Mariana Islands

The Mariana Islands are a group of islands shaped like a crescent wrench in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. They are found between Japan, Hawaii, New Guinea, and the Philippines. These islands are part of the United States and are split into two areas: the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the territory of Guam.

The islands got their name from a Spanish queen called Mariana of Austria after Spain claimed them in the 1600s. The first people to live there were the Chamorro people. Scientists discovered evidence in 2013 that the earliest settlers of these islands might have made one of the longest sea journeys ever done by humans at that time. They think the island of Tinian was the first place in the area known as Oceania where people lived.

Long ago, a Portuguese explorer named Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to see the Marianas. His group was very sick from not having enough vitamins, called scurvy, but the fruits they found on these islands helped them get better.

Geography

The Mariana Islands are part of an underwater mountain range stretching 1,565 miles from Guam toward Japan. They sit in a region called Micronesia, between 13° and 21°N latitude and 144° and 146°E longitude.

These islands cover 1,008 km² (389 sq mi) and are split into two parts: Guam, a United States territory, and the Northern Mariana Islands which includes Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The Northern Mariana Islands are a Commonwealth of the United States.

The islands have two groups—the northern group with ten volcanic islands that no one lives on, and the southern group with five islands made of coral. The southern islands include Rota, Guam, Aguijan, Tinian, and Saipan, though only four of these are home to people. The highest point in the north reaches about 2,700 feet, and there are sometimes earthquakes there. Coral reefs line the coasts of the southern islands.

The deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench, lies close to these islands and is named after them. Many island names end in "-an", like Guahan (the old name for Guam), Agrigan, Agrihan, Aguihan/Aguigan, Pagan, Saipan, and Tinian.

Geology

The Mariana Islands are part of a large geologic structure called the Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc system. These islands formed when the edge of the Pacific Plate moved westward and sank below another plate, the Mariana plate. This area is very active for volcanoes and includes the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. The heat and pressure from this movement created the volcanic activity that made the islands.

Ecology

See also: Marianas tropical dry forests, List of endemic plants in the Mariana Islands, and List of mammals of the Northern Mariana Islands

Most of the islands in the Mariana Islands are covered in thick forests, with lots of plants and trees. The plants here look similar to those found in nearby places like the Carolines and the Philippines. The soil is moist, so there are many small plants and grasses. Fresh water is easy to find on these islands.

The animals on the Marianas are not as many as on some other islands, but they are similar to those in the Carolines. The weather is warm but comfortable, helped by steady winds, and the temperature doesn’t change much.

History

Early

The Mariana Islands are part of a geological structure called the Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc system. They formed when the edge of the Pacific Plate moved downward, creating the Mariana Trench and carrying water that caused volcanic activity. This formed the islands above the subduction region.

The Mariana Islands were the first islands settled by humans in Remote Oceania. People from the Philippines settled there around 1500 to 1400 BCE. Artifacts like pottery show similarities to designs from the Philippines. The Chamorro language is also closely related to Philippine languages.

Spanish exploration and control

The first Europeans to see the islands were Spanish explorers in 1521. They named the islands Islas de los Ladrones (Islands of the Thieves) after a conflict with the local people. Spain formally claimed the islands in 1667 and named them Las Marianas in honor of Queen Mariana of Austria.

Spain introduced new diseases, which greatly reduced the native population. The islands were used as a stopover for Spanish ships traveling between Mexico and the Philippines.

Loss from Spain and split in governance

After Spain lost the Spanish–American War in 1898, Guam became a U.S. territory, while the Northern Marianas were sold to Germany. Japan later took control of the Northern Marianas during World War I.

World War II

The islands saw significant fighting during World War II. Guam was captured by Japan in 1941 and recaptured by the United States in 1944. The islands of Saipan and Tinian became important bases for U.S. bombers, including those that dropped atomic bombs on Japan.

Post-World War II

After World War II, the Northern Mariana Islands came under U.S. control as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. They later became a U.S. territory separate from Guam. Efforts to reunify the two have not succeeded.

List of islands (from north to south)

The Esmeralda Bank, Ruby Seamount, and Supply Reef are underwater landforms part of the Mariana archipelago.

Tourism

Tourism in the Northern Marianas mainly attracts visitors from Filipino, Japanese, American, Korean, Taiwanese, and Chinese backgrounds. Saipan has several large tour operators that welcome Asian tourists to the island. However, most tourism happens in Guam, where several flights arrive each day, often very early in the morning. As other industries have changed, tourism has become an important part of the economy. Many island businesses depend on visitors, especially from East Asia.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a big drop in tourism, with fewer people from different countries visiting. Korean visitors now make up a large part of the tourists arriving. Both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands saw a big decrease in visitors between 2019 and 2024. Delays in travel rules for Chinese tourists have also hurt the islands' economy. There are plans, like a two-year, $60 million recovery plan supported by Guam’s leader, to help bring tourism back.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of the Mariana Islands

The Mariana Islands have many tasty dishes. One popular food is red rice, often served with meat or poultry cooked on the grill or in coconut milk. Another favorite is chicken kelaguen, and there is also a special dish called apigigi, which uses young coconut and cassava paste wrapped in banana leaf. Tropical fruits are also commonly enjoyed.