Angaur or Ngeaur is an island in the island nation of Palau. The island, which forms its own state, has an area of 8 km². Its population was 130 in 2012. The state capital is the village of Ngeremasch on the western side. A second village, Rois, is immediately east of Ngeremasch. The first sighting of Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror, and Peleliu recorded by Westerners was by the Spanish expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos at the end of January 1543. They were then charted as Los Arrecifes. In November and December 1710, these three islands were again visited and explored by the Spanish missionary expedition commanded by Sargento MayorFrancisco Padillaon board of the patacheSantísima Trinidad. Two years later they were explored in detail by the expedition of Spanish naval officer Bernardo de Egoy. From 1909 until 1954 phosphate mining took place on Angaur, originally by the Germans, then the Japanese, and finally by Americans. Angaur is the site of a major World War II battle. The Battle of Angaur was part of the larger offensive campaign called Operation Forager that ran from June to Nov 1944. Many American and Japanese battle relics remain scattered throughout the island. The 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion under Lieutenant colonel Henry R. Paige served as garrison forces for the remainder of the War. Angaur is the only place in Micronesia that has feral monkeys; they are descended from macaques that escaped during the period of German occupation. Thus it is also called Monkey Island. Angaur Island is located southwest of Peleliu, and it is a popular surfing location. Angaur is accessible by boats and small planes, and Belau Air has service to Angaur Airstrip. From 1945 to 1978 the U.S. Coast Guard operated a LORAN transmitting station, LORSTA Palau, as part of the worldwide LORAN navigation system. The eastern side of the island is mostly sandy with rocky outcroppings, while the western side of the island has a small lagoon with a small fishing and transportation port.
According to the state constitution of 1982, Angaur's official languages are Palauan, English and Japanese. It is the only place in the world where Japanese is a de jure official language, as it is only the de facto official language of Japan. However, the results of the 2005 census show that in April 2005 there were no usual or legal residents of Angaur aged 5 or older who spoke Japanese at home at all. No residents of Anguar reported themselves or were reported as being of Japanese ethnic origin. One person born on Angaur reported to speak Japanese and Palauan equally often at home. The 2012 mini census showed 7 people aged 10 or older literate in any language other than Palauan and English for Angaur, out of a total population of 130.
Education
The Ministry of Education operates public schools. Angaur Elementary School was established in 1945. A new building in another location opened in 1953. It moved to the original site in 1966 in a new building but it later moved back to the second site. Palau High School in Koror is the country's only public high school, so children from this community go there.
