Poluwat

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Polowat Atoll, also spelled Poluwat and formerly Puluwat, is a coral atoll and municipality in Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia. It lies in the northwestern Chuuk region and is the westernmost land in Chuuk. The atoll sits near 7.36°N, 149.20°E.

The atoll has five islets on a reef rim, with a total land area of about 3.4 square kilometers and a total area of about 7 square kilometers. The two largest islands are Alei (west) and Polowat (east). There are three villages on the west side of Polowat Island, with a combined population of about 1,015 in 2000. Breadfruit grows on Alei and coconut palms line the shores. The northern rim includes Alengelap Islet and To Islet, while Haw Islet marks the southern corner; the smaller islets are rocky and wooded.

Nearby are large underwater features: Uranie Bank extends about 26 kilometers southeast of Polowat, and Enderby Bank lies about 5 kilometers west-northwest of Alei.

On Alei stands a 40-meter-high white concrete lighthouse. The atoll also contains World War II relics, including bunkers and shipwrecks, and an American plane lies at the bottom of the larger lagoon. The Japanese Lighthouse on the atoll is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. There is a radio station on Polowat.

Polowat was discovered by Spanish navigator Juan Antonio de Ibargoitia on April 7, 1801. During World War II, a Japanese garrison was stationed on the atoll, and many soldiers died from hunger due to shortages.

Climate is tropical, hot and humid, with year-round highs around 89–90°F (about 32°C) and nightly lows around 73–74°F (23°C). The area receives substantial rainfall most months.