Atolón de Utirik

El atolón de Utirik o atolón de Utrik ( en marshallés : Utrōk , [wudˠ(ɯ)rˠɤk] ^{[ 1 ]} ) es un atolón de coral de 10 islas en el océano Pacífico y forma un distrito legislativo de la cadena de Ratak de las Islas Marshall . Su superficie terrestre total es de solo 2,4 kilómetros cuadrados (0,94 millas cuadradas ) , pero encierra una laguna con una superficie de 57,7 kilómetros cuadrados (22,29 millas cuadradas ) . Está ubicado aproximadamente a 47 kilómetros (29 millas) al este del atolón de Ujae . La población del atolón de Utirik era de 264 habitantes según el censo de 2021. ^{[ 2 ]} Es una de las islas más septentrionales de las Islas Marshall con población permanente.     

Los islotes más grandes son:

• Utirik ( Utrōk ^{[ 1 ]} )
• Aon ( Aon ^{[ 1 ]} )
• Bikrak ( Pekrak ^{[ 1 ]} )
• Lucio ( Lucio ^{[ 1 ]} )
• Āllok ( Āllok ^{[ 1 ]} )
• Nalap ( Ņa-ļap ^{[ 1 ]} )

Historical artifacts have been unearthed on the Atoll which date back to ca. 380 C.E., including tools likely used by early Micronesian peoples.^[3] Its first recorded sighting was by the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra on board the ship Florida on 29 December 1527.^[4] Together with Rongelap, Ailinginae and Toke atolls, they were charted as Islas de los Reyes (Islands of the Three Wise Kings in Spanish) due to the proximity of Epiphany. Utirik Atoll was claimed by the German Empire and the rest of the Marshall Islands in 1885.^[5] After World War I, the island came under the South Seas Mandate of the Empire of Japan. Following the end of World War II, Utirik went under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Utirik was one of four atolls affected by nuclear fallout from Castle Bravo, the largest of the many nuclear weapon tests conducted at Bikini Atoll immediately following World War II. Research is still being done to ascertain the radiation levels, though many scientists agree that no harmful effects from the radiation are still present. The island has been part of the independent Republic of the Marshall Islands since 1986.

The Marshall Islands Public School System operates Utrik Elementary School.^[6]Northern Islands High School on Wotje serves the community.^[7]

On 24 August 2016, Utirik Atoll recorded a temperature of 35.6 °C (96.1 °F), the highest temperature ever recorded in the Marshall Islands.^[8]

• Also contaminated by the Castle Bravo test: Rongelap Atoll, Ailinginae Atoll, Rongerik Atoll

• Sitio de las Islas Marshall
• Entrada en Oceandots.com en Wayback Machine (archivada el 23 de diciembre de 2010)
• Vídeo: Un vistazo al atolón de Utrik