High-island and low-island cultures
Micronesia can be divided into seven distinct high-island cultures: those of the Palauans, Chamorros, Yapese, Chuukkese, who inhabit about 12 high islands of various sizes in the vast Chuuk Lagoon, the Pohnpeians, the Kosraeans, and some residents of the remote island of Nauru, which is geologically a raised atoll (without exposed volcanic rock).
Despite having touch with one another, the residents of the majority of Micronesia's low islands or atolls are culturally distinct from those of the high islands. The Marshalls and the Gilberts are two sets of atolls in the east that span 1,400 miles (2,255 kilometers) from northwest to southeast and are culturally unique.
The raised atoll of Banaba has a civilization that is remarkably similar to the Gilberts. Mokil, Pingelap, and Ngatik are three atolls that are within sailing distance of Pohnpei and have closer cultural affinities than any other big population while still being distinctly distinct from it. Culturally speaking, Chuuk is most similar to the atolls to its north and south, the Mortlock (Nomoi) Islands and the Hall Islands.
The other low islands west of Chuuk share linguistic and cultural similarities with Chuuk, with the distinctions become more pronounced with increasing distance. The low islands that lie between Namonuito and Yap were previously used as a means of ceremonial trade. These low-island people, however, were more similar to the Chuukese than to the Yapese in terms of language and culture.
