Introduction - Pacific Islands

Anyway, a lot happened during WWII, but after the Japanese surrendered, the entire area came under allied military control. The American, the British, the Australian, and the New Zealander "administer" law in most of these pacific island as trusteess for a then "League of Nations".   The geographic area of the US controlled "Mandates" was roughly the size of the USA.  

Much has changed in 60 years.  The land size, population and status of all the these islands is as follows:

• Guam, one of five U.S. territories with established civilian government.  Currently legal status results from the Guam Organic Act of 1950 which which established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, provided for the structure of the island's civilian government, and granted the people United States citizenship  The island's capital is Hagåtña.  Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands.  Located 1,500 south of Tokyo; 3,300 miles from Sidney; 2,000 east and south of Hong Kong; 3,000 east of Singapore;  4,000 mile east of Hawaii.  209 sq mi of land, 173k people (2007)

• Federated States of Micronesia is a 4 states federation with a Compact of Free Association with the USA.  271 sq mi of land, 108k people (2007)

• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the United States.  Capital is Saipan.179 sq mi of land; 85k people (2007)

• Republic of the Marshall Islands 70 square miles, 62k people (2005)

• Republic of Palau   is an independent county that concluded a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. in 1994.   177 sq mi of land.  21k people  (2007)

Trust Territories of the Pacific