Laura, Marshall Islands
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Laura (Marshallese: Ļora, [lˠɔːrˠɑ])[1] is an island town situated in Marshall Islands. It is located in the west of Majuro Atoll. At approximately 10 feet (3.0 m) above sea level, Laura has the highest elevation of any islands in the Majuro Atoll. Marshall Islands International Airport is located on the island of Laura. A road connects the island of Laura to Djarrit. Much of the Majuro Atoll population relies on the freshwater lens in Laura to supply water.[2]
On January 30, 1944, United States troops invaded and built a large base, Naval Base Majuro.[3][4]
The town is falsely rumored to have been named after Lauren Bacall.[5]
Laura has been identified as an ideal site for coral conservation, according to a study by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Stanford University, due to its coral's tolerance to high temperatures.[6]
History
Early history
Archeological excavations in the Laura Islet have shown that humans first inhabited Laura approximately 2,000 years ago, as the sea level declined. Continued drops in sea level led to more land revealed, causing inhabitants to spread further throughout the Laura area. Scholars estimated that most of landscape seen today was formed approximately 1,000 years ago.[7]
Climate
| Climate data for Laura | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
29.2 (84.6) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29 (85) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.9 (85.8) |
30.1 (86.1) |
29.7 (85.5) |
29.4 (84.9) |
29.2 (84.5) |
29.2 (84.6) |
29.6 (85.2) |
29.6 (85.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) |
24.3 (75.7) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.8 (76.7) |
24.7 (76.4) |
24.2 (75.5) |
24.1 (75.3) |
24.1 (75.3) |
24.2 (75.5) |
23.9 (75.1) |
24.3 (75.8) |
24.3 (75.8) |
24.3 (75.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 210 (8.2) |
140 (5.7) |
170 (6.7) |
210 (8.4) |
280 (11) |
230 (8.9) |
300 (11.9) |
260 (10.2) |
290 (11.4) |
320 (12.6) |
300 (11.8) |
230 (9.2) |
2,940 (115.9) |
| Source: Weatherbase [8] | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ Marshallese-English Dictionary - Place Name Index
- ^ Climate Risk Country Profile: Marshall Islands (2021): The World Bank Group.
- ^ "Marshall Islands -- Building the Navy's Bases -- Majuro Naval Base". marshall.csu.edu.au. 9 October 2005.
- ^ Majuro Atoll Archived 2023-03-15 at the Wayback Machinepacificwrecks.com
- ^ Spennemann, Dirk (9 October 2005). "Dirk H.R. Spennemann, Essays on the Marshallese Past". Essays on the Marshallese Past. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ Admin (2025-06-18). "Laura reef site in Marshall Islands ideal spot for coral protection, study confirms". pactimes. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
- ^ Yamaguchi, Toru; Kayanne, Hajime; Yamano, Hiroya (October 2009). "Archaeological Investigation of the Landscape History of an Oceanic Atoll: Majuro, Marshall Islands". Pacific Science. 63 (4): 537–565. doi:10.2984/049.063.0405. ISSN 0030-8870.
- ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Laura, Marshall Islands". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
| Authority control databases: Geographic |
|---|
7°08′16″N 171°02′56″E / 7.13778°N 171.04889°E