Micronesia, a name given the Pacific islands extending from the
Gilbert Islands, on the Equator, northwestward to the Marianas.
(Other divisions of the Pacific islands are Melanesia and
Polynesia; for map, The name is Greek for “region of small
islands.” The people, related to Polynesians, speak Malayo-
Polynesian languages. The Micronesian islands are scattered over
an area of 3,000,000 square miles (roughly 7.8 million km2) and
have a land area of about 1,000 square miles (2,600 km2). In
addition to the Gilberts and Marianas, the islands include the
Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Wake Island.
The Gilberts are part of Kiribati, an independent country. Nauru
is independent. Wake and Guam are United States possessions. The
Northern Mariana Islands are a United States commonwealth. The
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the
Republic of Palau are self-governing republics in free
association with the United States. Japan held most of the
islands as League of Nations manda