

Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's states. Geographically, Chuuk is also part of the larger Caroline Islands group. Chuuk means mountain in the Chuukese language and was known mainly as Truk (a mispronunciation of Ruk), until 1990.


The main population center of Chuuk State is the Chuuk Lagoon, a large archipelago with mountainous islands surrounded by a string of islets on a barrier reef. The two major geographical and dialectic divisions of the Chuuk Lagoon are Faichuuk, the western islands, and Namoneas, the eastern islands. Chuuk State also includes several more sparsely populated "outer island" groups, including the Mortlock Islands to the southeast, the Hall Islands (Pafeng) to the north, Namonuito Atoll to the northwest, and the Pattiw Region to west. The Pattiw Region is of particular interest in that they are some of the most traditional islands in the Pacific and culturally related to outer islands of Yap. This group, includes the islands of Pollap, Tamatam, Poluwat, and Houk. Today you can still find master navigators— Poluwat and Pollap are considered to have some of the best navigators and ocean-going outrigger canoes in the Pacific. The islands of Pattiw Region and some of the Islands of Yap, you will still today find last two remaining schools of navigation, Weriyeng and Faaluush. Visiting the Pattiw Region in the west, however, is hard due to lack of reliable transportation. Houk has probably the most accessible airstrip in the Pattiw Region, with planes landing every one or two weeks.


It is not known when the islands of Chuuk were first settled, but, based on archaeological and scriptural evidence, these islands had originally been settled more than 2000 years ago. It is not known with certainty where the original inhabitants came from. Based on archaeological evidence, it seems that, after about 200 CE, there was no continuous settlement until about 1300 CE. With further archaeological work, it is possible this gap could be filled in. However, because Chuuk is not high on the archaeological agenda (See List of archaeological sites sorted by country), it is improbable that such a developed study will begin soon. It is probable that people came from Pohnpei and Kosrae to the east, based on many legend and language similarities.

As part of the colonial territory of the Caroline Islands, Truk was part of the Spanish, then German and the Japanese empires.

During World War II, Truk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan's main base in the South Pacific theatre. A significant portion of the Japanese fleet was based there, with its administrative center on Tonoas (south of Weno). Truk was the base for Japanese operations against Allied forces in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Operation Hailstone, executed by the United States in 1944, culminated in one of the most important naval battles of the war at Truk. Twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed, although the larger warships had received advance warning and were already at sea.


On July 2, 2002, heavy rains from Tropical Storm Chataan caused more than thirty landslides that killed forty-seven people and injured dozens others, in the state's deadliest weather disaster. The landslides occurred throughout the day, some within just minutes of each other.

Economy and infrastructure

Most of the roads and transportation systems are poor or in disrepair. Taxis cost between $1 to $2 depending on distance to destination. There is a small international airport on the administrative island of Weno. The airport (IATA airport code TKK) is served by Continental Micronesia, a division of Continental Airlines, locally known as AirMic. The government of the state operates a radio station. Interisland communication is often accomplished using citizens' band radio. Telephone services are limited on Chuuk, though a cellular network is established within some islands of the lagoon and in the near future on the outer islands.

Tourism, especially scuba diving among the many wrecks of Truk Lagoon, is the island's main industry. Copra, dried coconut meat, is the only cash crop but output is relatively insignificant. Most of the inhabited outlying islands engage in subsistence activity only.


Jesuit mission at Weno

The New York Province of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, maintains a mission school on the island of Weno in Chuuk. Xavier High School is housed at the former Japanese communications center. It is a coeducational institution, drawing students from the all island groups of the Federated States of Micronesia, as well as the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Teachers are both Jesuit and lay and come from Micronesia, the U.S., Indonesia, Japan, and Australia. All lay teachers are volunteers.



Of the 40 municipalities of the state, 16 fall within Truk Lagoon and 24 in the Outer Islands.

Northern Nomoneas (Shiki) Islands, Truk Lagoon:

  1. Moen
  2. Fono
  3. Pis-Paneu

Southern Nomoneas (Shiki) Islands, Truk Lagoon:

  1. Fefan
  2. Tonowas
  3. Uman (including uninhabited Kuop (Neoch) Atoll?)
  4. Parama
  5. Tsis

Faichuk (Shichiyo) Islands, Truk Lagoon:

  1. Tol
  2. Wonei (Onei)
  3. Polle
  4. Paata (Pata)


  1. Udot
  2. Fanapanges
  3. Romanum
  4. Eot

Hall Islands (north):

  1. Nomwin (including uninhabited Fayu Island)
  2. Fananu (eastern islets of Nomwin Atoll)
  3. Murilo
  4. Ruo (southeast islet of Murilo Atoll)

Namonuito Atoll (Magur Islands) (northwest):

  1. Pisaras
  2. Magur
  3. Ono
  4. Onari
  5. Ulul

Pattiw (western islands):

  1. Pulap (north islet of Pulap Atoll)
  2. Tamatam (south islet of Pulap Atoll, with Fanadik islet in the center)
  3. Pulusuk
  4. Poluwat (Puluwat)

Eastern Islands (Upper Mortlock Islands):

  1. Nama
  2. Losap
  3. Pis-Losap (islet of Losap Atoll)
  4. Namoluk

Mortlock Islands:

  1. Ettal
  2. Lukunor
  3. Oneop (west islet of Lukunor Atoll)
  4. Satawan
  5. Kutu (west islet of Satawan Atoll)
  6. Moch (north islet of Satawan Atoll)
  7. Ta (southeast islet of Satawan Atoll)


External links

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