Enewetak Atoll, Nuclear test site atoll in Marshall Islands
Enewetak forms a ring of roughly 40 small islands in the northern Pacific, enclosing a central lagoon. The combined land area covers just under 2 square miles (6 square kilometers), while the lagoon spreads over more than 380 square miles (1000 square kilometers).
The United States conducted atomic weapons tests on the atoll between 1948 and 1958, after removing the local population. A decontamination effort later allowed some original residents to return starting in 1980.
The native population maintained traditional fishing and navigation practices until their forced evacuation in 1946 for nuclear testing programs.
The local elementary school on the atoll serves younger children, while secondary students transfer to the main island of Majuro. Access to the area remains restricted due to lingering contamination on some islands.
A concrete dome on Runit Island covers contaminated material from past tests and was built in the late 1970s. The structure rises about 25 feet (8 meters) above the flat landscape and now forms an unusual landmark on the atoll.
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