Melekeok is a state of the Republic of Palau

Palau

Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...

 located on the central east coast of Babeldaob Island. The new capital of the Republic of Palau, Ngerulmud

Ngerulmud

Ngerulmud, a settlement in the State of Melekeok, is where the offices of the government of Palau are. The official capital is Melekeok. On 7 October 2006, government officials moved their offices in the former capital of Koror to Ngerulmud....

, is also located in this state. The state consists of long beaches, hill, steep ridges, rivers and the largest and only natural freshwater lake in the Republic of Palau and Micronesia, Lake Ngardok

Lake Ngardok

Lake Ngardok is a lake on the Palauan island of Babeldaob, in the State of Melekeok. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in all of the islands of Micronesia. The lake and the marshes surrounding it are a refuge for the endangered saltwater crocodile , and it is an important breeding location...

.

Geography

Melekeok is located on the eastern coast of the largest island in the Palau Archipelago, Babeldaob

Babeldaob

Babeldaob is the largest island in the island nation of Palau. Its area, 331 km² , makes up over 70% of the area of the entire country, and about 30% of the population, with about 6,000 people living there...

or Babelthuap in some cases. Melekeok State extends from a lagoon, on the east coast, to the Central Divide or Rael Kedam

Rael Kedam

Rael Kedam is the great central dividing ridge on the island of Babeldaob, in Palau. Most states on the island are bordered with this steep and high range....

 to the west, and is approximately 11 square miles (28.5 km²) in total area. The state is bordered by Ngiwal

Ngiwal

Ngiwal is one of the sixteen states of Palau. It has a population of 223 and an area of 26 km². The administrative center is Ngerkeai....

 State to the north, Ngchesar

Ngchesar

Ngchesar is one of the sixteen states of the small pacific island nation of Palau. There are about 300 inhabitants, and its capital is Ngersuul...

 State to the south, and Ngaremlengui

Ngaremlengui

Ngeremlengui is one of Palau's sixteen states. It has a population of about 317 people and is just west of Melekeok state, where Palau's capital village is . The capital of the state of Ngeremlengui is Imeong. Ngeremlengui is on the western side of Babeldaob, which is the largest Island in Palau...

 State to the west. The state's coasts consist of long beaches and mangrove forests; the interior consists of swampy marshes, steep, rolling hills covered with sparse vegetation in the interior, and thick forests along the eastern flanks of the Rael Kedam Divide.
Melekeok's Lake Ngardok

Lake Ngardok

Lake Ngardok is a lake on the Palauan island of Babeldaob, in the State of Melekeok. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in all of the islands of Micronesia. The lake and the marshes surrounding it are a refuge for the endangered saltwater crocodile , and it is an important breeding location...

 is the largest natural body of fresh water in all of Micronesia at 4.93 km²; it has a small population of saltwater crocodile

Saltwater Crocodile

The saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...

s Crocodylus porosus.

State Organizations

The State of Melekeok consists of eight inhabited villages: Ngeburch, Ngeruling, Ngermelech, Melekeok, Ngerubesang, Ngeremecheluch, Ertong, Ngerulmud

Ngerulmud

Ngerulmud, a settlement in the State of Melekeok, is where the offices of the government of Palau are. The official capital is Melekeok. On 7 October 2006, government officials moved their offices in the former capital of Koror to Ngerulmud....

. The state capitol is located in the settlement of Ngerulmud. The Republic of Palau's Capitol Complex is located on a hill, northwest of the village of Melekeok.

Demographics

According to the 2005 census, 391 people resided in the State of Melekeok. They are distributed among seven villages, including Melekeok, the capital

Capital City

Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....

:

1. Melekeok (271)
2. Ertong (20)
3. Ngeburch (34)
4. Ngeremecheluch (38)
5. Ngermelech (5)
6. Ngerubesang (12)
7. Ngeruling (21)

Registered Attractions

Odalmelech (Ngermelech Gods carved from Stone), Ngermelech Village;
Meteu el Klechem, Melekeok Village;
Did el Bad er a Beriber (Ancient Dock's stone bridge), Melekeok Village;
Ngermecheluch Site, Ngerang;
Bai el Melekeong/Euang el Chades( Melekeok's Bai and its platform of four), Melekeok Village;
Lomech er Ngii el mora Ngeremecheluch (ancient stone path), Melekeok Village;

External links

• Seacology Melekeok State Project Seacology
  Seacology
  Seacology is a nonprofit 501 charitable organization headquartered in Berkeley, California that focuses on preserving island ecosystems and cultures around the globe. Founded in 1991, it began with the work of ethnobotanist Paul Alan Cox, who researched tropical plants and their medicinal value in...
  
  
• Melekeok State