How Many Islands Make Up The Caroline Islands?

The Caroline Islands are a group of islands situated in the Pacific Ocean to the east of the Philippines at a distance of 1000 miles and to the north east of New Guinea; the islands are formed from coral and number about 500 in all. The majority of the Caroline Islands come under the territories of the Federated States of Micronesia while the westernmost group of islands is administered by Palau.

The islands are inhabited by Polynesians most of whom live in the traditional manner hunting and fishing and growing vegetables like taro for subsistence; the dwelling places are huts made from branches and leaves.

The native inhabitants speak languages of the Micronesian group like Yapese, Chuukese and Palauan while the language of commerce is primarily English; Christianity is the chief religion in these parts. The island of Yap is well known for its currency which is in the form of stone wheels as large as 12 ft (about 4 m) in diameter.

The islands were first sighted by Europeans in the early 16th century by Spanish and Portuguese explorers and were named as Carolinas in 1686 after Charles II the King of Spain; the islands were successively occupied by Germany, Japan and the United States in the 20th century before becoming independent in the period from 1986 to 1994.

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