WHEN THE MARIANAS WERE ONE

es.wikipedia.org

A Spanish Map of Micronesia

showing all the islands under the Spanish Flag

According to a Spanish book of geography in 1892, the Marianas were comprised of the following islands :

GUAJAN : the southernmost and principal island of the Marianas. 

SAIPAN : the next in importance.

ROTA, TINIAN, SARIGUAN, PAGAN and AGRIGAN are the next in importance, the latter being the northernmost of these five. 

The total population of the Marianas was 9,790 people, all Catholic.

AGAÑA had 6,379 residents, or 2/3 of the entire population.

AGAT came next with 1,089 villagers.

SAIPAN was third with 800 souls.  Saipan was counted as one village.  It actually had just two villages, but the second one, Tanapag, was a very recent settlement of Carolinians transferred from Tinian, and was considered a satellite of Garapan, the older and principal village.  Chamorros and Carolinians lived in separate sections of Garapan.

(Baranera, Francisco X. Compendio de Geografía de las Islas Filipinas, Marianas, Joló y Carolinas.  Manila : 1892)