Tuamotus
Encyclopedia
The Tuamotus or the Tuamotu Archipelago are a chain of islands and atolls in French Polynesia
. They form the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean
roughly the size of Western Europe
. The Tuamotu islands were originally settled by Polynesians
who share a common culture
and language
.
French Polynesia
is a semi-autonomous island group designated as an overseas country of France
. The Tuamotus combine with the Gambier Islands
to form the Îles Tuamotu-Gambier
which is one of the five administrative divisions of French Polynesia
.
The Tuamotus are grouped into sixteen communes
: Anaa
; Arutua; Fakarava
; Fangatau
; Hao
; Hikueru
; Makemo
; Manihi
; Napuka
; Nukutavake
; Pukapuka
; Rangiroa
; Reao
; Takaroa
; Tatakoto
; and Tureia
.
The communes on Tuamotu are part of two different electoral districts (circonscriptions électorales) represented in the Assembly of French Polynesia
. The Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est electoral district comprises the commune of Gambier and eleven communes in eastern Tuamotu: Anaa; Fangatau; Hao; Hikueru; Makemo; Napuka; Nukutavake; Pukapuka; Reao; Tatakoto; and Tureia. The other five communes in western Tuamotu – Arutua; Fakarava; Manihi; Rangiroa; and Takaroa – form the Îles Tuamotu Ouest electoral district .
At the 2007 census, the Tuamotus (including the Gambier Islands) had a population of 18,317 inhabitants (15,862 in 2002, 8,100 in 1983). Of these, 769 inhabitants live in a 215 nmi (398.2 km; 247.4 mi) radius around Moruroa
and Fangataufa
, the sites of French nuclear tests.
The common language spoken in the Tuamotus is Tuamotuan
, except in Puka-Puka which uses the Marquesan language
. The Gambier Islands use Mangarevan.
. The most important sources of additional income are the cultivation of black pearl
s and the preparation of copra
. Tourism
-related income remains meager, especially by comparison to the tourism industry of the neighboring Society Islands
. A modest tourism infrastructure is found on the atolls of Rangiroa
and Manihi
which have recreational scuba diving
and snorkeling
destinations.
, without pronounced seasons. The annual average temperature is a relatively continuous 26°C (79°F). Water sources such as lakes or rivers are absent, leaving catchments of rain as the only source of fresh water . The annual average rainfall is 1400 mm (about 55 in). Rainfall is not markedly different throughout the year, although it is lowest during the months of September and November.
Geological stability of the archipelago is high, as it was created by the weakly active Easter Fracture Zone
. No volcanic eruptions have been recorded historically.
palm, which forms the basis for copra
production, is of special economic importance. On a few islands, vanilla
is also cultivated. Agriculture is generally otherwise limited to simple subsistence. Fruit and vegetable staples include yams
, taro
, and breadfruit
, as well as a wide range of other tropical fruits. Pandanus
leaves are traditionally woven together as roof thatch (although nowadays there are a great number of corrugated sheet-metal roofs instead), as well as for other items, such as mats and hats.
The species-rich reefs are home to a diverse range of underwater fauna. Surface creatures are primarily seabird
s, insect
s, and lizard
s. The Tuamotus have only 57 species of birds, but ten of these are endemic, including the Tuamotu Kingfisher
, the Tuamotu Reed-warbler
, and the Tuamotu Sandpiper
. Thirteen species are globally threatened and one is extinct.
s. Makatea
, southwest of the Palliser Islands, is one of three great phosphate
rocks in the Pacific Ocean
. The others are Banaba
in Kiribati
, and the island nation of Nauru
. Although geographically
part of the Tuamotus, the Gambier Islands, at the southeastern extreme of the archipelago
, are geologically
and culturally
distinct.
In the northwest of the archipelago, the ring-shaped atoll Taiaro
provides a rare example of a coral reef with a fully enclosed lagoon. The atoll was officially designated as a UNESCO
biosphere reserve
in 1977.
by c. 700. On the islands of Rangiroa
, Manihi
and Mataiva
, there are flat ceremonial platforms (called marae) made of coral blocks, although their exact age is unknown.
Tupac Inca Yupanqui
from the Inca Empire
is credited with leading a circa 10 month-long voyage of exploration into the Pacific around 1480.
European encounters with the Tuamotus began with that of Ferdinand Magellan
, during his circumglobal voyage in 1521. His visit was followed by:
None of these visits was of political consequence, as the islands were in the sphere of influence of the Pomare dynasty
of Tahiti
.
It was not until the beginning of the 19th century that the first Christian
missionaries
arrived. Traders took the islands' pearls to the European markets by the late 19th century, making them coveted possessions. France
forced the abdication of King Pomare V
of Tahiti
and claimed the islands without ever having formally annexed them.
Robert Louis Stevenson
and Fanny Vandegrift Stevenson travelled among the Paumotus on the Yacht Casco in 1888; an account of their journey was published as In the South Seas. Jack London
wrote a story, "The Seed of McCoy
," based on an incident in 1900 when a burning ship, the Pyrenees, was safely beached on Mangareva
. In the story, London has the ship sail past Mangareva and all through the Tuamotus before beaching on Fakarava
.
The Tuamotus made headline
s around the world in 1947, when archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl
, sailing from South America
, reached Raroia
on his raft Kon-Tiki
. More recently the islands have been the subject of headlines as the site of French nuclear weapons testing on the atolls of Moruroa
and Fangataufa
.
Duke of Gloucester Islands
Palliser Islands
Raeffsky Islands
Related island groups include:
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
. They form the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
roughly the size of Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. The Tuamotu islands were originally settled by Polynesians
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
who share a common culture
Polynesian culture
Polynesian culture refers to the indigenous peoples' culture of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society. Chronologically, the development of Polynesian culture can be divided into four different historical eras:...
and language
Tuamotuan language
The Tuamotuan language or Paumotuan is a Tahitic language spoken by about 6700 people in the Tuamotu Islands with an additional 2000 speakers in Tahiti...
.
Administrative divisions
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
is a semi-autonomous island group designated as an overseas country of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Tuamotus combine with the Gambier Islands
Gambier Islands
There was a time when the Gambiers hosted a population of several thousand people and traded with other island groups including the Marquesas, the Society Islands and Pitcairn Islands...
to form the Îles Tuamotu-Gambier
Îles Tuamotu-Gambier
The Îles Tuamotu-Gambier Tuamotu-Gambier) geographically consist of the Tuamotus and the Gambier Islands which are geographically located closely together....
which is one of the five administrative divisions of French Polynesia
Administrative divisions of French Polynesia
There are two levels of administrative divisions of French Polynesia, five administrative subdivisions each of which is further divided into a total of 48 communes. Many of the communes are further subdivided into communes associées...
.
The Tuamotus are grouped into sixteen communes
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
: Anaa
Anaa
Anaa, Nganaa-nui is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago, in French Polynesia. It is located in the north-west of the archipelago, 350 km to the east of Tahiti. It oval in shape, 29.5 km in length and 6.5 km wide, with a total area 38 km²...
; Arutua; Fakarava
Fakarava
Fakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havai'i or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls. The nearest land is Toau Atoll, which lies 14 km to the northwest....
; Fangatau
Fangatau
Fangatau, or Nakai-erua, is a small atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.The nearest land is Fakahina Atoll, located 72 km to the ESE....
; Hao
Hao (French Polynesia)
Hao, or Haorangi, is a large coral atoll in the central part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Because of its shape, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville named it Harp Island....
; Hikueru
Hikueru
Hikueru, Tiveru, or Te Kārena, is one of the Central Tuamotu atolls. The closest land to Hikueru is Tekokota Atoll, located 22 km to the north....
; Makemo
Makemo
Makemo, Rangi-kemo or Te Paritua, is one of the larger of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia.Makemo Atoll measures 70 km in length with an average width of 5–8 km. It is the fourth largest atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in terms of lagoon surface, with a lagoon of over 600 km²...
; Manihi
Manihi
Manihi, or Paeua, is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is one of the northernmost of the Tuamotus, located in the King George subgroup. The closest land to Manihi is Ahe Atoll, located 14 km to the west...
; Napuka
Napuka
Napuka, or Pukaroa, is a small coral atoll in the Disappointment Islands, in the north-eastern part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located only 15 km to the southeast of Tepoto Nord, its nearest neighbor, forming a small group...
; Nukutavake
Nukutavake
Nukutavake or Nukutuvake is an island in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It lies 1,125 km from Tahiti. The closest land is small Pinaki Atoll, located 15 km to the southeast. Vairaatea Atoll lies 38 km to the west of Nukutavake....
; Pukapuka
Pukapuka
Pukapuka is a coral atoll in the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean, with three small islets threaded on a reef that encloses a beautifully clear lagoon. It is the most remote island of the Cook Islands, situated about 1140 kilometres northwest of Rarotonga. It is a triangular atoll with three...
; Rangiroa
Rangiroa
Rangiroa or Te Kokōta , is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is part of the Palliser group. The nearest atoll is Tikehau, located only 12 km to the West...
; Reao
Reao
Reao or Natūpe is an atoll in the eastern expanses of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The closest land is Pukarua Atoll, located 48 km to the WNW....
; Takaroa
Takaroa
Takaroa, Taka-roa or Takapua, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Length 27.4 km, width 7 km. Latitude 14° 27'; Longitude S 144° 59' W.The nearest land is Takapoto Atoll, located 10 km to the Southwest....
; Tatakoto
Tatakoto
Tatakoto is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.Tatakoto is one of the more isolated atolls of the Tuamotus. It situated in the east of the archipelago, 1,182 km from Tahiti. This atoll is 14 km long and 3.5 km wide. It has one large island and 65 islets separated by...
; and Tureia
Tureia
Tureia is an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia.Tureia atoll is 15 km long and has a maximum width of 8 km. A very long island covers completely its eastern reef. The lagoon has no entrance....
.
Electoral divisions
Assembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...
. The Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est electoral district comprises the commune of Gambier and eleven communes in eastern Tuamotu: Anaa; Fangatau; Hao; Hikueru; Makemo; Napuka; Nukutavake; Pukapuka; Reao; Tatakoto; and Tureia. The other five communes in western Tuamotu – Arutua; Fakarava; Manihi; Rangiroa; and Takaroa – form the Îles Tuamotu Ouest electoral district .
Demography
Moruroa
Moruroa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
and Fangataufa
Fangataufa
Fangataufa is a small, low, narrow, coral atoll in the eastern side of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Along with its neighboring atoll, Moruroa, it has been the site of approximately 200 nuclear bomb tests....
, the sites of French nuclear tests.
The common language spoken in the Tuamotus is Tuamotuan
Tuamotuan language
The Tuamotuan language or Paumotuan is a Tahitic language spoken by about 6700 people in the Tuamotu Islands with an additional 2000 speakers in Tahiti...
, except in Puka-Puka which uses the Marquesan language
Marquesan language
Marquesan is a collection of East-Central Polynesian dialects, of the Marquesic group, spoken in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. They are usually classified into two groups, North Marquesan and South Marquesan, roughly along geographic lines....
. The Gambier Islands use Mangarevan.
Economy
The islands' economy is predominantly composed of subsistence agricultureSubsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
. The most important sources of additional income are the cultivation of black pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s and the preparation of copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
. Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
-related income remains meager, especially by comparison to the tourism industry of the neighboring Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
. A modest tourism infrastructure is found on the atolls of Rangiroa
Rangiroa
Rangiroa or Te Kokōta , is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is part of the Palliser group. The nearest atoll is Tikehau, located only 12 km to the West...
and Manihi
Manihi
Manihi, or Paeua, is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is one of the northernmost of the Tuamotus, located in the King George subgroup. The closest land to Manihi is Ahe Atoll, located 14 km to the west...
which have recreational scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
and snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
destinations.
Geography
Despite the vast spread of the archipelago, it covers a total land area of only about 885 km² . The climate is warm tropicalTropical Warm Pool
The Tropical Warm Pool is a mass of ocean water located in the western Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean which exhibits the highest water temperatures over the largest expanse of the Earth's surface....
, without pronounced seasons. The annual average temperature is a relatively continuous 26°C (79°F). Water sources such as lakes or rivers are absent, leaving catchments of rain as the only source of fresh water . The annual average rainfall is 1400 mm (about 55 in). Rainfall is not markedly different throughout the year, although it is lowest during the months of September and November.
Geological stability of the archipelago is high, as it was created by the weakly active Easter Fracture Zone
Easter Fracture Zone
The Easter fracture zone is an oceanic fracture zone associated with the transform fault extending from the Tuamotu archipelago in the westto the Peru-Chile Trench to the east....
. No volcanic eruptions have been recorded historically.
Flora and fauna
The sparse soil of the coral islands does not permit a diverse vegetation. The coconutCoconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
palm, which forms the basis for copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
production, is of special economic importance. On a few islands, vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
is also cultivated. Agriculture is generally otherwise limited to simple subsistence. Fruit and vegetable staples include yams
Yam (vegetable)
Yam is the common name for some species in the genus Dioscorea . These are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania...
, taro
Taro
Taro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, and breadfruit
Breadfruit
Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, growing throughout Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands...
, as well as a wide range of other tropical fruits. Pandanus
Pandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
leaves are traditionally woven together as roof thatch (although nowadays there are a great number of corrugated sheet-metal roofs instead), as well as for other items, such as mats and hats.
The species-rich reefs are home to a diverse range of underwater fauna. Surface creatures are primarily seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
s, insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, and lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s. The Tuamotus have only 57 species of birds, but ten of these are endemic, including the Tuamotu Kingfisher
Tuamotu Kingfisher
The Tuamotu Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is endemic to the island of Niau in French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, plantations and rural gardens...
, the Tuamotu Reed-warbler
Tuamotu Reed-warbler
The Tuamotu Reed-warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Acrocephalidae family.It is found only in French Polynesia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007....
, and the Tuamotu Sandpiper
Tuamotu Sandpiper
The Tuamotu Sandpiper, Prosobonia cancellata, is an endangered member of the large wader family Scolopacidae, that is endemic to the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. It is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Aechmorhynchus...
. Thirteen species are globally threatened and one is extinct.
Geology
All of the islands of the Tuamotus are coral "low islands": essentially high sand bars built upon coral reefReef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s. Makatea
Makatea
Makatea, or Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, is a raised coral atoll in the northwestern part of the Tuamotus. It is located 79 km southwest from Rangiroa to the west of the Palliser group. It is surrounded by spectacular cliffs, rising to a plateau 80 meters above the sea level. This island is...
, southwest of the Palliser Islands, is one of three great phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
rocks in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The others are Banaba
Banaba Island
Banaba Island , an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised coral island west of the Gilbert Island chain and 300 km east of Nauru. It is part of the Republic of Kiribati. It has an area of 6.5 km², and the highest point on the island is also the highest point in Kiribati, at 81...
in Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
, and the island nation of Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
. Although geographically
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
part of the Tuamotus, the Gambier Islands, at the southeastern extreme of the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, are geologically
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and culturally
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
distinct.
In the northwest of the archipelago, the ring-shaped atoll Taiaro
Taiaro
Taiaro, or Maro-taua, is a small atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is one of the smallest of the Tuamotu atolls. Taiaro lies 42 km to the northeast of Raraka Atoll....
provides a rare example of a coral reef with a fully enclosed lagoon. The atoll was officially designated as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
in 1977.
History
The early history of the Tuamotu islands is generally shrouded in mystery. Archaeological findings lead to the conclusion that the western Tuamotus were settled from the Society IslandsSociety Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
by c. 700. On the islands of Rangiroa
Rangiroa
Rangiroa or Te Kokōta , is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is part of the Palliser group. The nearest atoll is Tikehau, located only 12 km to the West...
, Manihi
Manihi
Manihi, or Paeua, is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is one of the northernmost of the Tuamotus, located in the King George subgroup. The closest land to Manihi is Ahe Atoll, located 14 km to the west...
and Mataiva
Mataiva
Mataiva or Tepoetiriura is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is located in the Palliser group, and is the westernmost of the Tuamotus. The nearest atoll, Tikehau, is located 35 km to the east...
, there are flat ceremonial platforms (called marae) made of coral blocks, although their exact age is unknown.
Tupac Inca Yupanqui
Tupac Inca Yupanqui
Topa Inca Yupanqui , translated as "noble Inca accountant," was the tenth Sapa Inca of the Inca Empire, and fifth of the Hanan dynasty. His father was Pachacuti, and his son was Huayna Capac. Topa Inca belonged to the Qhapaq panaca....
from the Inca Empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
is credited with leading a circa 10 month-long voyage of exploration into the Pacific around 1480.
European encounters with the Tuamotus began with that of Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
, during his circumglobal voyage in 1521. His visit was followed by:
- PortuguesePortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
sailor Pedro Fernandes de QueirósPedro Fernandes de QueirósPedro Fernandes de Queirós , was a Portuguese navigator best known for his involvement with Spanish voyages of discovery in the Pacific Ocean, in particular the 1595-1596 voyage of Alvaro de Mendaña de Neira, and for leading a 1605-1606 expedition which crossed the Pacific in search of Terra...
in 1606; - DutchNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
mariners Willem SchoutenWillem SchoutenWillem Cornelisz Schouten was a Dutch navigator for the Dutch East India Company. He was the first to sail the Cape Horn route to the Pacific Ocean.- Biography :Willem Cornelisz Schouten was born in c...
and Jacob Le MaireJacob Le MaireJacob Le Maire was a Dutch mariner who circumnavigated the earth in 1615-16. The strait between Tierra del Fuego and Isla de los Estados was named the Le Maire Strait in his honor, though not without controversy...
in 1616; - Jakob RoggeveenJakob RoggeveenJacob Roggeveen was a Dutch explorer who was sent to find Terra Australis, but he instead came across Easter Island...
(who also first sighted Easter IslandEaster IslandEaster Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
) in 1722; - John ByronJohn ByronVice Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was a Royal Navy officer. He was known as Foul-weather Jack because of his frequent bad luck with weather.-Early career:...
in 1765; - Louis Antoine de BougainvilleLouis Antoine de BougainvilleLouis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer. A contemporary of James Cook, he took part in the French and Indian War and the unsuccessful French attempt to defend Canada from Britain...
in 1768; - James CookJames CookCaptain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
during his first voyage in 1769; - Domingo de BonecheaDomingo de BonecheaDomingo de Bonechea Andonaegui , born on August 8, 1713 in Getaria, Basque Country, died in Tahiti in 1775, was an explorer for the Spanish crown...
in 1774 and - GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
navigator Otto von KotzebueOtto von KotzebueOtto von Kotzebue was a Baltic German navigator in Russian service....
, sailing in the service of the RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n tsarTsarTsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
s, in 1815.
None of these visits was of political consequence, as the islands were in the sphere of influence of the Pomare dynasty
Pomare Dynasty
The Kingdom of Tahiti was founded by paramount chief Pōmare I, who, with the aide of English missionaries and traders, and European weaponry, unifed the islands of Tahiti, Moʻorea, Tetiaroa, Mehetia and at its peak consists of the other Society Islands of eastern Polynesia. Their leaders were...
of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
.
It was not until the beginning of the 19th century that the first Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
arrived. Traders took the islands' pearls to the European markets by the late 19th century, making them coveted possessions. France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
forced the abdication of King Pomare V
Pomare V
Pōmare V, King of Tahiti was the last monarch of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855...
of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and claimed the islands without ever having formally annexed them.
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
and Fanny Vandegrift Stevenson travelled among the Paumotus on the Yacht Casco in 1888; an account of their journey was published as In the South Seas. Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
wrote a story, "The Seed of McCoy
South Sea Tales (1911)
South Sea Tales is a collection of short stories written by Jack London. Most stories are set in island communities, like those of Hawaii, or are set aboard a ship.-List of Stories:*The House of Mapuhi*The Whale Tooth*Mauki*"Yah! Yah! Yah!"...
," based on an incident in 1900 when a burning ship, the Pyrenees, was safely beached on Mangareva
Mangareva
Mangareva is the central and most important island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north...
. In the story, London has the ship sail past Mangareva and all through the Tuamotus before beaching on Fakarava
Fakarava
Fakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havai'i or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls. The nearest land is Toau Atoll, which lies 14 km to the northwest....
.
The Tuamotus made headline
Headline
The headline is the text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating the nature of the article below it.It is sometimes termed a news hed, a deliberate misspelling that dates from production flow during hot type days, to notify the composing room that a written note from an editor concerned a...
s around the world in 1947, when archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl
Thor Heyerdahl
Thor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer with a background in zoology and geography. He became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition, in which he sailed by raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands...
, sailing from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, reached Raroia
Raroia
Raroia, or Raro-nuku, is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located 740 km northeast of Tahiti and 6 km southwest of Takume. Administratively it is a part of the commune of Makemo....
on his raft Kon-Tiki
Kon-Tiki
Kon-Tiki was the raft used by Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands. It was named after the Inca sun god, Viracocha, for whom "Kon-Tiki" was said to be an old name...
. More recently the islands have been the subject of headlines as the site of French nuclear weapons testing on the atolls of Moruroa
Moruroa
Moruroa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
and Fangataufa
Fangataufa
Fangataufa is a small, low, narrow, coral atoll in the eastern side of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Along with its neighboring atoll, Moruroa, it has been the site of approximately 200 nuclear bomb tests....
.
Island groups
The Tuamotu archipelago encompasses seven small groups of islands and atolls:Duke of Gloucester IslandsDuke of Gloucester IslandsThe Duke of Gloucester Islands is a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located southeast of Tahiti and south of the main Tuamotu atoll cluster and are rather isolated...
- HereheretueHereheretueHereheretue is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is the northernmost island of the Duke of Gloucester Islands group, or Îles du Duc de Gloucester, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group. Hereheretue's nearest neighbor is Anuanuraro, which is located about 150 km away.Hereheretue Atoll...
- AnuanuraroAnuanuraroAnuanuraro is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group. Anuanuraro's nearest neighbor is Anuanurunga, which is located about 29 km to the southeast....
- AnuanurungaAnuanurungaAnuanurunga is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group. Anuanurunga's nearest neighbor is Nukutepipi, which is located about 22 km to the ESE....
- NukutepipiNukutepipiNukutepipi, or Nuku-te-pipi is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group. Nukutepipi's nearest neighbor is Anuanurunga, which is located about 22 km to the WNW....
Far East Tuamotu Group
- FangatauFangatauFangatau, or Nakai-erua, is a small atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.The nearest land is Fakahina Atoll, located 72 km to the ESE....
- FakahinaFakahinaFakahina, or Kaīna, is a small atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Fangatau Atoll, located 72 km to the WNW....
- TatakotoTatakotoTatakoto is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.Tatakoto is one of the more isolated atolls of the Tuamotus. It situated in the east of the archipelago, 1,182 km from Tahiti. This atoll is 14 km long and 3.5 km wide. It has one large island and 65 islets separated by...
- AkiakiAkiakiAkiaki is a low coral atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Akiaki's nearest neighbor is Vahitahi, which is located 41 km to the southeast....
- VahitahiVahitahiVahitahi, or Vaitake, is an atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Vahitahi's nearest neighbor is Akiaki, which is located 41 km to the northwest....
- NukutavakeNukutavakeNukutavake or Nukutuvake is an island in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It lies 1,125 km from Tahiti. The closest land is small Pinaki Atoll, located 15 km to the southeast. Vairaatea Atoll lies 38 km to the west of Nukutavake....
- VairaateaVairaateaVairaatea is a small atoll of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Geographically Vairaatea Atoll is part of the East-central subgroup of the Tuamotus, which includes Ahunui, Amanu, Fangatau, Hao and Nukutavake. Nukutavake, the closest land, lies 38 km to the east.Vairaatea Atoll measures...
- Pinaki
- ReaoReaoReao or Natūpe is an atoll in the eastern expanses of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The closest land is Pukarua Atoll, located 48 km to the WNW....
- PukaruaPukaruaPukarua, sometimes also listed as "Pukaruha" , is a coral atoll in the eastern Tuamotu Archipelago. The nearest atoll, Reao, is located 48 km to the ESE....
- VanavanaVanavanaVanavana, Kurataki, or Huataki is an atoll in the southeastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Vanavana's nearest neighbor is Tureia, which is located 58 km to the east....
- TureiaTureiaTureia is an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia.Tureia atoll is 15 km long and has a maximum width of 8 km. A very long island covers completely its eastern reef. The lagoon has no entrance....
- TematangiTematangiTematangi or Tematangui is an atoll in the southeastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Tematangi's nearest neighbor is Mururoa, which is located 161 km to the ESE....
- MoruroaMoruroaMoruroa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
- FangataufaFangataufaFangataufa is a small, low, narrow, coral atoll in the eastern side of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Along with its neighboring atoll, Moruroa, it has been the site of approximately 200 nuclear bomb tests....
Hao Group
- RekarekaRekarekaRekareka, Tehuata or Tu-henua, is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located in the Centre East of the group, 83 km southeast from Raroia .and lies 70 km NW of Tauere, its nearest neighbor...
(Tehuata) - TauereTauereTauere Atoll or Taouere, also known as Te Putua, is a small atoll of the central Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 85 km northwest of Hao Atoll's westernmost point....
- AmanuAmanuAmanu, Timanu, or Karere, is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago. Amanu lies at right angles to neighbouring Hao Atoll; this orientation is quite rare for the Tuamotu atolls.It is situated 900 km east of Tahiti and 15 km north of Hao...
- HaoHao (French Polynesia)Hao, or Haorangi, is a large coral atoll in the central part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Because of its shape, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville named it Harp Island....
- ParaoaParaoaParaoa, Tohora, or Hariri is a small atoll of the central Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 76 km south of Hao Atoll's westernmost point. The closest land is Manuhangi Atoll, 52 km to the west....
- NengonengoNengonengoNengonengo is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 53 km southeast of Ravahere, its closest neighbor, and 100 km southwest of Hao Atoll....
- ManuhangiManuhangiManuhangi is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. The atoll is situated 68 km southeast from Nengonengo and 52 km west from Paraoa....
- AhunuiAhunuiAhunui or Nga-taumanga is a small atoll of the eastern Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 55 km SSE of Paraoa Atoll and 120 km WSW of Vairaatea....
Palliser IslandsPalliser IslandsThe Palliser Islands or Pallisers are a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located in the northwest of the main group of atolls.-Atolls:The group includes:*Apataki*Arutua*Fakarava*Kaukura*Mataiva*Rangiroa*Makatea...
- FakaravaFakaravaFakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havai'i or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls. The nearest land is Toau Atoll, which lies 14 km to the northwest....
- NiauNiauNiau is a small atoll in French Polynesia, in the commune of Fakarava . This atoll has broad fringing reef and an area of 20 km²....
- ToauToauToau, Pakuria, or Taha-a-titi is a coral atoll in French Polynesia, one of the Palliser Islands . Toau has a wide lagoon; length 35 km, width 18 km. The nearest land is Fakarava Atoll, located 14 km to the Southeast....
- Arutua
- ApatakiApatakiApataki is a coral atoll in the South Pacific Ocean, territorially part of French Polynesia. It is one of the Palliser Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Apataki is located approximately 370 kilometres northeast of the island of Tahiti. Its wide lagoon has two navigable passes to enter...
- KaukuraKaukuraKaukura is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia, long and wide. It is located in the western area of the archipelago, SW of Rangiroa. The closest land is Arutua Atoll, only to the East....
- MataivaMataivaMataiva or Tepoetiriura is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is located in the Palliser group, and is the westernmost of the Tuamotus. The nearest atoll, Tikehau, is located 35 km to the east...
- TikehauTikehau-External links:* * * * * * * * * * *...
- RangiroaRangiroaRangiroa or Te Kokōta , is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is part of the Palliser group. The nearest atoll is Tikehau, located only 12 km to the West...
- MakateaMakateaMakatea, or Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, is a raised coral atoll in the northwestern part of the Tuamotus. It is located 79 km southwest from Rangiroa to the west of the Palliser group. It is surrounded by spectacular cliffs, rising to a plateau 80 meters above the sea level. This island is...
Raeffsky IslandsRaeffsky IslandsThe Raeffsky Islands or Raevski Islands is a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located roughly in the central area of the main Tuamotu atoll cluster...
- AnaaAnaaAnaa, Nganaa-nui is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago, in French Polynesia. It is located in the north-west of the archipelago, 350 km to the east of Tahiti. It oval in shape, 29.5 km in length and 6.5 km wide, with a total area 38 km²...
- FaaiteFaaiteFaaite, or Faaiti, is an atoll of the Tuamotus in French Polynesia. It is located 60 km to the north of Anaa Atoll. The total surface of the atoll is 230 km². Its dry land area is 9 km². Its length is 28 km and its width 10.5 km.Faaite's inner lagoon has a navigable...
- TahaneaTahaneaTahanea Atoll is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 12 km to the east of Faaite Atoll.Tahanea Atoll is quite large. It measures 48 km in length with a maximum width of 15.2 km. The southern reef fringing the atoll is wider than the northern one,...
- MotutungaMotutungaMotutunga Atoll is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 17 km to the east of Tahanea Atoll.Motutunga Atoll is roughly triangular in shape. It measures 15 km in length with a maximum width of 14 km. The reef fringing the atoll is continuous. There are...
- TakumeTakumeTakume or Pukamaru is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located northeast of Tahiti and northeast of Raroia and to the west of Fangatau.This elongated atoll measures by . Its lagoon has an area of ....
- RaroiaRaroiaRaroia, or Raro-nuku, is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located 740 km northeast of Tahiti and 6 km southwest of Takume. Administratively it is a part of the commune of Makemo....
- TaengaTaengaTaenga, or Taunga-hara, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 32 km to the northeast of Makemo Atoll and 27 km to the northwest of Nihiru Atoll....
- NihiruNihiruNihiru, or Nikia, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is a relatively small atoll located 49 km to the east of Makemo Atoll and 30 km northeast of Marutea Atoll....
- MakemoMakemoMakemo, Rangi-kemo or Te Paritua, is one of the larger of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia.Makemo Atoll measures 70 km in length with an average width of 5–8 km. It is the fourth largest atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in terms of lagoon surface, with a lagoon of over 600 km²...
- KatiuKatiuKatiu, or Taungataki, is an atoll of the central Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 23.5 km west of Makemo Atoll's westernmost point....
- TuanakeTuanakeTuanake or Mata-rua-puna is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 24 km southwest of Makemo Atoll's westernmost point....
- HitiHitiHiti, or Hiti-rau-mea, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 19 km southwest of Makemo Atoll....
- Tepoto (South)Tepoto (South)Tepoto Atoll , or Ti Poto, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 44 km southwest of Makemo Atoll.Tepoto Atoll is almost round in shape. It measures 3.8 km in diameter...
(Tepoto Sud) - Marutea NordMarutea NordMarutea, or Taunga tauranga-e-havana, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 24 km to the southeast of Makemo Atoll and 30 km southwest of Nihiru Atoll....
- HaraikiHaraikiHaraiki is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 42 km southwest of Marutea Nord.Haraiki Atoll is roughly triangular in shape. It measures 7 km in length with a maximum width of 5 km. There are three islets on its reef with a total land area of...
- AratikaAratikaAratika is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Kauehi Atoll, located 35 km to the south east.Aratika has an unusual butterfly shape. Its length is 20.8 km and its maximum width 10.7 km. The lagoon is wide and deep, and can be entered by two...
- KauehiKauehiKauehi, or Putake, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.The nearest land is Raraka Atoll, located 17 km to the Southeast.Kauehi Atoll is roughly kidney-shaped and has a wide lagoon; length 23 km, width 17 km....
- TaiaroTaiaroTaiaro, or Maro-taua, is a small atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is one of the smallest of the Tuamotu atolls. Taiaro lies 42 km to the northeast of Raraka Atoll....
- RarakaRarakaRaraka, or Te Marie, is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It lies 17 km to the southeast of Kauehi Atoll....
Related island groups include:
- The Gambier GroupGambier IslandsThere was a time when the Gambiers hosted a population of several thousand people and traded with other island groups including the Marquesas, the Society Islands and Pitcairn Islands...
: Akamaru; Angakauitai; AukenaAukenaAukena is the 4th largest of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. Aukena is located at , about halfway between Mangareva and Akamaru , or about southeast of Mangareva. Aukena is approximately long and about wide, with a total area of ....
; Kamaka; Kouaku; Makapu; MakaroaMakaroaMakaroa is an island in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia, located at , 8.5 km south of Mangareva within the same lagoon. Makaroa is about 1.3 km in length and has a small rocky islet off its NW point....
; MangarevaMangarevaMangareva is the central and most important island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north...
; Manui; Mekiro; Papuri; Puaumu; TaravaiTaravaiTaravai is the second largest island in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia, at 5.7 km². Taravai is located at , about 1.5 km southwest of Mangareva, and about 300 m north of the island of Angakauitai. Off its eastern shore lies the tiny rock Îlot Motu-o-ari.The village named Agonoko...
; Tokorua; and Totengengie. - The Outer Gambier Group: Marutea SudMarutea SudMarutea Atoll , also known as Marutea-i-runga, and Nuku-nui, is an atoll of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is located in the far southeast of the archipelago, about 72 km northeast from Maria Atoll....
; Maria EstMaria EstMaria Atoll is a small atoll of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is located in the far southeast of the archipelago, about 72 km southwest from Marutea Sud. Maria's closest neighbour is the small atoll of Matureivavao of the Acteon Group, 56 km to the northwest.Maria Atoll is oval in...
; MoraneMorane (French Polynesia)Morane is a small isolated atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 153 km southwest of Maria Est, its closest neighbor....
; and Temoe. - The Acteon GroupActeon GroupThe Acteon Group is a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is located about 1,400 km south-southeast of Tahiti and southeast of the main Tuamotu atoll cluster and is rather isolated...
: MatureivavaoMatureivavaoMatureivavao, or Mature-vavao is an atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands. It is the largest atoll within the Acteon Group....
; TenararoTenararoTenararo is an atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands. This atoll is the smallest of the group.Tenararo Atoll has a landing place on its NW side between the small boulders which encumber the reef...
; TenarungaTenarungaTenarunga or Tenania, formerly Minto Island, 15 km NNW of Matureivavao, is a low, wooded and uninhabited atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands...
; and VahangaVahangathumb|300px|NASA satellite image of VahangaVahanga is a small atoll 5 miles west of Tenarunga. It is located in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands. Vahanga is a low atoll covered with coconut trees...
.
See also
- French overseas departments and territories
- Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceansIslands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans-Indian Ocean Islands:The following islands are in the Indian Ocean*Réunion - *Mayotte - *French Southern and Antarctic Lands **Amsterdam Island **Crozet Islands **Kerguelen Islands...
External links
- Stevenson, Robert L. (1896), In the South Seas
- Official site (Tahiti Tourism board)
- Official site (Geography)
- Official site (Administration)
- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=44596