CAROLINE ISLANDS, a large archipel ago in the north Pacific Ocean, between lat. and 12° N., and long. 132° and 163° 6' E. and between the Philippines and the Marshall Isles. Area, about 560 square miles. It contains many groups, embracing in all about 525 islands and islets. Many of them are mere coral reefs, lit tle elevated above the ocean. The most west erly group is the Paloas, or Pelsw Islands, which contain seven large and many small ones, all of coral formation. The next group, •Yap or Gouap, lies northeast of the last. In its chief island, which is mountainous, precious metals have been found. The other 'principal groups are Lutke, Mortlock, Siniavin, Enderby and Hogoleu. The most easterly island is Ula lan. The most important vegetable productions are palms, bread-fruit trees and bananas. Copra is also an important product, while some of the islands also yield shells. The com merce is mostly in the hands of the German Jaluit Company, whid has stations on every Important island. The inhabitants, numbering about 55,000, though mainly Micronesians, in clude various races, and have made very differ ent degrees of progress in civilization. In the central groups they are of a handsome physical type, active and industrious, and have some commerce. On the east generally, and on the west, with the exception of the Pelew Islands, the inhabitants, though apparently of the same stock, are far less advanced. The islands were
discovered in 1527 by the Portuguese, who gave them the name of Sequeira. In 1686 they were annexed and renamed in honor of Charles II by the Spaniards, who soon changed the name to New Philippines. After several futile mis sionary attempts in the 18th century, Spain took little active interest in the group until August 1885, when the German flag was raised over Yap. A serious dispute followed this act, and the question being submitted to the Pope as arbitrator, he decided in favor of re serving special trade privileges to Germany. In 1887 disturbances broke out at Ponape, in which the governor, who had arrested one of the American Protestant missionaries, was killed by the natives; but the rising was soon suppressed. In February 1899 Germany pur chased from Spain for about $3,300,000 the Caroline and Pelew Islands, and all of the La drones, but Guam, which had been ceded to the United States in the treaty of peace that ended the Spanish-American War. Consult Chris tian, 'The Caroline Islands' (1899) ; Furness, 'Island of Stone Money' (1910); Salesius, Die Karolinen Insel Jap> (1904).