Ngatpang is one of Palau's sixteen states. It comprises an area of around 47 square kilometers in the west of Palau's largest island, Babeldaob, facing onto Ngeremeduu Bay. The state capital is Ngerdubech. It has a population of 282, making it Palau's 9th largest state in population. Ibobang is in Ngatpang. It is a community dedicated to the practice of the Modekngei religion. Geography Ngatpang, which is located on the central west coast, includes a very large area of the interior to the southeast of Ngeremeduu Bay. Along the west coast, Ngatpang includes the narrow strip of land between Ngeremeduu Bay and the lagoon. This strip of land was ceded to Ngatpang from Aimeliik early in this century. The modern village of Mechebechubel is located on the west coast on the south face of Roisengas. The terrain along this portion of the west coast is very rugged with steep slopes covered with thick forests. On the east side of Ngeremeduu Bay, Ngatpang extends to the Rael Kedam, the central divide on Babeldaob Island. The edges of the bay are lined with a thick fringe of mangrove swamp forest. Inland are rolling hills with short drainages. Many of the hills facing the bay are grass covered, but further inland the hills are covered with an upland forest. To the north lies the drainage of the Ngerbechederngul River, frequently referred to as the Yamato River . The major tributary of the Ngerbechederngul from Ngatpang is the Ngcholetel. In the southern part of the state are the drainages of the Ngatpang and Tabecheding Rivers. The Ngetmiich River, the largest tributary of the Tabecheding, drains the large interior region in the southeast part of the state. Along the edges of the bay, on the lower slopes of the hills, are deep, loamy soils which contain rich deposits of clay. South of the bay on the upland hills, the soils are thin and associated with scrub vegetation. Also associated with thin soils in low lying and poorly drained basins are bogs. Presently, most of the use of the land in Ngatpang is confined to gardens surrounding the modern villages of Mechebechubel and Ibobang. Interspersed with these kitchen gardens are stands of agroforest which include coconut, and betelnut, breadfruit, almond trees, and banana plants. In and around many of the uninhabited villages are stands of coconut and betelnut palms, and occasionally patches of irregularly attended taro