Mariana Islands

The Mariana Islands are a beautiful chain of islands in the western Pacific Ocean. They form a crescent shape made of fifteen volcanic mountain peaks. These islands sit in a region called Micronesia. They are located south-southeast of Japan and west-southwest of Hawaii. The islands mark the eastern edge of the Philippine Sea. Today, the islands belong to the United States. They are split into two parts. The southern island of Guam is a U.S. territory. The northern islands are called the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The islands were made by powerful movements deep under the ocean. This area is part of the Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc system. A huge piece of the Earth called the Pacific Plate moves westward. It plunges downward underneath the Mariana plate. This area is the most active volcanic boundary on Earth. As the plate sinks, it carries water deep into the ground. This water gets very hot from the deep Earth. The heat creates steam and volcanic activity that builds the islands. Just east of the islands is the Mariana Trench. This is the deepest part of the ocean floor.

Long ago, the Chamorro people became the first inhabitants. Scientists believe they arrived from the Philippines around 1500 to 1400 BCE. They made a very long journey across the open ocean. This may have been the longest uninterrupted voyage in human history. The people lived through a time called the Latte period. During this time, they built amazing structures. They used large stone pillars called latte stones to hold up wooden houses. These pillars had a special capstone called a tasa. This stone helped keep small animals like rodents away from the homes.

European explorers first arrived in the early 16th century. Ferdinand Magellan led a Spanish expedition that reached the islands in 1521. The islands were named after Queen Mariana of Austria. Magellan's crew found fresh fruit on the islands. This fruit helped save the sailors from a sickness called scurvy. Later, Spain took control of the islands and made Guam their capital. The Spanish even called the islands the Islands of the Thieves. This happened after a disagreement over items taken from the Spanish ships.

Life on the islands is shaped by the warm, damp climate. Trade winds blow across the islands to keep the heat mild. Most of the islands are covered in thick, green forests. You can find many types of grasses and plants there. The soil is moist, which helps many living things grow. The islands are home to many different species of plants and animals. Some of these living things are found only in these islands. The islands connect the history of the Philippines to the rest of the Pacific.