Sonsorol

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Sonsorol or Dongosaro is a state of Palau. The total land area is 3.30 km², and the population is 39 (census of 2000). The capital is Sonsorol (Dongosaro). The population speaks the local Austronesian language Sonsorol, but Palauan and English are also used.

The islands of the state of Sonsorol, together with the islands of Hatohobei, form the Southwest Islands of Palau.

The state is subdivided into four municipalities, which correspond to the four individual islands, with one village on each island, with the possible exception of Fanna Island. The islands are, from north to south (Fanna Island and Sonsorol Island are together called Sonsorol Islands):

No.	Municipality (Island)	Village	Area (km²)	Population est. 2000	Density (km^-2)	Coordinates
1	Fanna	-	0.54	0	0.0	05°21′09″N, 132°13′32″E
2	Sonsorol	Dongosaro	1.36	24	17.6	05°19′28″N, 132°13′16″E
3	Pulo Anna	Puro	0.50	10	20.0	04°39′34″N, 131°57′49″E
4	Merir	Melieli	0.90	5	5.6	04°19′27″N, 132°18′37″E
	State of Sonsorol	Dongosaro	3.30	39	11.8

NASA Satellite Imagery
of Fanna and Sonsorol

1 Islands
2 Trivia
3 External links

[edit] Islands

[edit] Fanna

Fanna, also called Fana, is encircled by a coral reef extending 160 to 480 m offshore, and nearly circular in shape, with a diameter of 350 m. The island is thickly wooded with coconut palms and other trees. Although the island is referenced as a municipality, with Mariano Carlos serving as chief since 2000, no buildings or village can be made out on detailed aerial photographs, and the island is noted as uninhabited by different sources. Fanna Island and nearby Sonsorol Island 1.6 km further south together form the Sonsorol Islands.

[edit] Sonsorol

Sonsorol Island, also called Dongosaro or Dongosaru, is encircled by a coral reef extending 160 to 480 m offshore. It is 2 km long north south, and up to 890 m wide in the north. It is located 1.6 km south of Fanna Island. The village of Dongosaro, which is the capital of the state, is located on the west coast. The island is thickly wooded with coconut palms and other trees. Together with Sonsorol Island, it forms the Sonsorol Islands.

[edit] Pulo Anna

Pulo Anna or Puro is fringed by a coral reef extending beyond 460 m offshore. Puro village is on the northwest side of the island. Pulo Anna lies in the flow of the Equatorial Countercurrent throughout the year.

[edit] Merir

Merir Island, or Melieli, is fringed by reef which extends beyond 1100 m offshore in the south and 160 m in the north. The edges of the reef are steep-to, except at the northern end where a spit, with a depth of 12.8m at its outer end, extends about 1300 m northward. The village of Melieli, which has a radio station, is located on the northwest side of the island.

[edit] Trivia

Sonsorol is the setting for the individualist anarchist piece "Visit Port Watson!", originally published in the book Semiotext(e) SF, edited by Rudy Rucker, Robert Anton Wilson, and Peter Lamborn Wilson.

[edit] External links

States of Palau
Aimeliik \| Airai \| Angaur \| Hatohobei \| Kayangel \| Koror \| Melekeok \| Ngaraard \| Ngarchelong \| Ngardmau \| Ngaremlengui \| Ngatpang \| Ngchesar \| Ngiwal \| Peleliu \| Sonsorol