ATOLL
An island (or islands) of coral encircling a lagoon, either partially or completely. In the case of the Marshall Islands, atolls are often comprised of numerous small islands. Often the largest island in the atoll will carry the same name as the atoll itself -- see for instance the entries below for Bikini, Kwajalein, Lae and Ujelang, among others. To view a map of the Marshall Islands, click here.
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BIKINI
Alternate modern spelling: Pikinni. An atoll in the Ralik Chain, Marshall Islands, consisting of twenty-three islands surrounding a 229.4-square-mile lagoon. The northeastern most and largest island in the atoll is also known as Bikini.
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COLONIA
Trust Territory-era name (as used by Dr. Kiste in captioning) for Kolonia district, Pohnpei Island, Federated States of Micronesia.
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ENEWETAK
Alternate modern spelling: Ānewetak. Atoll consisting of roughly 40 islets, and the second westernmost atoll in the Ralik Chain, Marshall Islands. The largest island in the atoll is also known as Enewetak. Forty-three nuclear tests were conducted at Enewetak Atoll between 1948 and 1958. Dr. Kiste uses the Trust Territory-era spelling, Eniwetok, in his captioning.
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JAPTAN
Island in Enewetak Atoll, Ralik Chain, Marshall Islands. Japtan is located roughly five nautical miles north of Enewetak Island.
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KILI
A .36 square-mile island in the Ralik Chain, just south of Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands. In December 1948, the Bikinians were relocated from Kwajalein to Kili. Also sometimes referred to as Kili Atoll.
KWAJALEIN
Atoll comprised of ninety-seven islands in the Ralik Chain, Marshall Islands, 2,100 nautical miles from Honolulu. The largest island in the atoll is also known as Kwajalein; this island was the airfield and support base for the U.S. nuclear testing program in the Pacific. From March through December 1948, Bikinians were temporarily relocated to a "tent city" here after Rongerik proved to be unlivable due to lack of resources.
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MARSHALL ISLANDS
A.K.A. The Republic of the Marshall Islands, or RMI. Independent country consisting of twenty-nine atolls and five isolated islands. The atolls and islands form two roughly parallel chains, each extending in a line from northeast to southwest: the Ratak ("sunrise" or eastern) Chain and the Ralik ("sunset" or western) Chain.
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PANDANUS
(Pandanus tectorius - Pandanaceae) is called Bōb in parts of the Marshall Islands. Leaves of wūnmaañ varieties of bōb are used to thatch traditional houses.
PONAPE
Trust Territory-era name (as used by Dr. Kiste in captioning) for Pohnpei island, Federated States of Micronesia.
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RALIK
Chain of eighteen atolls in the Marshall Islands, oriented in a northeast to southwest line. Name translate as "sunrise," and is the more eastern of two parallel atoll chains that make up the Marshall Islands (the other being Ratak, or "sunset," Chain to the west.) Listed from northeast to southwest, atolls in this chain are: Enewetak, Bikini, Ujelang, Rongelap, Rongerik, Ailinginae, Wotho, Ujae, Lae, Kwajalein, Lib, Namu, Jabat, Ailinglaplap, Jaluit, Namorik, Kili and Ebon.
RATAK
Chain of sixteen atolls in the Marshall Islands, oriented in a northeast to southwest line. Name translate as "sunset," and is the more western of two parallel atoll chains that make up the Marshall Islands (the other being Ralik, or "sunrise," Chain to the east.) Listed from northeast to southwest, atolls in this chain are: Bokak, Bikar, Utirik, Toke, Mejit, Ailuk, Jemo, Likiep, Wotje, Erikub, Maloelap, Aur, Majuro, Arno, Mili, and Nadikdik.
RONGERIK ATOLL
is also known as Rongdrik Atoll or Roñdik Atoll. It is an uninhabited 1.68 square kilometer atoll located in the Pacific Ocean. It is a member of the Marshall Islands and is located in the Ralik Chain, 200 kilometers east of Bikini Atoll.
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TRUK
Trust Territory-era name (as used by Dr. Kiste in captioning) for Chuuk island, Federated States of Micronesia.
TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
A.k.a. the Trust Territory or TTPI. Following World War II, the islands of Micronesia became a United States administered United Nations strategic trusteeship. The TTPI was initially divided into six districts: the Marshall Islands, Ponape (a.k.a. Pohnpei), Truk (a.k.a. Chuuk), the Mariana Islands, Yap and Palau, with the later addition of Kosrae. Beginning in the 1970s, the various Trust districts began voting to end the trustee relationship with the US. The UN officially dissolved the Trust Territory in 1990. Palau, the last of the Trust Territory districts, voted to end its trustee status in 1994.
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