Melekeok

Melekeok

Melekeok is one of the states of the Republic of Palau, which lies on the central eastern coast of the island of Babeldaob. The state is the seat of the country's government, Ngerulmud. The Republic of Palau's Capital Complex is situated on a hill northwest of the village of Melekeok. The state is made up of long beaches, hills, steep ridges, rivers and Palau and Micronesia's largest and only natural freshwater lake, Lake Ngardok. The lake and the surrounding marshes are a haven for the endangered Saltwater Crocodile, and an important breeding ground for them. The Ngerdorch River is used as a route connecting the crocodiles to the sea. The lake's ecosystem of about 493 hectares supports plants, wildlife and birds, some species found only in the Palau Islands. Among them are the endemic Palau Fruit Dove, the Palau Fantail, the Micronesian Imperial Pigeon, the Common Moorhens, the Pacific Black Duck, the Palau Flycatcher and a species of fruit bat. The Chief Council of Melekeok State has created the Ngardok Nature Reserve to protect the slow degradation of the watershed, as the importance of the forests is crucial to maintaining the water quality of the lake. Among the state's landmarks are the Odalmelech, which is a prehistoric, large carved stone face of a god-king and the garden surrounding it, decorated with additional carved stones. The site was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The list contains the Odalmelech stone and several other stones.