# Rock Islands

The Rock Islands of Palau, also called Chelbacheb, are a collection of several hundred small limestone or coral uprises in the Southern Lagoon of Palau between Koror and Peleliu, now an incorporated part of Koror State. There are between 250 and 300 islands in the group according to different sources, with an aggregate area of 42 square kilometers (16 sq mi) and a maximum height of 207 meters (679 ft). The islands were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.

## History

Before European contact, the islands were inhabited by the indigenous Palauan people. The Rock Islands, with their steep cliffs and protected lagoons, were used for fishing, agriculture and as places for spiritual practices. Palau's early settlers were believed to have arrived from Southeast Asia or the Philippines around 1000 BCE.
The first recorded European contact with the Rock Islands came in 1543, when Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos passed through the region. However, it was not until the late 19th century that the islands became more widely known in the Western world, as Europeans began to explore and colonize the Pacific region.
In the late 19th century, Palau, including the Rock Islands, became part of the German Empire's colonial holdings. The Germans established a presence in the area, focusing on the development of copra (dried coconut meat) plantations, but their control over the islands was limited.
Following World War I, Palau came under Japanese administration as part of the League of Nations Mandate. Under Japanese rule, the islands saw infrastructural development, including the construction of roads and plantations, although the Rock Islands remained largely undeveloped due to their rugged terrain.
During World War II, the islands were strategically important. The U.S. Marines captured Palau from Japan in 1944, specifically during the Battle of Peleliu. The Rock Islands were heavily impacted by the conflict, with remnants of Japanese military fortifications still visible today. Following the war, Palau became part of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
Palau gained independence in 1994, and the Rock Islands became a major tourist attraction, known for their unique coral reefs, crystal-clear waters and thriving marine life. In 2012, the islands were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their natural value. They are a protected area and attract divers, scientists and conservationists from around the world.

## Geography

The Rock Islands are sparsely populated and famous for their beaches, blue lagoons, and the peculiar umbrella-like shapes of many of the islands themselves. Many of the islands display a mushroom-like shape with a narrower base at the intertidal notch. The indentation comes from erosion and from the dense community of sponges, bivalves, chitons, snails, urchins, and others that graze mostly on algae. Also, the islands have been shaped over time by weather wind and vegetation. Notable islands in the group are:
* Eil Malk (Mecherchar)
* Ngeruktabel
* Ulong
* Bablomekang (Abappaomogan)
* Bukrrairong (Kamori)
* Oilouch
* Ongael
* Ngebedangel (Ngobasangel)
* Ngerukewid (Orukuizu)
* Ngeanges
* Ngeteklou (Gologugeul)
* Tlutkaraguis (Adorius)

## Environment
### Important Bird Area

A 4,912 ha site encompassing the Rock Islands has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of most of Palau’s endemic birds, including Micronesian megapodes, Palau ground doves, Micronesian imperial pigeons, Palau fruit doves, swiftlets and kingfishers, Micronesian myzomelas, morningbirds, Palau fantails, flycatchers and bush warblers, giant, dusky and citrine white-eyes, and Micronesian starlings.

## Tourism

The islands and surrounding reefs include Palau's most popular tourist sites, such as the Blue Corner, Blue Holes, German Channel, Ngermeaus Island, and the famed Jellyfish Lake, one of many marine lakes in the Rock Islands that provides home and safety for several kinds of stingless jellyfish found only in Palau. It is the most popular diving destination in Palau, offering some of the most diverse dive sites on the planet, from wall diving and high current drift dives, to manta rays and sharkfeeds, to shallow lagoons, decorated caves, and overhangs. Tourist attractions also include Dolphin Bay, where a staff of veterinarians and trainers educate guests about dolphins.

## Demographics

The only inhabited place on the islands is called Dolphin Bay (on Ngeruktabel, 5 km from Koror). It is the location of Palau's national aquatics park, and hosts headquarters of Palau's Park rangers.

## Gallery

* Aerial view of Rock Islands.
* View of Rock Islands from the lagoon.
* Divers descending next to the mast of the Japanese tanker Iro.
* An Anemonefish on the wreck of the Japanese tanker Iro.
* One of the many Rock Islands.