Micronesia's Official Travel and Tour ...

This is Micronesia's Official Travel Destination Website, for Guam, Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Palau, Federates States of Micronesia (FSM),

2024/11/05

Community Tourism Project

The official website of the Ministry of Tourism, International Transport and Maritime Initiatives.

2024/11/05

Welcome to Panama | Places to Visit & Things to Do

Start planning your Panama vacation and discover rainforests, national parks, pristine beaches, and expansive city views.

2024/11/05

Constitution Day of the Kingdom of Tonga

Tonga, officially Kingdom of Tonga, Tongan Fakatuʿi ʿo Tonga, also called Friendly Islands, country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of some 170 islands divided into three main island groups: Tongatapu in the south, Haʿapai in the centre, and Vavaʿu in the north. Isolated islands include Niuafoʿou, Niuatoputapu, and Tafahi (together known as the Niuatoputapu, or Niuas, island group) in the far north and ʿAta in the far south. Tonga’s total land area is dispersed between latitudes 15° and 23° S and longitudes 173° and 177° W. The capital, Nukuʿalofa, is on the island of Tongatapu. Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth and of the United Nations. Land - Relief The summit of volcanic undersea mountains forms the two roughly parallel chains of the Tongan islands. Most of the islands of the western chain are classified as high islands, because they have been raised well above sea level by repeated volcanic activity. Four of them are still active volcanoes. Some of the islands composed of lava formed by shield volcanoes, such as Late and Kao, have a hard cone-shaped surface that is not easily eroded. Others, such as Fonuafoʿou (Falcon Island), were formed by more explosive volcanoes, and their surfaces, composed of ash and pumice, erode readily. Fonuafoʿou has arisen and disappeared repeatedly, owing to its cycles of eruption and erosion. The low islands of the eastern chain have been capped by coral polyps and foraminifera (marine organisms that have calcareous shells), which build coral rock and limestone reefs. The continuing growth of coral counteracts the sea’s erosion of the reefs and the islands enclosed by them. A protective reef surrounds Tongatapu Island; many islands in the Vavaʿu Group lack such protection and are shrinking. Tongatapu Island, a raised atoll in the Tongatapu Group, with an area of 100.6 square miles (260.5 square km), is the largest and most densely populated island in Tonga. The highest point in Tonga, 3,389 feet (1,033 metres), is on Kao Island in the Haʿapai Group. ʿEua Island (Tongatapu Group) has an old volcanic ridge rising to 1,078 feet (329 metres) above sea level. The Vavaʿu Group has hills ranging from 500 to 1,000 feet (150 to 300 metres), and Late Island, in its western volcanic chain, rises to 1,700 feet (518 metres). Vavaʿu Island has a fine, large landlocked harbour. The effects of natural erosion are particularly vivid in Vavaʿu. Rainwater reacting with the carbon dioxide in vegetation acquires acidic properties and dissolves coral and limestone rock, thereby forming caves. The constant action of the waves has created the sheer cliffs and sandspits of Vavaʿu and Nukuʿalofa. There are no rivers in Tonga, although ʿEua and Niuatoputapu have creeks. Climate Tonga has a semitropical climate except in the northernmost islands, where truly tropical conditions prevail. Temperatures range between 60 and 70 °F (16 and 21 °C) in June and July and reach 80 °F (27 °C) in December and January. The mean annual humidity is 77 percent. The mean annual precipitation varies from 64 inches (1,620 mm) in the Haʿapai Group to 97 inches (2,450 mm) on Niuafoʿou. Humidity increases as the distance from the Equator lessens. The northern islands, which are closest to the Equator, are particularly vulnerable to typhoons, which generally occur between December and April. Plant and animal life The well-drained, fertile soils of ʿEua, Kao, Tofua, and Late islands and the slopes and hilltops of Vavaʿu support original forests. ʿEua has the greatest number and variety of trees, and the ridge on the eastern side is a forest reserve. The fast-growing toi and the tavahi constitute a majority of the tree cover on ʿEua. The sandy, rocky, dry soils of the coasts and the direct exposure there to strong winds and salty spray create unfavourable conditions for coastal vegetation. To conserve moisture, plants near the shore have small waxy or hairy leaves. Tidal sand and mudflats have swampy areas that support mangroves. Behind the mudflats, trees with buttress roots, such as the lekileki, sometimes grow. Tonga’s land birds include doves, rails, starlings, kingfishers, and many others. The red-breasted musk parrot and the blue-crowned lory, considered by some to be the most beautiful birds in the Pacific, inhabit ʿEua. Island cliffs serve as homes for red-tailed and white-tailed tropic birds. Among the native birds of Niuafoʿou Island is the incubator bird. The common reef heron is a native shorebird. Transient species include golden plovers, wandering tattlers, long-billed curlews, and bar-tailed godwits. Tongan waters attract several varieties of seabirds such as noddies, terns, frigate birds, and mutton birds. The village of Kolovai on Tongatapu Island is home to a colony of flying foxes (Pteropus tonganus, a type of Old World fruit bat). The bats cling to large trees by day and fly at night to forage for food. People Nearly the entire population is of Polynesian ancestry. Tongans are closely related to Samoans and other Polynesians in culture and language as well as in genetic heritage. There is also a small amount of Melanesian influence through contact with Fiji. Intermarriage with Europeans has become more common, especially as a result of the increasing out-migration of Tongans since the 1970s. Religion is an important aspect of Tongan society, and most Tongan families are members of a Christian church. About one-third of Tongans belong to the Free Wesleyan (Methodist) Church; nearly one-fifth are Mormons; and there are smaller but significant proportions of Roman Catholics and members of the Free Church of Tonga. The remainder belong to smaller, mostly Protestant, denominations. The Tongan language is taught in primary schools and is the official language, in addition to English, which is studied as a second language. Most of the Tongan population lives in the three major island groups, and nearly three-fourths live on Tongatapu Island. The urban population has been steadily growing and now accounts for about one-third of the total population. Many Tongans migrate overseas, in particular to the United States and New Zealand. The majority of the population lives in villages. Traditional structures are called fale; they are rectangular in shape and have thatched or corrugated tin roofs and sides made of woven coconut leaves, reeds, or timber. Some Tongans reside in South Seas colonial-style wooden homes with gingerbread trim and exterior walls in pastel shades. Nukuʿalofa has all the amenities of a capital city. It is also a major port of entry and has several wharves and piers. Much of Nukuʿalofa’s economic activity revolves around coconuts and coconut products. Other ports and commercial centres are Neiafu in the Vavaʿu Group and Pangai in the Haʿapai Group. More … Score: https://www.britannica.com/place/Tonga

2024/11/04

Tonga - From Above - DJI Phantom 4

Tonga from a drone perspective.

2024/11/03

Independence Day Federated States of Micronesia

Micronesia, country in the western Pacific Ocean. It is composed of more than 600 islands and islets in the Caroline Islands archipelago and is divided roughly along cultural and linguistic lines into the states of—from west to east—Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae. The capital is Palikir, on the island of Pohnpei. To the west of the Federated States of Micronesia lies the Republic of Palau, also in the Caroline archipelago, and to the east is the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Those two countries, together with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, were administered by the United States as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947 to 1986. Land The islands are of two general types: high volcanic islands that support a large variety of plant forms and low-lying coral atolls with poorer soil. Yap Island is distinctive in that it was formed by folds in the Earth’s crust and is continental in geologic composition. Each of the four states has as its population centre an elevated landmass of fairly large extent—ranging from Pohnpei Island, with an area of 129 square miles (334.1 square km), to Yap Island (38.7 square miles [100.2 square km]). The volcanic islands of Chuuk are an anomaly in the Pacific because they are encircled by a reef but have not yet subsided beneath sea level to become a classic atoll. Yap Island and six islands in the Chuuk group rise to more than 500 feet (150 metres), and Kosrae and Pohnpei islands have peaks of 2,064 feet (629 metres) and 2,595 feet (791 metres), respectively. The coral atolls consist of groups of small islands, formed atop a coral reef enclosing a lagoon. The climate is tropical, with high humidity and a mean annual temperature in the low 80s F (about 27 °C). There is little seasonal variation in temperature. Rainfall averages about 120 inches (3,000 mm) per year throughout the area, although Pohnpei receives more than 200 inches (5,000 mm) yearly. There are distinct rainy and dry seasons, the latter occurring during the height of the northeasterly trade-wind season between December and April. Yap, which alone is situated in the monsoon area, has westerly winds for part of the year. Numerous typhoons (tropical cyclones) originate in the east each year, usually spinning off to the northwest toward Yap and the Mariana Islands and seldom striking any of the other islands. On the high islands, mangrove swamps grow along the shore, and grassland or scrub ascends to tropical rainforests in the interior mountain areas. Settlements are almost without exception located near the coast. Volcanic islands, with their richer soil, support many different species of plant life. On coral atolls the predominant forms of vegetation are the coconut palm along with pandanus and breadfruit trees. Atoll dwellers typically locate their houses on the lagoon side of the island. People The people of the Federated States, while generally classified as Micronesian, are very diverse culturally and linguistically. The people of Yap Island speak Yapese, a language only distantly related to the other languages of the area (which are known as Nuclear Micronesian languages). Inhabitants of the coral atolls in Yap state are similar in language and culture to the people of Chuuk, although the Chuukese and Yapese languages are not mutually intelligible. Both Chuuk and Pohnpei contain several dialects, and the inhabitants of Kapingamarangi and Nukuoro, two atolls in the southwestern portion of Pohnpei state, are Polynesians and speak languages unrelated to Pohnpeian. Only Kosrae has complete ethnic and linguistic unity. Altogether, eight local languages are recognized as distinct, and dialectal differences in the outlying atolls add further variety. About half the total population lives in Chuuk state. Pohnpei has about one-third of the population, and Yap and Kosrae have about one-tenth each. In the late 20th century there began a trend toward migration to the towns for employment and education; more than one-fifth of the population was considered urban by the 2010s. The population growth rate is one of the highest in the region. Nearly three-fifths of the population is under the age of 30. Almost the entire population is Christian; more than half the people are Roman Catholic, and another two-fifths are Protestant. The country has no official language, but English is spoken widely in government and commerce. Economy Subsistence farming and fishing are the principal economic activities. The main staples are breadfruit, taros, coconuts, and bananas, but yams, cassava, and sweet potatoes also are grown on some of the high islands. Poultry, pigs, and dogs are sometimes also raised for food. The main source of revenue is U.S. government grant aid, which continues under the Compact of Free Association signed in 1982. External grants account for almost two-thirds of revenue. The terms of the original compact, which expired in 2001, were renewed with slight amendment in 2003. Because of the nature of the aid arrangement, servicing the debt consumed only a small portion of government outlays in the late 1990s. The major source of income is the service sector, including government employment. The government also derives income from the sale of fishing rights. Tourism is slowly expanding; as with the economy in general, the growth of tourism is restrained by the islands’ remote location and an underdeveloped infrastructure. Local commercial fishing is developed only on a small scale, and large-scale agriculture has repeatedly proved a failure. The only mineral resources to speak of are unexploited offshore deposits of high-grade phosphate. Much of the Federated States’ food, including rice, fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, and almost all manufactured goods and fuel oil must be imported. Indeed, over the course of the late 20th century, the islanders’ traditional diet was largely displaced by imported processed foods. Imports, whose sources include the United States, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand, also include machinery and transport equipment. Marine products are the primary export; other significant exports are garments, betel nuts, and copra. The major export destinations are Thailand, Taiwan, and Guam. Interisland and international transportation are by air or ocean freighter. The major commercial ports are at Dekehtik (Takatik Island), near Pohnpei; Kosrae; Colonia on Yap; and Weno (Moen). International airports are located on the main islands of each state, and there are airstrips on several outlying islands in Chuuk. Small ships operated by the government service the outlying atolls in each state. Some of the atolls are also linked by weekly flights on smaller airplanes. All villages on the major islands are connected by a road system, and the primary roads in the commercial centres are paved. Government and society Under the 1979 constitution, the government of the Federated States of Micronesia consists of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The president and vice president are elected by the legislature, the unicameral National Congress. The legislature comprises one at-large senator from each state, who serves four-year terms, and a variable number of single-district senators (determined on the basis of population), who serve two-year terms. Most major governmental functions other than those relating to defense and foreign affairs are carried out at the state rather than the national level. Each of the four state governments has a popularly elected governor and a unicameral legislature. There are no political parties. The judicial system consists of the Supreme Court of the Federated States of Micronesia, state courts in each of the four states, and municipal courts in each political subdivision of each state. Recognized customary law is in force wherever it does not conflict with constitutional law. Under the Compact of Free Association, the United States provides for the defense of the islands; under other terms of the agreement, Micronesian citizens are free to live, work, or study in the United States without restriction. There are elementary schools on every island, and each state has at least one public high school. Primary education is compulsory between ages 6 and 14. The College of Micronesia-FSM was founded in 1963 for teacher training and later became a community college offering a range of coursework and vocational training. It has a national campus on Pohnpei and branch campuses in each of the other states and is the only institution for higher education in the Federated States of Micronesia. Several universities in the United States and the Pacific region offer extension programs for training in various disciplines. Widespread vaccination has helped to reduce the impact of many infectious diseases. Tuberculosis and leprosy occur at moderate rates in the islands, and outbreaks of cholera periodically sweep through the population centres, but in the late 20th century obesity and chronic noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease emerged as the major health concerns for adults. While a hospital is maintained in each of the state capitals and dispensaries have been built on all major islands, the overall state of health care is relatively poor. Local healers continue to practice massage and other traditional medical skills. More … Score: https://www.britannica.com/place/Micronesia-republic-Pacific-Ocean  

2024/11/03

Visit Antigua & Barbuda – The beach is just the beginning

Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), the Official source for destination information for a perfect travel experience! Official hashtag ..

2024/11/03

Web portal for Algerian exports promotion

ALGIERS- A virtual gallery destined for the promotion of Algerian exports abroad will be shortly launched by the National Agency for Foreign ...

2024/11/03

We Are Micronesia

A slide show of some beautiful images of the Federated States of Micronesia in the Pacific.

2024/11/02