The Place of rural, remote and least wealthy small islands in international water development: The nexus of geography-technology-sustainability in Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2008

Publication Title

The Geographical Journal

Volume

174

Issue

3

Abstract

Many least-wealthy, rural, remote and resource-poor small island communities are unlikely to benefit from high-profile global water improvement initiatives. Their small landmasses, geologic composition, geography, social and technological isolation, colonial history, and weak educational and financial resources constitute significant barriers to improving access to safe drinking water. This paper discusses the relatively unique position of such island societies in the international community, providing a case study of the Federated States of Micronesia that integrates data and information pertaining to water resources management and governance, spanning from the island village to national scale. A vision is offered regarding the interaction between small island human and biophysical water systems, manifesting ways to pursue water resource development to improve public health which are constructed to be economically, physically and culturally sustainable.

Keywords

Capacity building; Developing countries; Drinking water; Environmental education; Micronesia (Federated States) – Chuuk; Pacific Islands; Pacific Ocean – Islands of the Pacific; Small islands; Sustainable development; Water quality; Water resources management; Watershed management

Disciplines

Growth and Development | Other Environmental Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Water Resource Management

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or use interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the article. Publisher copyright policy allows author to archive post-print (author’s final manuscript). When post-print is available or publisher policy changes, the article will be deposited

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