Place details
Place nameMariana Islands
Other namesMarianas, Las Marianas, Islas de los Ladrones, Ladrones, Ladrone Islands
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
Group of 15 islands forming N Marianas & Guam; charted by Magellan in 1527, named for alleged "ladrones" (thieves) among the native people who were accused of pilfering by Spanish; all but Guam ceded to Germany 1899, when Guam went to United States.