Aimeliik is an administrative division of the
island country
An island country, island state or an island nation is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. Approximately 25% of all independent countries are island countries. Island countries are historically ...
of
Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...
. It is one of the Republic of Palau's 16 states. It has an area of 52 km² and a population of 334 (census 2015). State capital is the village of
Mongami Mongami is a place in the southwest of Babeldaob, the main island of the Micronesian republic of Palau. The village is the capital of the state of Aimeliik
Aimeliik is an administrative division of the island country of Palau. It is one of the Re ...
. Following the four other villages which are: Medorm, Imul, Elechui and Ngmechiangel.
The island is the location to Palau's largest powerplant. The state is also a short distance from the international airport. In the village of Medorm there is the highest powered short wave radio station in Palau. This is owned and operated by High Adventure Ministries originally from the US but now owned by a consortium of Chinese national churches. It comprises four short wave transmitters two are Thomson which originally came from Adventist Radio in
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
the others are a venerable Harris transmitter and a 30-year-old RCA transmitter all feeding several stacked curtain arrays which are beamed on
South East Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
. They operate mainly on the 9 and 15 MHz Bands.
History
At least seven traditional village sites existed in Aimeliik, Medorm, Ngchemiangel, Ngebedech, Chelechui, Ngerkeai, Imul, and Ngerderar. These settlements were focused on the rich soil with a mixed forest on a thin strip of land along the coast and around the bay.
Within villages are numerous stone features with historical and traditional importance. Many stone platforms,
odesongel, serve as clan cemeteries, while other stone features serve as shrines.
The lagoon and Ngchemiangel Bay are important resource areas, and were probably intensively exploited prehistorically. Important resources include
mangrove tree
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...
s and many species of fish. In and around traditional villages are taro swamp gardens and garden plots, and surrounding many village sites are terraced hillsides.
The territory was governed by Spain until 1899 when it was sold to Germany. In 1919 it became a Japanese possession until the United States took control after World War II. Aimeliik is one of the most ancient villages in Palau. It is best known for its terraces and modern
bai. Aimeliik is also known for Malsol's Tomb, the legendary spot where the warrior Malsol is buried, which is now accessible through the main road and near the Aimeliik bai. Aimeliik is commonly passed through on the main road of the Babeldaob Island.
Geography
Aimeliik, located on the southwest corner of Babeldaob, includes low, rolling hills surrounding Ngchemiangel Bay and the very steep and rugged terrain along the west coast north of Medorm. The modern villages of Aimeliik include inhabited settlements at
Medorm,
Ngchemiangel,
Chelechui, Imul Ngerkeai - Medorm -, and
Nekken (the modern agricultural experimentation center ). Except for the
Isemiich River drainage, most drainages in Aimeliik are short, narrow, and steep. North of the low divide separating Ngchemiangel Bay from Ngeremeduu Bay, the Tabecheding River constitutes the boundary with Ngatpang. On the east, Aimeliik extends to the
Rael Kedam
Rael Kedam is the great central dividing ridge on the island of Babeldaob, in Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Paci ...
, the central ridge dividing eastern from western drainages on Babeldaob Island. On the southeast, the boundary with
Airai
Airai, located on the southern coast of Babeldaob island, is the second-most populous state of Palau. It contains the country's chief airport, Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, and is connected by the Koror–Babeldaob Bridge to nearby Koror ...
lies along a ridge descending west from the Rael Kedam to a point about one kilometer south of the Ngerderar River.
Land use in Aimeliik includes both private gardens in areas surrounding houses and large areas of commercial agricultural development. A variety of crops are raised in commercial enterprises, and, in addition is some
cattle herding
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...
. Around modern villages, interspersed with kitchen gardens, are stands of
agroforest including coconut,
betelnut,
breadfruit
Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family (Moraceae) believed to be a domesticated descendant of ''Artocarpus camansi'' originating in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippi ...
,
almond trees
The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...
, and
banana plant
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
s. In lowlands along drainages are patches of irregularly attended
taro
Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Africa ...
swamp gardens. In at least one area, southeast of Medorm, a steep drainage was modified to retain water for gardening.
Aimeliik is also known for its terraces, which were most likely built for agriculture and defense reasons. The state also contains one of the four Palauan
bais, or men's meetinghouses, the other three are in Koror, Airai, and Melekeok.
Demography
The population of the state was 334 in the 2015 census and median age was 34.9 years. The official languages of the state are
Palauan and
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
. Rengulbai is the title of the traditional high chief from the state.
Political system
The state of Aimeliik, with population of less than 350, has an elected chief executive,
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
. The state also has a legislature elected every four years. The state population elects one of the members of the
House of Delegates of Palau
The House of Delegates of Palau is the lower house of the Palau National Congress (''Olbiil era Kelulau''), Palau's bicameral legislature. The Senate of Palau is the upper house. The House of Delegates has 16 members, each serving four-year terms ...
.
Economy
Large area of the commerce and farming come from Nekken. Most farm are substantial farming but there was also the attempt to establish Aimeliik State's first cattle pasture, but Palau's soils, forage and climate are ill suited to open grazing cattle operations.
Transport
Most of the roads in the state are connected with dirt roads, excluding the recently completed paved, compact road which runs through the state.
Within Aimeliik, a road network now connects all of the inhabited villages to Koror. The major Airai-Aimeliik road follows an old Japanese era road along the coast from Ngetkib Airai through the Ocholochol and Ngerderar regions to south of Imul where it turns inland and climbs to the ridge separating the Ngeremeduu Bay basin from the south coast. Just after the road reaches the ridge line is the intersection with the north-south road through Ngatpang along the east side of the bay. The Airai -Aimeliik road follows the ridge line to Nekken, where the road branches, with the southern branch following along the west side of the Isemiich River to Ngchemiangel, and the northern branch winding through some very rough terrain to Mechebechubel Ngatpang. At Ngchemiangel, another branch of the road extends northwest to Medorm.
Education
The
Ministry of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
operates public schools.
Aimeliik Elementary School was established in 1948.
[Aimeliik Elementary School]
." Ministry of Education (Palau)
The Ministry of Education is a government agency of Palau, headquartered in Koror City.
It operates the country's public schools.
Schools
Palau High School in Koror is the country's only public high school.[Palau High School
Palau High School (PHS) is a senior high school in Koror City, Palau. Opened in 1962, it is the country's only public high school, and the first high school established in Palau. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits the ...]
in Koror is the country's only public high school, so children from this community go there.[About]
." Palau High School
Palau High School (PHS) is a senior high school in Koror City, Palau. Opened in 1962, it is the country's only public high school, and the first high school established in Palau. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits the ...
. Retrieved on February 22, 2018.
References
External links
Palau Beach Bungalows
JeRome Temengil
Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Palau to the UK &NI
{{Authority control
States of Palau