swamp gardens. Except for occasional forays to hunt pigeon or harvest special plants, there is little active use of most of the interior of Ngatpang. Demography The population of the state was 282 in the 2015 census and median age was 33.9 years. The official languages of the state are Palauan and English. Rekemesik is the title of the traditional high chief from the state. Political system The state of Ngatpang, with population of less than 300, has an elected governor. The state also has a legislature elected every four years. The state population elects one of the members of the House of Delegates of Palau. Traditional villages At least seven traditional village sites lie within Ngatpang: one on the west coast, five along the south and east sides of Ngeremeduu Bay, and one on the Ngcholetel River near its juncture with the Ngerbechederngul. These settlements were focused on the rich soil with a mixed forest on a thin strip of land along the coast, around the bay, and extending a short distance up the Ngerbechederngul. The rich deposits of clay around Ngimis are known traditionally as a source of pottery clay, and Ngimis is regarded as an important traditional center of pottery manufacture. In addition, traditional trails marked with small stone platforms led from Ngatpang villages to villages in Aimeliik, Airai, Ngchesar, Melekeok, and Ngeremlengui. The traditional villages represent important symbols giving identity to families, clans, and regions. Within villages are numerous stone features with historical and traditional importance. Many of the stone platforms, odesongel, serve as clan cemeteries, and other stone features serve as shrines. The lagoon and Ngeremeduu Bay are important resource areas, and were probably intensively exploited prehistorically. Important resources include the mangrove crab, many species of fish, and the mangrove tree. Near Ngimis and the other traditional villages are taro swamp gardens, and surrounding most village sites are garden plots and terraced hillsides. Transport Within Ngatpang a network of roads now connects the two modern villages to Koror. The major north-south road begins at the Airai-Aimeliik Road above the Tabecheding and extends north, crossing the Tabecheding and Ngatpang Rivers, past Ngimis to Ibobang. A second road extends north west from Nekken (Aimeliik) to Mechebechubel winding its way through extremely rugged hills. A third road extends east from the Tabecheding to Simizu, Ngchesar, intersecting the north -south road about 2 km south of Ngimis. Education The