| Kayangel | |
| Settlement Type: | State |
| Flag Alt: | Flag of Kayangel |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Palau |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Orukei |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Richard Ngiraked |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 1.4 |
| Population Total: | 54 |
| Population As Of: | 2015 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Official languages |
| Population Blank1: | Palauan English |
| Iso Code: | PW-100 |
Kayangel[1] [2] (Ngcheangel) is the northernmost state of Palau[3] [4] 86km (53miles) north of Koror. The land area is about 1.4km2. The population is 54 (2015 census). There is one hamlet in the state - Orukei, which is also its capital. In 2020, Richard Ngiraked was elected governor of the state.[5]
The state was colonized by Spain from the end of the 16th century until 1899 when the territory was sold to the German Empire. This situation would continue until the First World War when Japan took control of the atolls. The United States would rule the area from World War II until the independence of Palau
The Palau Parliament passed a joint resolution in January 2005 supporting a 2002 agreement between the Kayangel State and Palau Pacific Energy Inc. (PPE) in 2002, granting the oil company exclusive rights to explore, drill and produce oil in the surrounding marine area for a specified period of time. Initially, the Palau government had opposed this on environmental grounds, but then bowed to a 2003 petition by Kayangel State residents in favor of exploration.
In 2013 Typhoon Haiyan left its wake of destruction on the island, causing Kayangel to be flooded in its entirety, and all homes were destroyed. No fatalities were reported, but 69 people were affected by this cyclone.
The population of the state was 54 in the 2015 census and median age was 37.5 years.[6] The official languages of the state are Palauan and English.[7] Rdechor is the title of the traditional high chief from the state.[8]
The state of Kayangel, with population of less than 60, has an elected chief executive, governor. The state also has a legislature elected every four years.[9] The state population elects one of the member in the House of Delegates of Palau.
The state consists of three atolls in different states of development:
| Atoll | Land Area (km2) | Total Area (km2) | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayangel | 1.39 | 21.6 | 8.0667°N 176°W | |
| Ngaruangel | 0.02 | 20.1 | 8.1667°N 172°W | |
| Velasco Reef | - | 330 | 8.3414°N 134.6125°W | |
| State of Kayangel | 1.40 | 372 |
Kayangel Atoll (Ngcheangel), the only inhabited atoll of Kayangel State, with most (99 percent) of the land area of Kayangel State, is located at 8.0667°N 176°W, about 35km (22miles) north of Babelthuap island, the main island of Palau, but only 3km (02miles) north of Babelthuap's barrier reef. The atoll is about 7.2km (04.5miles) north-south, and 3.7km (02.3miles) wide, with a total area of 20km2, including the lagoon. The lagoon has an average depth of 6m (20feet) and a maximum depth of 9.6m (31.5feet), and about 25 large pinnacles can be detected from aerial photographs. The bottom of the lagoon is largely sand. On the western side of the atoll, there is a small passage for boats into the lagoon, with a depth of only 2to, called Ulach. Coral diversity and abundance are low in the lagoon. Large fish, dolphins and foraging sea turtles are common near the pass.
There are four densely wooded islets on the eastern and southern rim of the oval-shaped atoll, from north to south, are Kayangel, Ngeriungs, Ngerebelas and Orak.
Kayangel Islet (also called Ngcheangel or Ngajangel), is the largest and only inhabited islet of Kayangel Atoll and Kayangel State. It is 2570m (8,430feet) long north–south, with a width between 270m (890feet) in the south and 700m (2,300feet) in the north. The land area is about 98ha. There are five villages primarily oriented to the western shore (lagoon side). They stretch over 1.5km (00.9miles) from north to south and are not clearly separated from each other. The villages are very small by any standard, given the aggregate population of only 138. Together, they make up the state capital, Kayangel (Ngcheangel). From north to south:
The only power on the island comes from solar panels or personal generators. There is one small school that goes from K-9th grades and a small library. The only shopping to be done on the island is from a small general store, otherwise it is what the islanders catch in the ocean or grow in the ground. There are several ways to get to the island. One is the island's speedboat that takes about two hours, but it is generally in for repairs. The more reliable modes are from either a local fisherman or a dive company that makes regular trips up to the island to dive off the reefs surrounding the island.[10]
Ngeriungs Islet, about 820m (2,690feet) south of Kayangel Islet, is 1350m (4,430feet) long north–south, and has a width between 130m (430feet) in the south and 380m (1,250feet) in the north, which amounts to a land area of 27ha. There is a small campsite. The islet has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a large population of Micronesian megapodes.[11]
Ngerebelas Islet, close to the southern tip of Kayangel atoll, about 1200m (3,900feet) southwest of the southwestern tip of Ngeriungs Islet, has a size of 400m (1,300feet) east-west by 370m (1,210feet) north-south, with a land area of 12ha.
Orak Islet, at the southern tip of Kayangel atoll, about 290m (950feet) southwest of the southwestern end of Ngerebelas Islet, is 210m (690feet) long southwest–northeast, and 90m (300feet) wide. With an area of 1.5ha, it is the smallest of the four islets of Kayangel Atoll.
Ngaruangel (Ngaruangl) Reef, located at 8.1667°N 172°W, is an incipient atoll, 8.7km (05.4miles) northwest of Kayangel atoll, and separated from it by Ngaruangl Passage, a very deep (629to at 2km (01miles) from each atoll) and 8km (05miles) wide passage. The atoll is 5.4km (03.4miles) long north–south, and from 1.8km (01.1miles) wide in the north to 3.7km (02.3miles) in the south, and about 3km (02miles) on the average. The total area including the lagoon is 15km2. The lagoon is shallow, with an average depth of 6m (20feet), has about 115 pinnacle and patch reefs, and a boat passage through the northeastern part of the barrier reef. The lagoon floor is covered with thick sand deposits and thickets of staghorn Acropora. The reef is protected by Ngaruangel Reserve.
There is one small, barren and uninhabited islet, Ngaruangel Island, in the center of the eastern rim of the atoll, at its easternmost point. Ngaruangel Island is 200m (700feet) long north–south, and from 65m (213feet) wide in the south to 105m (344feet) in the north. There is a sand spit attached to the island, pointing southwest into the lagoon, 75m (246feet) long and 20m (70feet) wide. The total area of the island is 1.5ha.
The islet consists almost entirely of pieces of rough coral rock thrown up by surf. Most of the pieces are rough or sharp and are largely of the Acropora reticulata type, or of similar form. Sand and sandy gravel are limited to the lagoon side and the southern tip. The altitude is a little less than one meter above high tide.There is no vegetation on the islet. Animal life is represented by numerous marine crane flies. Terns are abundant.
Velasco Reef, located at 8.3414°N 134.6125°W is a sunken atoll north of Ngaruangl Reef, rising steeply from the surrounding seafloor, deep. It is not clearly separated from Ngaruangl Reef and appears as its large but submerged northern extension on satellite images. It extends more than 30km (20miles) to the north, and is up to 14km (09miles) wide, giving it an oval shape, covering an area of about 330km2. Much of the reef is uncharted. The central depression (lagoon) is 31mto55mm (102feetto180feetm) deep, while depths along the rim (outer edges) range from 11.9mto22mm (39feetto72feetm) (generally 15mto20mm (49feetto70feetm)), on which there are overfalls when the tidal currents are strong. Heavy wave exposure limits coral diversity and cover on Velasco Reef.
The Ministry of Education operates public schools.
JFK Kayangel Elementary School was built in 1965; initially students took classes in a bai. It relieved the schools in Babeldaob as Kayangel students previously attended those schools.[12] Ngaraard Elementary School in Ngaraard formerly served Kayangel.[13]
Palau High School in Koror is the country's only public high school, so children from this community go there.[14]