft, mainly on the ground. The consequences of the attack made "Truk lagoon the biggest graveyard of ships in the world".[20][21]
The attacks for the most part ended Truk as a major threat to Allied operations in the central Pacific. The Japanese garrison onEniwetok was denied any realistic hope of reinforcement and support during the invasion that began on 18 February, greatly assisting U.S. forces in their conquest of that island. Truk was isolated by Allied forces, as they continued their advance towards Japan by invading other Pacific islands, such asGuam,Saipan,Palau, andIwo Jima. Truk was attacked again from 12 to 16 June 1945 by part of theBritish Pacific Fleet duringOperation Inmate. Cut off, the Japanese forces on Truk and other central Pacific islands ran low on food and faced starvation beforeJapan surrendered in August 1945.[22]
On 28 September 2018, aBoeing 737-800 operated asAir Niugini Flight 73 landed short of the runway atChuuk International Airport before landing and sinking into the lagoon.[23] One passenger out of the 47 passengers and crew perished in the crash.[24]
Most of the roads and transportation systems are poor or in disrepair; an extensive infrastructural redevelopment plan began, consisting of a five-phase project to completely reconstruct the existing sewer, water and storm drainage systems as well as pour concrete roadways in the majority of the villages of Weno.
Chuuk International Airport (IATA airport code TKK) is on the administrative island of Weno. It is served byUnited Airlines.
The government operates a radio station. Interisland communication is often accomplished usingcitizens' band radio. 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. High speed Internet access via ADSL has been made available on a monthly subscription basis on the Island of Weno from May 2010.
Tourism, especiallyscuba diving among the many wrecks of Truk Lagoon, is the island's main industry.Copra (driedcoconut meat) is the onlycash crop, and output is relatively insignificant. Most of the inhabitants of outlying islands engage insubsistence activity only.
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In 1969, William A. Brown and French oceanographerJacques Cousteau and his team explored Truk Lagoon. Following Cousteau's 1971 television documentary about the lagoon and its ghostly remains, the atoll became a scuba diving lure, drawingwreck diving enthusiasts from around the world to see its numerous, virtually intact sunken ships. The shipwrecks and remains are sometimes referred to as the "Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon". Scattered mainly around theDublon (Tonowas),Eten,Fefan andUman islands within the Truk group, several shipwrecks lie in crystal clear waters less than fifteen metres (50 ft) below the surface. In waters devoid of normal ocean currents, divers can easily swim across decks littered with gas masks anddepth charges, and below decks can be found evidence of human remains. In the massive ships' holds are the remnants of fighter aircraft, tanks, bulldozers, railroad cars, motorcycles, torpedoes, mines, bombs, boxes of munitions, radios, plus thousands of other weapons, spare parts, and other artifacts. Of special interest is the wreck of the submarineI-169 Shinohara which was lost when diving to avoid the bombing. The submarine had participated in theattack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
The coral encrusted wrecks attract a diverse array of marine life, including manta rays, turtles, sharks and corals. In 2007, 266 species of reef fish were recorded by anEarthwatch team, and in 2006 the rare coralAcropora pichoni was identified.[25]
On 12 April 2011, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation programForeign Correspondent screened a report on Chuuk Lagoon likening the effect of the impending massive release of tens of thousands of tonnes of oil from the rusting Japanese warships into the coral reef to that of theExxon Valdez spill in Alaska.[26] However, given the poor state of the Japanese war effort in 1944, many of the ships may have had relatively small amounts of fuel in their bunkers. Environmental protection organizations are surveying the wrecks while also consulting with Japanese researchers to try to determine how much oil is likely to be in the hulls, particularly in three sunken oil tankers.[27][28] The ships are classified as a Japanesewar grave, requiring Japanese government involvement in the eventual clean-up.
