Consisting of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals, Nan Madol is better known as "The Venice of the Pacific". A ruined site that is located in the southeastern part of the island of Pohnpei, which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, and was the capital of the Saudeleur dynasty until about 1500 AD. Nan Madol means "place between spaces" and refers to its channels. The Nan Madol site was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2016, at the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Istanbul, Turkey. The original population of Nan Madol completely died out or fled in the 19th century.