Bikini Atoll (pronounced or ;
Marshallese: , , meaning
coconut place) is an
atoll in the
Marshall Islands. The atoll consists of 23 islands totaling surrounding a deep central
lagoon at the northern end of the
Ralik Chain (approximately northwest of
Ailinginae Atoll and northwest of
Majuro). Within Bikini Atoll, Bikini, Eneu, Nam and Enidrik islands comprise just over 70% of the land area. Bikini and Eneu are the only islands of the atoll that hosted a permanent population. Bikini Island is the northeastern most and largest
islet. Before World War II, the atoll was known by its
Baltic German name as
Escholtz Atoll.