Tatakoto
Encyclopedia
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia
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...
.
Tatakoto is one of the more isolated atolls of the Tuamotus. It situated in the east of the archipelago, 1,182 km from 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...
. This atoll is 14 km long and 3.5 km wide. It has one large island and 65 islets separated by numerous channels on the reef surrounding the lagoon. The islands are mostly located on its windward side (south). All the islands are flat, not much higher than the ocean level.
The main settlement is Tumukuru, and the total population was 255 in the 2002 census.
History
Tatakoto Atoll was sighted the same day by two Spaniards. In the second expedition of the Águila, the two captains, Domingo de BonecheaDomingo de Bonechea
Domingo de Bonechea Andonaegui , born on August 8, 1713 in Getaria, Basque Country, died in Tahiti in 1775, was an explorer for the Spanish crown...
and José Andía y Varela, separated when leaving Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and did not see each other until reaching Tahiti. On 29 October 1774 (the day of Saint Narcissus
Narcissus of Jerusalem
Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem was an early patriarch of Jerusalem. He is venerated as a saint by both the Western and Eastern Churches...
) the two disembarked on Tatakoto without meeting. They named the island "San Narciso". Historically the island was also known as "d'Augier".
Chronicler José Andía described the atoll as "extremely agreeable to the eyes by being very populated by shrubs." At the beginning of the twentieth century France established a colony and replanted the island with coconut
Coconut
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...
palms, which still cover the island.
Tatakoto Airport was inaugurated in 1979.
Administration
Administratively Tatakoto Atoll has its own commune, which belongs to the Îles Tuamotu-GambierÎles Tuamotu-Gambier
The Îles Tuamotu-Gambier Tuamotu-Gambier) geographically consist of the Tuamotus and the Gambier Islands which are geographically located closely together....
administrative subdivision of French Polynesia
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...
.
Total Eclipse of 11 July 2010
The Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010Solar eclipse of July 11, 2010
The total solar eclipse of July 11, 2010, occurred over the southern Pacific Ocean. -Visibility:The eclipse was one of the most remote in recorded history...
passed over Tatakoto atoll, and several groups of eclipse chasers traveled to the island to observe and photograph the event. Though the day began with broken clouds, thin overcast and isolated rain, all groups reported success viewing the eclipse's total phase, which began at appx 8:47am local time. The eclipse was observed (1) by the local inhabitants in the village on the NW part of the island, (2) by day-trippers to the island near the airport in the SW, (2) by three separate parties on the southern motus both in the SW and SE portions of the atoll, (3) by professional astronomers situated on the football pitch within the town limits, (4) by isolated individuals and couples on the beach in the far northeastern and far eastern portions of the main northern motu.