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PELEW ISLANDS (Ger. Palauinseln, also...

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Originally appearing in Volume V21, Page 66 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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PELEW ISLANDS (Ger. Palauinseln, also Palao) , a See also:

group of twenty-six islands in the western Pacific Ocean, between 2° 35' and 9° N., and 1300 4' and 1340 40' E., belonging to See also:Germany. They See also:lie within a See also:coral barrier See also:reef, and in the See also:south the islands are of coral, but in the See also:north of volcanic rocks. They are well wooded, the See also:climate is healthy, and the See also:water-See also:supply See also:good. A few rats and bats represent the indigenous mammals, but the See also:sea is See also:rich in See also:fish and molluscs; and Dr See also:Otto Finsch (Journ. See also:des Museum Godeffroy, 1875) enumerated 56 See also:species of birds, of which 12 are See also:peculiar to the group. The See also:total See also:area is 175 sq. M., the largest islands being Babeltop (Babelthuap, Baobeltaob and other variants), Uruktapi (Urukthopel), Korror, Nyaur, Peleliu and Eilmalk (Irakong). The See also:population is about 3100. The natives are Micronesians, and are darker and shorter than their kinsmen, the See also:Caroline Islanders. They usually have the frizzly See also:hair of the Melanesians, and paint their bodies in brilliant See also:colours, especially yellow. The men vary in height from 5 ft. to 5 ft. 5 in., the See also:women from 4 ft.

9 W. 5 ft. 2 in. The See also:

skull shows a strong tendency to brachycephalism. Two curious customs may be noted—the institution of an See also:honourable See also:order bestowed by the See also:king, called klilt; and a species of mutual aid society, sometimes confined to women, and possessing considerable See also:political See also:influence. There are five kinds of currency in the islands, consisting of beads of See also:glass and See also:enamel, to which a supernatural origin is ascribed. The islands were sighted in 1543 by Ruy See also:Lopez de Villalobos, who named them the Arrecifos. The origin of the name Islas Palaos is doubtful. The islands were bought by Germany from See also:Spain in 1899, and are administered together with the western Carolines, Yap being the administrative centre. See K. See also:Semper, See also:Die Palau-Inseln (See also:Leipzig, 1873) ; J. S.

Kubary, Die sozialen Einrichtungen der Palauer (See also:

Berlin, 1885) ; A. A. See also:Marche, Lu¢on et Palouan (See also:Paris, 1887).

End of Article: PELEW ISLANDS (Ger. Palauinseln, also Palao)

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