Lamotrek is a coral atoll of three islands in the central Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. The atoll is located approximately 11 km east of Elato. The population of Lamotrek was 373 in 2000, living on almost 1 km2.

Geography

The atoll is 11.5 km long northeast-southeast, and up to 6.5 km wide. Its total land area is only 0.982 km2, but it encloses a lagoon of 32 km2. Among the individual islets are the following:

History

Before European rule, Lamotrek was invaded by Ifalik during Mweoiush's reign, with aid from the Mailiyas. In January 1849 an earthquake occurred causing a flood to submerge the island with the exception of some trees. People climb trees to survive. The water however swept away people in certain cases who climb the trees causing them to die. Forty-one survivors came to the Marianas to permanently settle there in April of that year. As with all of the Caroline Islands, sovereignty passed to the Empire of Germany in 1899. The island came under the control of the Empire of Japan after World War I, and was subsequently administered under the South Seas Mandate. Following World War II, the island came under the control of the United States of America and was administered as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947, and became part of the Federated States of Micronesia from 1979.