formerly Ladrone Islands
Island group, western Pacific Ocean.
Located east of the Philippines, it comprises 15 islands and is divided politically into Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands . The population is descended from the pre-Spanish Chamorro people and Spanish, Mexican, German, Philippine, and Japanese settlers. Spanish cultural traditions are strong. After Ferdinand Magellan became the first European to discover them in 1521, they were visited frequently but were not colonized until 1668, at which time Jesuit missionaries changed their name to honor Mariana of Austria, regent of Spain.