A map of the Mariana Islands

Postcard

The remote islands on this postcard are part of two administrative units, Guam, a US territory, and the Northern Mariana Islands which make up a Commonwealth of the United States. The islands were named after Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria in the 17th century, when Spain started the colonization of the archipelago.

The island chain geographically consists of two subgroups, a northern group of ten volcanic main islands, all are currently uninhabited; and a southern group of five coralline limestone islands: Rota, Guam, Aguijan, Tinian and Saipan, all inhabited except Aguijan.

Stamps

Guam uses US stamps.