Ujelang Atoll

Template: Infobox Atoll / Maintenance / height Missing

Ujelang (also: Providence Islands or Arecifos ) is an uninhabited atoll in the Ralik chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll has a land area of 1.74 km ², which encloses a lagoon of 66 km ².

History

Since 1880 coconut trees with the help of Polynesians were on the formerly uninhabited atoll, through the initiative of German merchants, planted to Kopragewinnung. After the decline of the Kopraproduktion the early 20th century. However, many residents left the island, 1935, the atoll still 40 inhabitants. A population boom was not until after the nuclear tests of the Americans on the Bikini Atoll. Above all, the people of Enewetak were settled on the outlying atoll. 1947, the population was already 145, its peak it reached 342 persons in 1973, despite famines and epidemics in the fifties. After Eniwetok was habitable again by removing radioactive soil, returned the exiles of Ujelang, 1989, the atoll was finally back uninhabited. Today testify buildings of the German Kopraproduktion and the main street of the colonial past of the atoll.

Flora

Growing up on the atoll, among other Morning Glory (Ipomoea violacea ), Riesenblättriges Arrow Sheet ( Alocasia macrorrhizos ') and the Polynesian Islands widespread coconut trees.