Kayangel (Ngcheangel) is the northernmost state of Palau north of Koror. The land area is about . The population is 54 (2015 census). History The state was colonized by Spain from the end of the 16th century until 1899 when the territory was sold to the German Empire. This situation would continue until the First World War when Japan took control of the atolls. The United States would rule the area from World War II until the independence of Palau The Palau Parliament passed a joint resolution in January 2005 supporting a 2002 agreement between the Kayangel State and Palau Pacific Energy Inc. (PPE) in 2002, granting the oil company exclusive rights to explore, drill and produce oil in the surrounding marine area for a specified period of time. Initially, the Palau government had opposed this on environmental grounds, but then bowed to a 2003 petition by Kayangel State residents in favor of exploration. Typhoon Haiyan In 2013 Typhoon Haiyan left its wake of destruction on the island, causing Kayangel to be flooded in its entirety, and all homes were destroyed. No fatalities were reported, but 69 people were affected by this cyclone. Demography The population of the state was 54 in the 2015 census and median age was 37.5 years. The official languages of the state are Palauan and English. Rdechor is the title of the traditional high chief from the state. Political system The state of Kayangel, with population of less than 60, has an elected chief executive, governor. The state also has a legislature elected every four years. The state population elects one of the member in the House of Delegates of Palau. Geography The state consists of three atolls in different states of development: Kayangel Atoll Kayangel Atoll (Ngcheangel), the only inhabited atoll of Kayangel State, with most (99 percent) of the land area of Kayangel State, is located at , about north of Babelthuap island, the main island of Palau, but only north of Babelthuap's barrier reef. The atoll is about north-south, and wide, with a total area of , including the lagoon. The lagoon has an average depth of and a maximum depth of , and about 25 large pinnacles can be detected from aerial photographs. The bottom of the lagoon is largely sand. On the western side of the atoll, there is a small passage for boats into the lagoon, with a depth