Kayangel

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Map of Kayangel and Palau

Kayangel (Ngcheangel) is the northernmost state of Palau north of Koror. The land area is about . The population is 54 (2015 census). There is one hamlet in the state - Orukei, which is also its capital. In 2020, Richard Ngiraked was elected governor of the state.

History

The state was colonized by Spain from the end of the 16th century until 1899 when the territory was sold to the German Empire. This situation continues until the First World War when Japan took control of the atolls. The United States ruled the area from World War II until the independence of Palau.

The Palau Parliament passed a joint resolution in January 2005 supporting a 2002 agreement between the Kayangel State and Palau Pacific Energy Inc. (PPE) in 2002, granting the oil company exclusive rights to explore, drill and produce oil in the surrounding marine area for a specified period of time. Initially, the Palau government had opposed this on environmental grounds, but then bowed to a 2003 petition by Kayangel State residents in favor of exploration.

Typhoon Haiyan

In 2013 Typhoon Haiyan left its wake of destruction on the island, causing Kayangel to be flooded in its entirety, and all homes were destroyed. No fatalities were reported, but 69 people were affected by this cyclone.

Demography

The population of the state was 54 in the 2015 census and median age was 37.5 years. The official languages of the state are Palauan and English. Rdechor is the title of the traditional high chief from the state.

In June 1972, the resident population was 290.

Political system

Kayangel has its own constitution, adopted in 1983. The state government was established in 1984. The state of Kayangel, with population of less than 60, has an elected chief executive, governor. The state also has a legislature elected every four years. The state population elects one of the member in the House of Delegates of Palau.

Geography

The state consists of three atolls in different states of development:

Atoll	Land Area (km2)	Total Area (km2)	Coordinates
Kayangel	1.39	21.6
Ngaruangel	0.02	20.1
Velasco Reef	-	330
State of Kayangel	1.40	372

Kayangel Atoll

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Map including the Kayangel Islands (DMA, 1991)

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Kayangel Atoll

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Satellite picture of Kayangel Atoll from Sentinel-2

Kayangel Atoll (Ngcheangel), the only inhabited atoll of Kayangel State, with most (99 percent) of the land area of Kayangel State, is located at , about north of Babelthuap island, the main island of Palau, but only north of Babelthuap's barrier reef. The atoll is about north-south, and wide, with a total area of , including the lagoon. The lagoon has an average depth of and a maximum depth of , and about 25 large pinnacles can be detected from aerial photographs. The bottom of the lagoon is largely sand. On the western side of the atoll, there is a small passage for boats into the lagoon, with a depth of only , called Ulach. Coral diversity and abundance are low in the lagoon. Large fish, dolphins and foraging sea turtles are common near the pass.

There are four densely wooded islets on the eastern and southern rim of the oval-shaped atoll, from north to south, are Kayangel, Ngeriungs, Ngerebelas and Orak.

Kayangel Islet

Kayangel Islet (also called Ngcheangel or Ngajangel), is the largest and only inhabited islet of Kayangel Atoll and Kayangel State. It is long north–south, with a width between in the south and in the north. The land area is about . There are five villages primarily oriented to the western shore (lagoon side). They stretch over from north to south and are not clearly separated from each other. The villages are very small by any standard, given the aggregate population of only 138. Together, they make up the state capital, Kayangel (Ngcheangel). From north to south:

1. Orukei
2. Dilong
3. Doko (with long pier to the west into the lagoon)
4. Olkang
5. Dimes

The only power on the island comes from solar panels or personal generators. There is one small school that goes from K-9th grades and a small library. The only shopping to be done on the island is from a small general store, otherwise it is what the islanders catch in the ocean or grow in the ground. There are several ways to get to the island. One is the island's speedboat that takes about two hours, but it is generally in for repairs. The more reliable modes are from either a local fisherman or a dive company that makes regular trips up to the island to dive off the reefs surrounding the island.

Ngeriungs Islet

Ngeriungs Islet, about south of Kayangel Islet, is long north–south, and has a width between in the south and in the north, which amounts to a land area of . There is a small campsite. The islet has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a large population of Micronesian megapodes.

Ngerebelas Islet

Ngerebelas Islet, close to the southern tip of Kayangel atoll, about southwest of the southwestern tip of Ngeriungs Islet, has a size of east-west by north-south, with a land area of .

Orak Islet

Orak Islet, at the southern tip of Kayangel atoll, about southwest of the southwestern end of Ngerebelas Islet, is long southwest–northeast, and wide. With an area of , it is the smallest of the four islets of Kayangel Atoll.

Ngaruangel Reef

Ngaruangel (Ngaruangl) Reef, located at , is an incipient atoll, northwest of Kayangel atoll, and separated from it by Ngaruangl Passage, a very deep ( at from each atoll) and wide passage. The atoll is long north–south, and from wide in the north to in the south, and about on the average. The total area including the lagoon is . The lagoon is shallow, with an average depth of , has about 115 pinnacle and patch reefs, and a boat passage through the northeastern part of the barrier reef. The lagoon floor is covered with thick sand deposits and thickets of staghorn Acropora. The reef is protected by Ngaruangel Reserve.

Ngaruangel Island

There is one small, barren and uninhabited islet, Ngaruangel Island, in the center of the eastern rim of the atoll, at its easternmost point. Ngaruangel Island is long north–south, and from wide in the south to in the north. There is a sand spit attached to the island, pointing southwest into the lagoon, long and wide. The total area of the island is .

The islet consists almost entirely of pieces of rough coral rock thrown up by surf. Most of the pieces are rough or sharp and are largely of the Acropora reticulata type, or of similar form. Sand and sandy gravel are limited to the lagoon side and the southern tip. The altitude is a little less than one meter above high tide. There is no vegetation on the islet. Animal life is represented by numerous marine crane flies. Terns are abundant.

Velasco Reef

Velasco Reef, located at is a sunken atoll north of Ngaruangl Reef, rising steeply from the surrounding seafloor, deep. It is not clearly separated from Ngaruangl Reef and appears as its large but submerged northern extension on satellite images. It extends more than to the north, and is up to wide, giving it an oval shape, covering an area of about . Much of the reef is uncharted. The central depression (lagoon) is deep, while depths along the rim (outer edges) range from (generally ), on which there are overfalls when the tidal currents are strong. Heavy wave exposure limits coral diversity and cover on Velasco Reef.

Education

The Ministry of Education operates public schools.

JFK Kayangel Elementary School was built in 1965; initially students took classes in a bai. It relieved the schools in Babeldaob as Kayangel students previously attended those schools. Ngaraard Elementary School in Ngaraard formerly served Kayangel.

Palau High School in Koror is the country's only public high school, so children from this community go there.

External links

• PUB. 126, SAILING DIRECTIONS (ENROUTE), PACIFIC ISLANDS.
• Satellite Images
• Atoll Research Bulletin 14: Description of Kayangel Atoll
• Atoll Research Bulletin 21 (mostly about Ngaruangel Reef)
• Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Palau to the UK &NI