Rongerik Atoll or Rongdrik Atoll (Marshallese: Ron̄dik, [rʷɔŋʷ(ɯ)rʲik][1]) is an unpopulated coral atoll of 17 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and is located in the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands, approximately 200 kilometers (120 mi) east of Bikini Atoll. Its total land area is only 1.68 square kilometers (0.65 sq mi), but it encloses a lagoon of 144 square kilometers (56 sq mi).
Map of Rongerik Atoll, taken from the 1893 map 'Schutzgebiet der Marshall Inseln', published in 1897.Group of Rongerik Island natives waiting for food to be distributed by Captain Christian Engleman, summer 1947
Rongerik Atoll was claimed by the German Empire along with the rest of the Marshall Islands in 1885.[2] After World War I, the island came under the South Seas Mandate of the Empire of Japan, although the island was uninhabited. The island became part of the vast US Naval Base Marshall Islands. Following the end of World War II, it came under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands until the independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986.
It is most famous as the temporary location from March 7, 1946, through March 14, 1948, of the Bikini Atoll's indigenous population while the United States government conducted the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests. After months of food shortages and malnutrition,[3] they were moved first to Kwajalein and finally to Kili Island. On March 1, 1954, Rongerik was exposed to radioactive fallout as a result of the detonation of Operation Castle's Bravo.
According to Spanish researcher Emilio Pastor in a paper submitted to his government in 1948, a number of small islands in Micronesia (Kapingamarangi or Pescadores, Mapia or Güedes, Kiritimati or Matador, Rongerik or Coroa and others) continue legally under Spanish sovereignty. This is because the text of the German–Spanish Treaty of 1899 which transferred sovereignty of certain Spanish possessions in the Pacific to Germany, namely the Northern Mariana Islands (except Guam) and the Caroline Islands (including Palau), failed to include these smaller islands. Although the Spanish government studied the case in 1949 and accepted this interpretation, it has not asserted its claim to the islands.[4]
rongerik, atoll, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, 201. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Rongerik Atoll news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Rongerik Atoll or Rongdrik Atoll Marshallese Ron dik rʷɔŋʷ ɯ rʲik 1 is an unpopulated coral atoll of 17 islands in the Pacific Ocean and is located in the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands approximately 200 kilometers 120 mi east of Bikini Atoll Its total land area is only 1 68 square kilometers 0 65 sq mi but it encloses a lagoon of 144 square kilometers 56 sq mi Rongerik AtollNASA picture of Rongerik AtollRongerik AtollGeographyLocationNorth PacificCoordinates11 20 N 167 27 E 11 333 N 167 450 E 11 333 167 450ArchipelagoRalikTotal islands22Area1 68 km2 0 65 sq mi Highest elevation3 m 10 ft Administration Marshall IslandsDemographicsPopulation0Ethnic groupsMarshallese formerly Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory edit nbsp Map of Rongerik Atoll taken from the 1893 map Schutzgebiet der Marshall Inseln published in 1897 nbsp Group of Rongerik Island natives waiting for food to be distributed by Captain Christian Engleman summer 1947Rongerik Atoll was claimed by the German Empire along with the rest of the Marshall Islands in 1885 2 After World War I the island came under the South Seas Mandate of the Empire of Japan although the island was uninhabited The island became part of the vast US Naval Base Marshall Islands Following the end of World War II it came under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands until the independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986 It is most famous as the temporary location from March 7 1946 through March 14 1948 of the Bikini Atoll s indigenous population while the United States government conducted the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests After months of food shortages and malnutrition 3 they were moved first to Kwajalein and finally to Kili Island On March 1 1954 Rongerik was exposed to radioactive fallout as a result of the detonation of Operation Castle s Bravo According to Spanish researcher Emilio Pastor in a paper submitted to his government in 1948 a number of small islands in Micronesia Kapingamarangi or Pescadores Mapia or Guedes Kiritimati or Matador Rongerik or Coroa and others continue legally under Spanish sovereignty This is because the text of the German Spanish Treaty of 1899 which transferred sovereignty of certain Spanish possessions in the Pacific to Germany namely the Northern Mariana Islands except Guam and the Caroline Islands including Palau failed to include these smaller islands Although the Spanish government studied the case in 1949 and accepted this interpretation it has not asserted its claim to the islands 4 See also edit nbsp Islands portalAlso contaminated by Castle Bravo test Rongelap Atoll Utirik Atoll Ailinginae Atoll Desert island List of islandsReferences edit Marshallese English Dictionary Place Name Index Churchill William 1920 Germany s Lost Pacific Empire Geographical Review 10 2 84 JSTOR 207706 Scientists and natives discussing the food shortage on Rongerik Island 1947 Yahoo News Spanish Las cuatro islas espanolas perdidas en el Oceano Pacifico External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rongerik Atoll Marshall Islands site Entry at Oceandots com at the Wayback Machine archived December 23 2010 A Short History of the People of Bikini Atoll Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rongerik Atoll amp oldid 1201698836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
