Kiribati consists of about 32 atolls and one solitary island (Banaba), extending into the eastern and western hemispheres, as well as the northern and southern hemispheres. It is the only country that is situated within all four hemispheres.
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Together, the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are made up of around 607 islands (a combined land area of approximately 702 sq km or 271 sq mi) that cover a longitudinal distance of almost 2,700 km (1,678 mi) just north of the equator. They lie northeast of New Guinea, south of Guam and the Marianas, west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, east of Palau and the Philippines, about 2,900 km (1,802 mi) north of eastern Australia and some 4,000 km (2,485 mi) southwest of the main islands of Hawai’i.
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The CNMI is composed of 22 islands and islets in the western Pacific. The commonwealth is a part of the Mariana Islands, a chain of volcanic mountain peaks and uplifted coral reefs. The Marianas chain also includes the politically separate United States unincorporated territory of Guam, to the south. Saipan (46.5 sq mi or 120 sq km), Tinian (39 sq mi or 101 sq km), and Rota (33 sq mi or 85 sq km) are the principal islands and, together with Anatahan, Alamagan, and Agrihan, are inhabited. Another island, Pagan, was evacuated in 1981 after a severe volcanic eruption, though people still live there on and off. The capital of CNMI is in Saipan.
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The Republic of Vanuatu is a south Pacific island nation comprised of some 80 islands that span over 1,300 kilometers (808 mi). About 65 of these islands are inhabited. The islands have a tropical climate with occasional cyclones or typhoons from January to April. There are also active volcanoes, including several underwater volcanoes.
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Tonga is an island nation located south of Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. It is the South Pacific’s last Polynesian kingdom, with a constitutional, hereditary monarchy and a popularly elected parliament. Tonga has the unique distinction of being the only Pacific nation that never completely lost its indigenous governance.
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The Solomon Islands are located east of Papua New Guinea and about three hours by plane north of Australia. Comprised of over 1000 islands, they cover a total land area of almost 28,000 sq km (11,000 sq mi), slightly smaller than the state of Maryland. Honiara, the capital, is located in the island of Guadalcanal. Other islands include Malaita, Choiseul, Sikaiana, the Shortland Islands, the Santa Cruz Islands, and Tikopia. Bougainville is geographically part of the Solomon Islands but politically is part of Papua New Guinea.
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In the heart of Melanesia is the nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG), which occupies the eastern half of the land mass New Guinea. PNG is located just 160 km (99 mi) north of Australia, and includes numerous outlying islands such as the islands of Manus, New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville. The western half of New Guinea is Irian Jaya, a province of Indonesia.
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The Republic of Fiji is a Melanesian island nation located about 1,770 km (1,100 miles) northeast of New Zealand. Its closest neighbor countries are Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tonga, the Samoas, Tuvalu, and Wallis and Futuna. Comprised of about 333 islands and 500 islets, only about 110 of the islands are inhabited. The total land area of Fiji is about 18,000 sq km (7,100 sq mi), with two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where most of the population resides. The capital, Suva, is located in Viti Levu. There are fourteen provinces and one dependency (Rotuma).
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Australia, often touted as the world’s largest island but smallest continent, is home to aboriginal and indigenous oceanic peoples. With a total area of 7.69 million sq km, Australia is divided into six states and two territories. It is the sixth largest nation in the world and the only continent that is governed as a single country. The population is roughly 23 million people.
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In 2007, Guam commemorated the 90th anniversary of the scuttling of the SMS Cormoran II. The festivities included wreath-laying ceremonies at Apra Harbor and the US Naval Cemetery in Hagåtña, and a series of lectures and an exhibit. Surviving descendants of the original crew and other German representatives were invited to participate. Hosted by the Guam Visitors Bureau and the Department of Parks and Recreation, the week-long celebration was just one way to remember and celebrate the Cormoran and its crew.
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