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For Ladrones Islands in South China Sea, please refer to Wanshan Qundao. The Wanshan Archipelago (which means Ten Thousand Hills Archipelago) sometimes referred to as the Ladrones Islands (Thieves Islands, is a 104- Island

The Mariana Islands (also the Marianas; up to the early 20th century sometimes called Ladrones Islands, from Spanish Islas de los Ladrones meaning "Islands of Thieves") are an archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The islands were named after Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria in the 17th century, when Spain started the colonization of the archipielago. Mariana of Austria (or sometimes Maria-Anna of Austria) ( 24 December 1634, Vienna, Austria – 16 may 1696

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Description

The Mariana Islands are the southern part of a submerged mountain range that extends 1,565 miles (2,519 km) from Guam to near Japan. A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Geographically, the Marianas are the northernmost islands of a larger island group called Micronesia, situated between 13° and 21° N. Micronesia, from the Greek mikros (μικρός (meaning small) and nesos (νῆσος (meaning island) is a Subregion latitude and 144° and 146° E. longitude.

The Mariana Islands have a total land area of 389 square miles (1007 km²). [1] They are composed of two administrative units:

It consists of two groups, a northern group of ten volcanic main islands, of which only four (Agrihan, Anatahan, Alamagan and Pagan) are inhabited; and a southern group of five coralline limestone islands (Rota, Guam, Aguijan, Tinian and Saipan), all inhabited save Aguijan. Agrihan (also spelled Agrigan) is a Stratovolcano which forms an island in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Northern Marianas island of Alamagan is located north from Saipan and is 11 Pagan Island is an island of the Northern Mariana Islands chain located at, approximately 320 kilometers northof Saipan. Aguijan is a small bean-shaped Coralline island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain situated 8 km southwest of Tinian. Saipan (saɪˈpæn /saɪˈpɑn/ or /ˈsaɪpæn/ in English is the largest Island and Capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern In the northern volcanic group a maximum elevation of about 2700 feet is reached; there are craters showing signs of activity, and earthquakes are not uncommon. Coral reefs fringe the coasts of the southern isles, which are of slight elevation.

All the islands except Farallon de Medinilla and Uracas or Farallon de Pajaros (in the northern group) are more or less densely wooded, and the vegetation is luxuriant, much resembling that of the Carolines, and also of the Philippines, whence many species of plants have been introduced. Farallon de Medinilla is a small island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain and is situated north of Saipan. Farallon de Pajaros (from Spanish Farallón de los pájaros, meaning Birds Rock also known as Urracas (from Spanish Urracas, meaning Magpies Farallon de Pajaros (from Spanish Farallón de los pájaros, meaning Birds Rock also known as Urracas (from Spanish Urracas, meaning Magpies The Caroline Islands form a large Archipelago of widely scattered islands in the western Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Guinea. Owing to the moistness of the soil cryptogams are numerous, as are also most kinds of grasses. The name cryptogams ( Scientific name Cryptogamae) is a term fairly widely in use as a phrase of convenience although regarded as an obsolete taxonomic term Coconut and areca palms, yams, sweet potatoes, manioc, coffee, cocoa, sugar, cotton, tobacco and mother-of-pearl are the chief products, and copra is the principal export. Areca is a Genus of about 50 species of single-stemmed palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid Tropical forests Copra is the dried meat or kernel of the Coconut. The name copra is derived from the Malayalam word kopra for dried coconut Agriculture is neglected, in spite of the exceptional advantages offered by the climate and soil. On most of the islands there is a plentiful supply of water.

The fauna of the Marianas, though inferior in number and variety, is similar in character to that of the Carolines, and certain species are indigenous to both colonies. Swine and oxen run wild, and are hunted when required: the former were known to the earliest inhabitants, the latter, along with most other domestic animals, were introduced by the Spaniards. The climate though damp is healthy, while the heat, being tempered by the trade winds, is milder than that of the Philippines; the variations of temperature are not great. The trade winds (also called trades) are the prevailing pattern of easterly winds found in the Tropics near the Earth's Equator.

History

Rota Island
Rota Island

The first European to see the island group was Ferdinand Magellan who on 6 March 1521 observed the two southernmost islands and sailed between them[2] during a Spanish expedition of world circumnavigation. Rota ( Chamoru: Luta) also known as the "peaceful island" is the Ferdinand Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ dɨ mɐgɐˈʎɐ̃ĩʃ Fernando de Magallanes (Spring 1480 &ndash April 27 1521 Mactan Island, Cebu Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Upon first landing at Umatac, Guam, Magellan's ships received fresh supplies from the native Chamorros. Umatac is a village on the south-western coast of the island of Guam. "Chamoru" redirects here For the language see Chamorro language. The common account is that the locals, assuming that they were engaged in a trade, then took one of the Spanish landing boats. The Spanish crew, assuming that the natives were giving them the supplies, considered this theft and in retaliation attacked the Chamorros and dubbed the islands Islas de los Ladrones (Islands of the Thieves). The islands are still occasionally called the Ladrones. Magellan himself styled them Islas de las Velas Latinas (Islands of the Lateen Sails ). A lateen (from a la trina, meaning triangular or latin-rig is a triangular Sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast San Lazarus archipelago, Jardines and Prazeres are among the names applied to them by later navigators. Lazarus ( Hebrew: אלעזר Elʿāzār Eleazar "God (has helped" is the name of two separate men mentioned in the New Testament.

In 1667 Spain formally claimed them, established a regular colony there, and gave the islands the official title of Las Marianas in honor of Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria, widow of Philip IV of Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Mariana of Austria (or sometimes Maria-Anna of Austria) ( 24 December 1634, Vienna, Austria – 16 may 1696 Philip IV (es ''Felipe IV'' pt ''Filipe III'' ( 8 April, 1605 &ndash 17 September, 1665) was King of Spain between 1621 and They then had a population of 40-60,000 inhabitants, but many Chamorros died from the diseases brought by the Spanish.

The native population known to the early Spanish colonists as Hachamori has died out as a distinct people, though their descendants intermarried. At the Spanish occupation in 1668, the Chamorros were estimated at 40,000 to 60,000, but a century later only 1,800 natives remained, as the majority of the population was of mixed Spanish-Chamorro blood or mestizo. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin They were characteristic Micronesians, with a considerable civilization. In the island of Tinian are some remarkable remains attributed to them, consisting of two rows of massive square stone columns, about 5 feet 4 inch broad and 14 feet high, with heavy-round capitals called latte stones. Tinian (ˈtɪniən /ˌtiːniˈɑːn/ is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (14°59’51”N 145°37’39”E In several traditions of Architecture including Classical architecture, the capital (from the Latin caput 'head' forms the crowning member A latte stone, or simply latte (also latde) is the term for a Pillar ( haligi) capped by a hemispherical stone capital According to early Spanish accounts cinerary urns were found embedded in the capitals. An urn is a Vase, ordinarily covered and without handles that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed Pedestal.

Research in the archipelago was carried out by Commodore Anson, who in August 1742 landed upon the island of Tinian[3]. Admiral George Anson 1st Baron Anson PC RN ( 23 April 1697 &ndash 6 June 1762) was a British The Ladrones were visited by Byron in 1765, Wallis in 1767 and Crozet in 1772. Vice-Admiral John Byron, RN ( November 8, 1723 – April 10, 1786) was an English Vice-admiral. Samuel Wallis ( 23 April 1728 &ndash London 21 January 1795) was a Cornish Navigator who circumnavigated the The Crozet Islands (Îles Crozet or officially Archipel Crozet) are a sub- Antarctic Archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean

The Marianas and specifically the island of Guam were a stopover for Spanish galleons en route from Acapulco, Mexico to Manila, Philippines in a convoy known as the Galeon de Manila. Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated The Manila galleons or Manila-Acapulco galleons ( Galeones de Manila-Acapulco) were Spanish trading Ships that sailed once or twice The Marianas remained a Spanish colony under the general government of the Philippines until 1898, when, as a result of the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded Guam to the United States. Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the chief political executive during two pre-independence phases in the history of the Philippines, under Spanish

By Treaty of 12 February 1899, the remaining islands of the archipelago (except Guam, but with the Carolines and Pelew Islands) was sold by Spain to Germany for 837,500 German gold mark (about $4,100,000 at the time) and were incorporated as the German Protectorate of New Guinea; their total population around 1900 was only 2,646 inhabitants, the ten most northerly islands being actively volcanic and almost uninhabited. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated The Caroline Islands form a large Archipelago of widely scattered islands in the western Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Guinea. Palau, officially the Republic of Palau (Beluu er a Belau is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800  km) east Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Goldmark (officially just Mark) is the name used for the currency of the German Empire from 1873 to 1914 German New Guinea ( Ger Deutsch-Neuguinea) was a former German Protectorate from 1884 to 1914 consisting of the northeastern part of

Japan, a member of the Triple Entente, began to occupy the islands in 1914. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Triple Entente (" entente " — French for "agreement" was the name given to the loose alignment of the United Kingdom, the After Germany and the rest of the Central Powers lost World War I, the former German islands were entrusted by the League of Nations to Japanese control as a mandate territory (not unlike a UN Trust territory). The Central Powers ( German: "Mittelmächte" Hungarian: "Központi hatalmak" Turkish: "İttifak World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 A League of Nations mandate refers to a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I.

The island chain saw fighting between the US and Japanese forces in 1944 during World War II. The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States wanted to capture the islands for use as a bombing base to raid the Japanese mainland.

Once captured, the islands of Saipan and Tinian were used extensively by the United States military as they finally put mainland Japan within round-trip range of American bombers. Saipan (saɪˈpæn /saɪˈpɑn/ or /ˈsaɪpæn/ in English is the largest Island and Capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Tinian (ˈtɪniən /ˌtiːniˈɑːn/ is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (14°59’51”N 145°37’39”E For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. In fact, both the Enola Gay and the Bockscar (which dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively) flew their missions from Tinian’s “North Field”. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Bockscar, sometimes called Bock's Car or Bocks Car, is the name of the United States Army Air Forces B-29 Bomber that The Japanese city of ( is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshū, the largest of Japan 's ( is the Capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan.

Ecclesiastical history

The Prefecture Apostolic of the Marianas was erected on 17 September 1902, by the Constitution "Quae mari sinico" of Pope Leo XIII. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Pope Leo XIII ( March 2, 1810 – July 20, 1903) born Count Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope The islands had previously formed part of the Philippine Diocese of Cebu. Cebu is one of the Provinces of the Philippines. It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the west of Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol By Decree of 18 June 1907 they were entrusted to the Capuchin Fathers of the Westphalian Province, to which order the first Prefect Apostolic, Very Rev. Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin ( OFM Cap; in England and Ireland, O Westphalia (Westfalen) is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Bielefeld, Bochum, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Münster Paul von Kirchhausen (appointed August, 1907; residence in Saipan, Carolina Islands), belonged. There were two public schools, but accommodation was so inadequate that the boys attended in the morning and the girls in the evening. The instruction was given in English, and in addition to the usual elementary subjects, carpentry and other trades were taught. Two priests were stationed at Agana on Guam; one in each of the smaller settlements, Agat and Merizo. Agat (Hagat is a village on the island of Guam, an Unincorporated territory of the United States. Merizo, also known as Malesso, is the southernmost Municipality ( Village) in Guam, a U In addition to the churches at these places, there is a church at Samay and several little chapels in the mountains. A priest from Agana visited each month the colony where the lepers are segregated, to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments. A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to Quarantine leprous people Catholicism was the sole—and remains the primary—religion.

Sources and references

  1. ^ The CIA World Factbook (2006).
  2. ^ Peschel, O. (1877). Geschichte des Zei killers der Entdeckungen.  
  3. ^ George, Lord Anion (1748). Voyage round the World, book iii.  

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