Sonsorol: History
The first sighting by Europeans of the Sonsorols, was that of Sonsorol and Fanna by the Spanish ship Trinidad then commanded by Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa on 6 May 1522. These two were collectively charted as the San Juan (St. John) Islands as they were sighted on the day of its festivity. A Spanish missionary expedition commanded by Sargento Mayor Francisco Padilla arrived on Sonsorol on 30 November 1710, coming from Manila aboard the patache Santísima Trinidad. In 1712 they were explored by an expedition commanded by Spanish naval officer Bernardo de Egoy.
In 1899 Spain decided to sell the islands to the German Empire, which lost control over the territory in World War I, when Japan took over. The United States took possession of the area at the end of World War II and controlled it until Palau's independence.
During December 2012, the state suffered severely from Typhoon Bopha and people were evacuated to Arakabesang in Koror. There were 37 people from Sonsorol, 19 from Pulo Anna, and two from Merir. A couple of months later, and due to a government decision, only Sonsorol was re-inhabited, as it cheaper and closer to get to and send supplies to. Forty-two people returned to the island, and it is the only inhabited island in the state as of 2014.