Английская Википедия:Alamagan

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox Islands

Alamagan is an island in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean, Шаблон:Convert north of Guguan, Шаблон:Convert north of Saipan, and Шаблон:Convert south of Pagan. It is currently undergoing resettlement since 2018, with a few people living there. The project was coordinated by the Northern Islands Mayor's office and the people there have radio contact with the mainland.

History

Alamagan was once settled by the Chamorros, who left behind archaeological evidence including stone columns (called latte stones) and ceramics.[1] From a European perspective, Alamagan was discovered in 1669 by the Spanish missionary Diego Luis de San Vitores, who named it Concepción (Immaculate Conception in Spanish). It is likely that it was previously visited in 1522 by the Spanish sailor Gonzalo de Vigo, a deserter from the Magellan expedition in 1521 and the first European castaway in the history of the Pacific.[2] In 1695, Alamagan's natives were forcibly removed to Saipan, and three years later to Guam.

Following the sale of the Northern Marianas by Spain to the German Empire in 1899, Alamagan was administered as part of German New Guinea. During this time, a private firm, the Pagan Society, owned by a German and a Japanese partner, developed more coconut plantations. However, severe typhoons in September 1905, September 1907 and December 1913 destroyed the plantations and bankrupted the company.[3]

During World War I, Alamagan came under the control of the Empire of Japan and was administered as the South Seas Mandate. Following World War II, it came under the control of the United States and was administered as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Since 1978, it has been part of the Northern Islands Municipality of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Файл:Choiwan Damage.png
Damage on Alamagan after Typhoon Choi-wan

The island was inhabited, and continued to be used for the production of copra, with the main settlements of Song Song in the south and Patida camp in the northwest. However, by 1962 the population had dropped so much that the elementary school was closed for lack of students.[4] Due to what was thought to be increased volcanic activity, the islanders were evacuated in December 1998 when an eruption was feared. However, analysis of the event concluded that it was excess rainwater entering fumaroles, causing extra steam, not an eruptive event.[5] 

At the 2000 census, only six people were living on Alamagan. In September 2009, Typhoon Choi-wan passed directly over Alamagan, destroying many of the island's trees and forcing the evacuation of the remaining residents to Saipan.[6][7] As of the 2010 United States Census, the island was officially uninhabited at that time.[8]

In 2018, 18 embarked on a mission to repopulate the northern islands of Alamagan and Agrihan. They left Saipan aboard the M/V Super Emerald, and the families had originally come from Alamagan to resettle there. The months long project was coordinated by the mayor's office, and plans to have clean water and radio contact, and also to hopefully send more families there.[9] One returning Marianan remarked "  I was born and raised on Saipan but my family is from Alamagan. We are going to live their for a long time.... [9]

In 2019, Rep. Sheila Babauta took an expedition by sea to the northern islands visiting Agriga, Alamagangan, and Pagan.[10]

As of 2000, there is about 6 on the island, 0 in 2010, but 1 in 2020, in a place called "the village".[11] The 2020 U.S. Census reports 1 person living in Alamagan village.[12] In June 2020, the crew of a boat on its way to Pagan stopped with engine trouble and ultimately sank near Alamagan with two crew abandoning ship and staying at the Village at Alamagan.[13]

In 2023, when an injured 30 year old had an emergency medical evacuation to Saipan from Alamagan, he was transported by sea aboard the USGC Cutter Oliver Henry.[14]

Geography

Файл:Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 j-14c.jpg
Map including Alamagan (DMA, 1983)

Alamagan is roughly elliptical in shape, with a length of Шаблон:Convert, width of Шаблон:Convert, and area of Шаблон:Convert.[15] The entire island is the summit of a stratovolcano which rises over Шаблон:Convert from the ocean floor, to an altitude of Шаблон:Convert above sea level at Bandeera Peak, at the north-western edge. The volcano is topped by a caldera, 700–900 meters in diameter and about Шаблон:Convert deep. There are three smaller cones to the north, northwest and south of the main crater. The volcano has not erupted in historical times, but by radiocarbon dating, eruptions occurred in 540 AD and 870 AD, with a potential dating error of around 100 years. These eruptions involved pyroclastic flows and had a VEI of 4. Claims of the most recent historical eruptions are not clear, eruptions might have occurred as late as 1887.[16] Within the main crater and on the western slopes are a number of active fumaroles.

Two historical eruptions were around the year 870 give or take a century, and another 540 give or take 75 years.[17]

The island has extremely steep slopes on its eastern side which are prone to landslides. The western slope has deep canyons as the result of erosion. The shoreline is dominated by steep cliffs of up to Шаблон:Convert on the eastern shore. Vegetation on the island's west side includes swordgrass (Miscanthus floridulus). The south-east side is a steep slope of bare lava. Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera), grow on the gradual slopes. There are deep valleys with caves, and there are fresh water springs on the northern part of the west coast.

Alamagan does not have sand or pebble beach, but rather mid-sized stones piled on one another.[10]

Important Bird Area

The island has been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of Micronesian megapodes, white-throated ground doves, Micronesian myzomelas, Saipan reed warblers and Micronesian starlings.[18]

Шаблон:Clear left

Demographics

As of 1980 the population of Alamagan was 36.[19] It was uninhabited at times, but since 2018 has had a small settlement called the village. Since 2018, some families that were originally from here returned to live here.[11][9]

See also

References

  • Russell E. Brainard et al.: Coral reef ecosystem monitoring report of the Mariana Archipelago: 2003–2007. (=PIFSC Special Publication, SP-12-01) NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 2012 (Kapitel Alamagan (englisch, PDF, 12,2 MB)).
  • Richard B. Moore, Frank A. Trusdell: Geologic map of Alamagan Volcano, northern Mariana Islands. United States Geological Survey 1993 (Download).

External links

Шаблон:Commons category

Notes

Шаблон:Reflist

Шаблон:Former German colonies Шаблон:Northern Mariana Islands

  1. Dirk HR Speenemann: Combining Curiosity with Political Skill: The Antiquarian Interests and Cultural Politics of Georg Fritz. In: Micronesian journal of the humanities and social sciences, 2006(5), S. 495–504, hier S. 498.
  2. Coello, Francisco "Conflicto hispano-alemán" Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid, t.XIX. 2º semestre 1885, Madrid, p.233,301.
  3. Gerd Hardach: König Kopra. Die Marianen unter deutscher Herrschaft 1899–1914. Steiner, Stuttgart 1990, Шаблон:ISBN, S. 23f, 32, 46.
  4. Trust Territory Archives Photograph Collection photographs at the University of Hawaii Image Archive.
  5. Шаблон:Cite web
  6. Шаблон:Cite web
  7. Шаблон:Cite web
  8. Шаблон:Cite web
  9. 9,0 9,1 9,2 Шаблон:Cite web
  10. 10,0 10,1 Шаблон:Cite web
  11. 11,0 11,1 Шаблон:Cite web
  12. 2020 Census Population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island
  13. Шаблон:Cite web
  14. Шаблон:Cite web
  15. Brainard, Coral reef ecosystem monitoring report Шаблон:Webarchive, S. 1
  16. Шаблон:Cite web
  17. Шаблон:Cite web
  18. Шаблон:Cite web
  19. Northern Mariana Islands Coastal Resources Management: Environmental Impact Statement. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1980. p. 37.