Asuncion Island
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2023) |
 US Geological survey photo of Asuncion island | |
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 19°41′33″N 145°24′13″E / 19.69250°N 145.40361°E |
| Archipelago | Northern Mariana Islands |
| Area | 7.86 km2 (3.03 sq mi)[1] |
| Length | 3.3 km (2.05 mi) |
| Width | 3 km (1.9 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 857 m (2812 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Asuncion |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| Commonwealth | Northern Mariana Islands |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 (2010) |
Asuncion (from Spanish meaning "assumption" in reference to the Spanish explorers belief in the "Assumption" of the Holy Virgin Mary) is an island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain in the Pacific Ocean. The island is uninhabited. Asuncion is situated 101 kilometers (63 mi) northwest of Agrihan and 37 km (23 mi) southeast of the Maug Islands.[2]
History
From a European perspective Asuncion was discovered in 1669 by the Spanish missionary
Asuncion was ceded by Spain to Germany through the
Following the sale of the Northern Marianas by Spain to the German Empire in 1899, Asuncion was administered as part of German New Guinea. In 1903, the island was leased to a Japanese company, who hunted birds for feathers for export to Japan, and from there to Paris. Six Japanese hunters died on the island in 1910 from illness.
During
In 1985, per the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the island was designated as a wilderness area for the protection and conservation of natural resources. Since 2009, the island has been part of Marianas Trench Marine National Monument of the United States.
Geography
Asuncion is a densely forested island, roughly elliptical in shape, with a length of 3.3 kilometers (2.1 mi) and a width of 3 km (1.9 mi) and an area of 7.9 km2 (3.1 sq mi). The entire island is a massive stratovolcano which rises from the ocean floor to a height of 857 m (2,812 ft) above sea level,[4] which last erupted in 1906.
The volcano is asymmetrical, with steep northeast slopes terminating in high cliffs. The southwestern slopes are shallower and meet the sea in low cliffs. Coastlines are generally rocky.
Vegetation
The island is remarkable for having the most well-developed native forest among the Mariana Islands north of Saipan, despite being a relatively young island, owing to its protection from wind on the lee side of the mountain. It features a unique forest type dominated by the endemic tree,
Important Bird Area
The island has been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of Micronesian megapodes, white-throated ground doves, Micronesian myzomelas and Micronesian starlings.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "15 ASUNCION" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. p. 53. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Mariana Islands - Asuncion". 2009-07-07. Archived from the original on 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
- ^ Coello, Francisco "Conflicto hispano-alemán" Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid, t.XIX. 2º semestre 1885, Madrid, p.233,301.
- ^ "Asuncion". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
- ^ Falanruw, Marjorie V. C.; Falanruw, Marjorie V. C. (1989). Vegetation of Asuncion : a volcanic Northern Mariana Island. Vol. PSW-28. Berkeley, Calif: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station.
- ^ "Asuncion Island". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
External links
- "oceandots.com". Archived from the original on 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - UN earthwatch info on island Archived 2022-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Pascal Horst Lehne and Christoph Gäbler: Über die Marianen. Lehne-Verlag, Wohldorf in Germany 1972.
- "Asuncion". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
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