Tiscali Quicklinks. Please visit our Accessibility Page for a list of the Access Keys you can use to find your way around the site, skip directly to the main navigation, to the page content, or to more links within reference.
The Caroline Islands are well watered and agriculturally productive. Occupied by Germany in 1899, Japan in 1914, and mandated by the League of Nations to Japan in 1919, when they were fortified, contrary to the terms of the mandate. They remained in Japanese hands throughout World War II despite heavy Allied air attacks, and then became part of the US Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 194790. In 1990 the Islands were divided into two newly-independent political units: the Federated States of Micronesia to the east and the Republic of Palau to the west.