Where is the Yap Island located?
Island in Federated States of Micronesia. Yap or Wa′ab (Yapese: Waqab) traditionally refers to an island located in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, a part of the Federated States of Micronesia.
What is the capital of Yap?
Colonia is an urban area belonging to the municipalities of Rull and Weloy which serves as the capital of the State of Yap, one of the Federated States of Micronesia. It administers both Yap proper and some 13 atolls and islands reaching to the east and south for some 800 kilometres (500 miles).
What was the purpose of the Spanish acquisition of Yap Island?
The Spanish used Yap Island as a prison for those captured during the Philippine Revolution. After the defeat against the United States in 1898 and subsequent loss of the Philippines, Spain sold these islands and its other minor Pacific possessions to Germany.
How did money come to the island of Yap?
But hundreds of years ago, explorers from Yap found limestone deposits on an island hundreds of miles away. And they carved this limestone into huge stone discs, which they brought back across the sea on their small bamboo boats. It's unclear if these stones started as money. But at some point the people on Yap realized what most societies realize.
Is Yap a US territory?
Seized by Japan in 1915, Yap became a U.S. protectorate after World War II and gained independence in 1986, as part of the Federated States of Micronesia. Since then, the U.S. has provided subsidies that account for 70% of public spending on Yap.
Who does the island of Yap belong to?
the Federated States of Micronesia"Island of Yap") or simply as Wa'ab, is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The other states are Kosrae State, Pohnpei State, and Chuuk State.
How many people live on the island of Yap?
Yap State consists of four volcanic islands plus 19 inhabited outer islands and atolls, with a total land area of 46 square miles. Two-thirds of its estimated 11,241 (est. 2000) population live on Yap Island. Yap is one of the most traditional island groups of the Pacific.
What is Yap island famous for?
The Micronesian island of Yap has a famously unusual currency: hundreds of giant discs of rocks scattered all over the island, many of them too heavy to move. Arriving on the tiny Micronesian island of Yap will fill even the most jaded traveller with a sense of awe.
What kind of money does Yap have?
Stone moneyThe Yap islands group is part of Micronesia and has a very peculiar currency: stone. Stone money known as “Rai” are large stone disks, sometimes measuring up to 4 meters, with a hole in the middle that was used for carrying them. It was and still is used as a trading currency there.
How do people make money in Micronesia?
The economic activity of the Federated States of Micronesia consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate.
What language do they speak in Yap?
Yapesepeople of Yap Island speak Yapese, a language only distantly related to the other languages of the area (which are known as Nuclear Micronesian languages).
Where did the people of Yap get their money?
There's no gold or silver on Yap. But hundreds of years ago, explorers from Yap found limestone deposits on an island hundreds of miles away. And they carved this limestone into huge stone discs, which they brought back across the sea on their small bamboo boats. It's unclear if these stones started as money.
How do you get to Yap island?
How do I get to Yap? Most visitors arrive via United Airlines, with 737 service to Yap three days each week. Flight information can be found on the United Airlines web site. The only other way to arrive is by sailing vessel (privately owned).
What is the main religion in Micronesia?
According to government statistics, approximately 99 percent of the population identifies as Christian. Several Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church are present in every state. According to government statistics, 55 percent of long-term residents are Catholic and 42 percent are Protestant.
Who do the giant stone discs on Yap belong to?
MicronesiaA rai stone (Yapese: raay), or fei stone, is one of many large artifacts that were manufactured and treasured by the native inhabitants of the Yap islands in Micronesia. They are also known as Yapese stone money or similar names.
What language do they speak in Micronesia?
EnglishFederated States of Micronesia / Official languageEnglish is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, originally spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. Wikipedia
Where did Yapese people come from?
Timeline of Yap History. 1500 B.C. Yap populated by migrants from Eastern Indonesia or the Philippines. Archaeologists are still studying the migration issue and have not conclusively determined when or how the islands of Yap were settled. The arrival of settlers may have occurred as far back as two-three thousand B.C.
What language do they speak in Yap?
Yapesepeople of Yap Island speak Yapese, a language only distantly related to the other languages of the area (which are known as Nuclear Micronesian languages).
What country is Palau island in?
Palau is an independent republic since 1990. It was part of the Pacific Islands Trust Territory administered by the United States. The archipelago of the Western Caroline Islands chain has a population of about 20,000 (2010) people spread across 250 islands. Capital city of Palau is Ngerulmud in Melekeok state.
Where did the Saudeleur come from?
The Saudeleur were originally a foreign tribe who came to Pohnpei and installed themselves as rulers of the island. The Saudeleur first appeared around the year 1100 and built Nan Madol around 1200.
What did the people of Yap realize?
But at some point the people on Yap realized what most societies realize. They needed something that everyone agrees you can use to pay for stuff. And like many societies, the people of Yap took the thing they had that was pretty — their version of gold — and decided that was money.
What happened to the stone coin in Yap?
And just before they got back to the island, they hit a big storm. The stone wound up on the bottom of the ocean. The crew made it back to the island and told everybody what happened.
Where did the Yap find limestone?
But hundreds of years ago, explorers from Yap found limestone deposits on an island hundreds of miles away. And they carved this limestone into huge stone discs, which they brought back across the sea on their small bamboo boats. It's unclear if these stones started as money.
Who owns the stone money on the bottom of the ocean?
In other words, that stone money on the bottom of the ocean that you used to own now belongs to the power company.
Where is the island of stone money?
The Island Of Stone Money : Planet Money On the island of Yap , people used giant stone coins that weighed thousands of pounds. The island's story helps answer a fundamental economic question: What is money?
How to get around Yap Island?
Getting around Yap island is fairly cheap by taxi but also very easy by hitch hiking. Everyone on Yap island speaks English as it is the official language taught in schools and even on the Outer Islands enough people speak English to make travel and coomunication no problem at all.
How many words are in Yap and its outer islands?
Click here for my blog on Yap and its Outer Islands. It’s 9248 words and 24 photos.
Where to fly to Yap?
Yap’s capital, Colonia (population 11,000) has flights only from “nearby” Guam and Palau and only with Continental Airways. You can get to Guam or Palau with Continental Airways from the Philippines, Hawaii or Cairns in Australia. Flights are extremely expensive.
Why is Micronesia smaller than the USA?
Why? Because it’s made up entirely of tiny islands scattered over a vast swathe of the Pacific Ocean. 1000 miles east of the Philippines is the westernmost state of Yap. 100 miles east of Yap island, Yap State’s Outer Islands begin. They are atolls hundreds of miles apart from one another, no more than four or five square miles each, and home to some of the most isolated people on the planet. These people live on the world’s most jaw-dropping beaches, swim every day in the clearest turquoise waters and eat fresh lobster, octopus, shark and turtle on a daily basis.
What is the currency of Yap?
The Micronesian island of Yap has a famously unusual currency: hundreds of giant discs of rocks scattered all over the island, many of them too heavy to move.
Where were Yapese found?
When metal tools were introduced by European traders in the late 19th Century, quarrying was made easier, and reports from the 1880s claimed 400 Yapese men could be found working in just one quarry in Koror, Palau – a significant proportion of the population, which would have then been about 7,000 in total.
Where did the Yapese start carving the stones?
Within a month, he was back in Palau to start carving the stone as money. The Yapese travelled 400km across the sea to carve the limestone discs from quarries in neighbouring Palau (Credit: Robert Michael Poole) The issue was that Yap had no durable rock or precious metals with which to make coins.
What countries were affected by the war in Yap?
Yap’s neighbours, Guam, Palau and Chuuk, are all heavily affected by European and American colonisation, and all bear conspicuous scars of World War II. Guam remains a US territory with a significant military base on the island that has shaped its culture, while Chuuk Lagoon is home to around 60 sunken wrecks, a result of the devastating Operation Hailstone in 1944.
What did the sailors do on their return from Palau?
On their return from Palau, the sailors would give the carved stone money to the high chiefs who would gather from different villages to welcome back the sailors and the stones. The chiefs would keep the larger ones and two fifths of the smaller ones. They would also give names to some stones, usually choosing their own name or that of relatives, and confirm the stones as legitimate by giving a value based on an even older currency system: yar(pearl shell money). The stones could then enter circulation and be bought by anyone.
Where does Falmed's son live?
Falmed’s son is 12 now and lives in Hawaii. But the stone is in his family house in Yap. And even without written record, everyone already knows whose name is on it.
Do Yapese know who each stone belongs to?
No matter its location, the Yapese know to whom each stone belongs (Credit: Robert Michael Poole)
Which country has sovereignty over Kapingamarangi?
Successive Spanish governments have not abandoned Spain's sovereignty, or insisted on enforcing it, or recognized the sovereignty of the Federated States of Micronesia over Kapingamarangi. The Federated States of Micronesia claims sovereignty and has de facto control of the island.
What is the trust territory of the Pacific Islands?
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Regional languages used at state and municipal levels. The Federated States of Micronesia ( / ˌmaɪkroʊˈniːʒə / ( listen); abbreviated FSM) or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Oceania.
How many islands are there in Micronesia?
The Federated States of Micronesia consists of 607 islands extending 2,900 km (1,802 mi) across the archipelago of the Caroline Islands east of the Philippines. The islands have a combined area of 702 km 2 (271 sq mi).
How is Micronesia governed?
The Federated States of Micronesia is governed by the 1979 constitution, which guarantees fundamental human rights and establishes a separation of governmental powers. This constitution constructs the national government to be similar to - but not exactly alike - that of the United States. The unicameral Congress has fourteen members elected by popular vote. Four senators—one from each state—serve four-year terms; the remaining ten senators represent single-member districts based on population and serve two-year terms. Congress elects the President and Vice President from among the four state-based senators to serve four-year terms in the executive branch. Their congressional seats are then filled by special elections.
Where does the US Navy fly?
Sea Hawk helicopter (US Navy) flies over the waters of Chuuk, Micronesia. In international politics, the Federated States of Micronesia has often voted with the United States with respect to United Nations General Assembly resolutions.
Which of the four states is centered on one or more main high islands?
Each of its four states is centered on one or more main high islands, and all but Kosrae include numerous outlying atolls. The Federated States of Micronesia is spread across part of the Caroline Islands in the wider region of Micronesia, which consists of thousands of small islands divided among several countries.
Is Micronesia a Christian country?
Most Micronesians are Christian. Several Protestant denominations, as well as the Roman Catholic Church, are present in every Micronesian state. Most Protestant groups trace their roots to American Congregationalist missionaries. On the island of Kosrae, the population is approximately 7,800; 95 percent are Protestants. On Pohnpei, the population of 35,000 is evenly divided between Protestants and Catholics. Most immigrants are Filipino Catholics who have joined local Catholic churches, e.g. Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Pohnpei.
What is the capital of Yap?
Colonia, Yap. Colonia is an urban area belonging to the municipalities of Rull and Weloy which serves as the capital of the State of Yap, one of the Federated States of Micronesia. It administers both Yap proper and some 13 atolls and islands reaching to the east and south for some 800 kilometres (500 miles).
How many atolls are there in Yap State?
It administers both Yap proper and some 13 atolls and islands reaching to the east and south for some 800 kilometres (500 miles). The 2010 Census population was 3,126. A Spanish Catholic mission was established in Colonia in 1885, during Yap's time as a colony of Spain. Tomil Harbor is the main port of Yap State.
How long is Tomil Harbor in Yap State?
Tomil Harbor is the main port of Yap State. Ships have to travel through a 2.5-kilometre-long ( 1. 1⁄2 -mile) reef-bordered passageway to reach the port, where there is a 70-metre-long (230-foot) small craft wharf.
