Poluwat

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Poluwat, also Polowat, formerly Puluwat, is a coral atoll and a municipality of Chuuk state, Federated States of Micronesia. Poluwat is located in the northwestern region (Oksoritod), and there in the western area (Pattiw) of Chuuk state. The location is 07°21′26″N 149°12′01″E / 7.35722°N 149.20028°E / 7.35722; 149.20028. The atoll has five islets lying on the rim of the reef, with an aggregate land area of 3.4 km², listed counterclockwise starting at Poluwat in the southeast:

1. Poluwat (east)
2. Bangelab (north rim)
3. To (north rim)
4. Alet (west)
5. Sau (south)

Since Poluwat Atoll has only a small lagoon, in comparison with most Micronesian atolls, the total size is only 7 km². Alet in the west and Poluwat in the east, the two largest islands of the atoll, have breadfruit trees at the middle and coconut palms along the shores. Along the northern rim of the reef, between Poluwat and Alet, are Bangelab Islet and To Islet. The southern corner of the atoll is marked by Sau Islet, with 0.02 km² the smallest. These smaller islets are wooded, but have few coconut palms.

Japanese defense bunkers from the years leading up to World War II and a white concrete lighthouse tower, 40 meters high, stand on the northwest end of Alet. There are also many Japanese relics from WWII on Alet, including a beached ship that was attacked by American aircraft. At the bottom of the larger lagoon lies an American plane, also from WWII.

There is a radio station on Poluwat ([1]).

Poluwat Atoll and specificially Alet Island are the westernmost land features of Chuuk state.

There are three villages on the west side of Poluwat Island, facing the lagoon, with a total population of 1.015 (census of 2000), from north to south (http://www.exxun.com/aaf_us_geo_names/federated_micronesia_fm/we_10.html):

1. Relong
2. Lugav
3. Rewo

Uranie Bank, which extends about 26 km southeast from Puluwat, has depths of 11 to 61 meters. Together with Poluwat Atoll, it might be considered part of a larger, mostly submerged atoll structure, with a total size of 332 km² [2].

Enderby Bank, with a depth of 16 meters, coral, lies about 5 km WNW of Alet Island ([3]).

[edit] External links

• NASA Satellite Image