These small outer islands, which include Sonsorol, Pulu Ana, and Meriir, are both physically and culturally distinct from the rest of the Palau.
Large stands of coconut palms line the beaches forming the primary resource for the only industry on the islands: copra production.
Even so, the natives retain a strong sense of cultural pride in their heritage and a firm commitment to their islands.
Given the limited amount of land, it is expected that almost all of it would have been intensively exploited by settlement or subsistence activities.
This article incorporates public domain material from Snyder, David; Adams, William Hampton; Butler, Brian M. (1997).