The
Tuamotus or the
Tuamotu Archipelago (
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
:
Îles Tuamotu officially
Archipel des Tuamotu) are a chain of atolls in
French PolynesiaFrench Polynesia is a French overseas collectivity in the southern Pacific Ocean. 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...
and the largest chain of
atollAn atoll is an island of coral that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu
OED. Its first recorded use in English was in 1625 as atollon...
s in the world, spanning an area of the
Pacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Tepre Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and...
roughly the size of Western
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
.
Administrative divisions
The communes on the Tuamotus are: Anaa, Arutua, Fakarava, Fangatau, Gambier, Hao, Hikueru, Makemo, Manihi, Napuka, Nukutavake, Pukapuka, Rangiroa, Reao, Takaroa-takapoto, Tatakoto and Tureia. Administratively, the Tuamotus are part of the
Îles Tuamotu-GambierThe Îles Tuamotu-Gambier geographically consist of the Tuamotus and the Gambier Islands which are geographically located closely together.Because of a difference between administrative districts and electoral...
, which form one of the 5 administrative subdivisions (
subdivisions administratives) of
French PolynesiaFrench Polynesia is a French overseas collectivity in the southern Pacific Ocean. 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...
, the administrative subdivision of the Tuamotu-Gambier (Islands) (
subdivision administrative des (Îles) Tuamotu-Gambier) with 17 communes: The 16 communes Anaa, Arutua, Fakarava, Fangatau, Gambier, Hao, Hikueru, Makemo, Manihi, Napuka, Nukutavake, Pukapuka, Rangiroa, Reao, Takaroa-takapoto, Tatakoto and Tureia of the Tuamotus and the commune Gambier, comprising the
Gambier IslandsThe Gambier Islands are a small group of islands in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They are generally considered a separate island group from Tuamotu both because their culture and language are much more closely related to those of the Marquesas...
.
Electoral divisions
The communes on Tuamotu are part of two different districts/electoral circumscriptions (
circonscriptions électorales) for the
Assembly of French PolynesiaThe 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 last elections were held on May 23,...
(
Assemblée de la Polynésie française):
The islands/communes in the eastern part of the Tuamotus, together with the
Gambier IslandsThe Gambier Islands are a small group of islands in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They are generally considered a separate island group from Tuamotu both because their culture and language are much more closely related to those of the Marquesas...
(Gambier), form the electoral circumscription of the Gambier Islands and the Islands Tuamotu-East (
circonscription électorale des Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est), one of the 6 electoral districts (
circonscriptions électorales) for the
Assembly of French PolynesiaThe 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 last elections were held on May 23,...
(
Assemblée de la Polynésie française) with 12 communes: The commune Gambier on the Gambier Islands and the 11 communes Anaa, Fangatau, Hao, Hikueru, Makemo, Napuka, Nukutavake, Pukapuka, Reao, Tatakoto and Tureia in the eastern part of the Tuamotus.
The islands/communes in the western part of the Tuamotus form the electoral circumscription of the Islands Tuamotu-West (
circonscription électorale des Îles Tuamotu Ouest), a separate electoral district for the Assembly of French Polynesia, with the 5 communes Arutua, Fakarava, Manihi, Rangiroa and Takaroa in the western part of the Tuamotus.
Demography
At the 2002 census, the Tuamotus (including the Gambier Islands) had a population of 15,862 inhabitants. 769 inhabitants live in a radius around
MoruroaMururoa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
and
FangataufaFangataufa 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 the French nuclear tests. The language spoken in the Tuamotus is
TuamotuanThe Tuamotuan language, or Pa’umotu, is a Tahitic language spoken by about 6700 people in the Tuamotu Islands and an additional 2000 in Tahiti....
, a collection of
PolynesianThe Polynesian languages are a language family spoken in the region known as Polynesia. They are classified as part of the Austronesian family, belonging to the Oceanic branch of that family. They fall into two branches: Tongic and Nuclear Polynesian. There is an estimation of almost 5 million...
dialects, except for in Puka-Puka and the Gambier Islands, where Puka-Pukan and Mangarevan are spoken, respectively.
Economy
Today the most important source of income in the Tuamotus is from the cultivation of black
pearlA pearl is a hard, generally spherical 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...
s and the preparation of
copraCopra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.-Production:Coconut oil is traditionally extracted by grating or grinding copra, then boiling it in water. It was long used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the...
. Agriculture in the islands is predominantly subsistence in nature.
TourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other...
-related income remains meager, especially by comparison to the tourism industry of the neighboring
Society IslandsThe 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
RangiroaRangiroa or Te Kokota, is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is located in the Palliser group...
and
ManihiManihi, 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....
, two favorite
scuba divingScuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater for recreation, commercial or industrial reasons.Unlike early diving, which relied exclusively on air pumped from the surface, scuba...
and
snorkelingSnorkeling 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 tropical, 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 the only source of fresh water as catchments of rain 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 ZoneThe 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 was recorded in the historical time.
Major islands
The group encompasses 78
coralCorals are marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small sea anemone-like polyps, typically in colonies of many identical individuals...
atollAn atoll is an island of coral that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu
OED. Its first recorded use in English was in 1625 as atollon...
s and islands, including:
- Rangiroa
Rangiroa or Te Kokota, is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is located in the Palliser group...
, the second largest atoll in the world after KwajaleinKwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, nicknamed Kwaj by English-speaking residents of the U.S...
- Tikehau
Tikehau is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is located in the Palliser group, the westernmost of the Tuamotus. The nearest atoll, Rangiroa lies only 12 km to the east. Mataiva, another atoll of the same group, is located 35 km to the west.The atoll's oval-shaped lagoon is...
- 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....
, home to many black pearlA pearl is a hard, generally spherical 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...
farms
- 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....
and MoruroaMururoa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
, site of 193 FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
nuclear bomb tests between 1966 and 1996.
Island groups
Several of the atolls are grouped together and known by group names:
Disappointment IslandsThe Disappointment Islands are a subgroup of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. They are located towards the northeast, away from the main Tuamotu group....
(Îles du Désappointement)
- Tepoto (North)
Tepoto, also known as Te Poto, Toho, or Pukapoto, is a coral island. It is the northwesternmost of the Disappointment Islands, in the Tuamotu Archipelago. Despite being often referred to as "atoll", Tepoto is not a typical Tuamotu atoll, but a single separate island without lagoon...
- 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...
- Puka-Puka
Puka-Puka, is a small coral atoll in the north-eastern Tuamotu Archipelago, sometimes included as a member of the Disappointment Islands. This atoll is quite isolated, the nearest land being Fakahina, located 182 km to the southwest....
Duke 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...
(Îles du Duc de Gloucester)
- Anuanuraro
Anuanuraro 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....
- Anuanurunga
Anuanurunga 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....
- Hereheretue
Hereheretue 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...
- Nukutepipi
Nukutepipi, 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....
King George IslandsThe King George Islands is a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Latitude 14° 32' S; Longitude 145° 08' W.The King George Islands include four atolls and one island:* Ahe* Manihi* Takapoto* Takaroa* Tikei Island...
(Îles du Roi Georges)
- Ahe
Ahe, Ahemaru or Omaru, is an almost entirely-enclosed coral atoll, located in the northern Tuamotu Archipelago, just 14 km to the west of Manihi, in French Polynesia.Ahe Atoll's ring shape is broken by only a single small passage into the lagoon....
- 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....
- Takapoto
Takapoto, Tua-poto or Oura, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.Length 17 Km, width 6.4 Km. Latitude 14° 42'; Longitude S 145° 15' W.The nearest land is Takaroa Atoll, located 10 Km to the Northeast....
- 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....
- Tikei
Tikei, also known as Manu, Tikai and Tiku is an island in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Tikei is not a typical Tuamotu atoll, but a separate island. Maximum length: 2.8 Km, maximum width 1.2 Km...
Palliser IslandsThe Palliser Islands are a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located in the northwest of the main group of atolls.The group includes:*Apataki*Aratika*Arutua*Fakarava*Kaukura*Mataiva*Rangiroa*Makatea*Tikehau*Toau...
(Îles Palliser)
- Numerous atolls comprising the northwestern Tuamotus, and the island of Makatea
Makatea, or Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, is an uplifted coral island 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...
:
- Apataki
Apataki 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...
- Aratika
Aratika 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...
- Arutua
Arutua, or Ngaru-atua is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is located 40 km SW of Rangiroa. The closest land is Apataki Atoll, only 16 km to the East....
- 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....
- Kaukura
Kaukura 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....
- Mataiva
Mataiva 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...
- Rangiroa
Rangiroa or Te Kokota, is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is located in the Palliser group...
- Tikehau
Tikehau is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is located in the Palliser group, the westernmost of the Tuamotus. The nearest atoll, Rangiroa lies only 12 km to the east. Mataiva, another atoll of the same group, is located 35 km to the west.The atoll's oval-shaped lagoon is...
- Toau
Toau, 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....
- Makatea
Makatea, or Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, is an uplifted coral island 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 IslandsThe Raeffsky 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...
(Îles Raéffsky)
- Numerous atolls in the central Tuamotus, including 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...
- 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...
- Faaite
Faaite, 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....
- 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....
- Katiu
Katiu, 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....
- 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...
- Marutea Nord
Marutea, 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....
- Motutunga
Motutunga 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...
- Raraka
Raraka, 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.The shape of Raraka Atoll is an oval 26 km long and 19 km wide. Its fringing reef has many sandbanks and small motu...
- 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....
- Tahanea
Tahanea 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,...
- Takume
Takume 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 ....
- Tepoto
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...
- Haraiki
Haraiki 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...
- Tuanake
Tuanake 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....
- Hiti
Hiti, or Hiti-rau-mea, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 19 km southwest of Makemo Atoll....
- Taenga
Taenga, 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....
- Nihiru
Nihiru, 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....
Other islands and atolls in the central area
- Amanu
Amanu, 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...
- Hao
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, 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....
- Makatea
Makatea, or Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, is an uplifted coral island 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...
- Marokau
Marokau is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It lies 53 km southeast of Hikueru Atoll and it is separated by a 2 km wide sound from Ravahere, its closest neighbor in the south....
- Pukarua
Pukarua, 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....
- Reitoru
Reitoru, or Te Pirehi, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located in center of the archipelago, 50 km southwest of Hikueru....
- Vahitahi
Vahitahi, 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....
- 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....
Other islands and atolls in the north-eastern area
- 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....
- Fakahina
Fakahina, 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....
- 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...
- Pukarua
Pukarua, 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....
- 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....
Other atolls in the south-eastern area
- Tematangi
Tematangi 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....
- Vanavana
Vanavana, 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....
- 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....
The two atolls formerly used for French nuclear testing:
- Moruroa
Mururoa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
- 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....
Flora and fauna
The sparse soil of the coral islands does not permit a diverse vegetation. The
coconutThe Coconut Palm is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m long, pinnae 60–90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth. The term coconut refers to the seed of the...
palm, which forms the basis for
copraCopra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.-Production:Coconut oil is traditionally extracted by grating or grinding copra, then boiling it in water. It was long used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the...
production, is of special economic importance. On a few islands,
vanillaVanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. Etymologically, vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod. Originally cultivated by Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés is credited with introducing both the spice and...
is also cultivated. Agriculture is generally otherwise limited to simple subsistence. Fruit and vegetable staples include
yamsYam 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...
,
taroTaro is a tropical plant grown primarily as a vegetable food for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable. It is considered a staple in Oceanic cultures. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants...
, and
breadfruitBreadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, that is native to the Malay Peninsula and western Pacific islands. It has also been widely planted in tropical regions elsewhere.- Description :...
, as well as a wide range of other tropical fruits.
PandanusPandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. Plants vary in size from small shrubs less than tall, up to medium-sized trees tall, typically with a broad canopy and moderate growth rate. The trunk is stout, wide-branching, and ringed with many leaf scars...
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 animal life on the islands is limited to primarily
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s (mostly
seabirdSeabirds 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),
insectInsects are arthropods, having a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and include more than a million species that are already described. Insects represent more than half of all...
s and
lizardLizards are a very large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s. The Tuamotus have only 57 species of
birds, but 10 are endemic, including a lorikeet, a kingfisher and several monarch flycatchers and pigeon. 13 species are globally threatened and one is extinct. The underwater fauna however, is diverse. The beautiful and species-rich reefs make the Tuamotus one of the most scenic scuba-diving destinations in the world.
Geology
All of the islands of the Tuamotus are coral "low islands": essentially high sand bars built upon coral
reefIn nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s.
MakateaMakatea, or Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, is an uplifted coral island 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
phosphateA 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 OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Tepre Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and...
. The others are
BanabaBanaba 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
KiribatiKiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. It is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3,500,000 square kilometres, straddling the equator, and bordering the International Date Line to the east.The...
, and the island nation of
NauruNauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island nation in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbor is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 km to the east...
. Although
geographicallyGeography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. 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
archipelagoAn archipelago is a chain or cluster of islands that are formed tectonically. The word archipelago is directly derived from the Greek arkhon and pelagos...
, are
geologicallyGeology is the science and study of the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth. The field of geology encompasses the study of the composition, structure, physical properties, dynamics, and history of Earth materials, and the processes by which they are formed, moved, and changed...
and
culturallyCulture is a term that has different 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.
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 IslandsThe 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 A.D. On the islands of
RangiroaRangiroa or Te Kokota, is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, and one of the largest in the world . It is located in the Palliser group...
,
ManihiManihi, 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
MataivaMataiva 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.
The Tuamotus were first discovered by
Ferdinand MagellanFerdinand Magellan was a maritime navigator and explorer. Ferdinand Magellan was born circa 1480 at Sabrosa, near Vila Real, in the province of Tras-os-Montes, one of the wildest districts of Portugal...
, during his circumglobal voyage in 1521. His visit was followed by:
- Portuguese
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
sailor Pedro Fernandes de QueirósPedro Fernandes de Queirós also known as Pedro Fernández de Quirós, 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...
in 1606
- Dutch
The Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
mariners Willem SchoutenWillem Cornelisz Schouten was a Dutch navigator for the Dutch East India Company.- Biography :Willem Cornelisz Schouten was born in c...
and Jacob 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, however, not without controversy...
in 1616
- Jakob Roggeveen
Jacob Roggeveen was a Dutch explorer who was sent to find Terra Australis, but he instead came across Easter Island by chance.-Early career:...
(who also first sighted Easter IslandEaster Island ; is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeastern most point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile annexed in 1888, Easter Island is widely famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai , created by the early Rapanui people...
) in 1722
- John Byron
Vice-Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was an English vice-admiral. Byron was the sixth child of William Byron, 4th Baron Byron of Rochdale , and the third child William Byron had with his second wife Hon. Frances Berkeley...
in 1765
- Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis-Antoine, comte de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer.- Early career :Bougainville was born in Paris, the son of a notary, on either 11 or 12 November 1729. In early life, he studied law, but soon abandoned the profession, and in 1753 entered the army in the corps of musketeers...
in 1768
- James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS RN , was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer, ultimately rising to the rank of Captain in the Royal Navy...
during his first voyage in 1769
- German
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
navigator Otto von KotzebueOtto von Kotzebue was a Baltic German navigator in Russian service....
, sailing in the service of the RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n tsarTsar or czar , occasionally spelled csar or Tzar in English, is a Slavic term with Bulgarian origins used to designate certain monarchs...
s, in 1815
- From the Inca Empire
The Inca 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 Empire arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in early 13th century...
, Tupac Inca YupanquiTúpac Inca Yupanqui 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.-Description:...
is also credited with leading a circa 10 month-long voyage of exploration into the Pacific around 1480
None of these visits were of political consequence, the islands being in the sphere of influence of the Pomare dynasty of
TahitiTahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The island had a population of 178,133 inhabitants according to the August 2007 census. This makes it the most populous island of French Polynesia,...
. At the beginning of the 18th century the first
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
missionariesA missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith; someone who proselytizes. The word "mission" is derived from the Latin missioninimus A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith;...
arrived. The islands' pearls penetrated the European market in the late 1800s, making them a coveted possession. Following the forced abdication of
King Pomare VPōmare V, King of Tahiti was the last king of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Terii Taria Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855...
of
TahitiTahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The island had a population of 178,133 inhabitants according to the August 2007 census. This makes it the most populous island of French Polynesia,...
, the islands were annexed as an overseas territory of
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
. The Tuamotus made
headlineA headline is 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 headline...
s around the world in 1947, when archaeologist
Thor HeyerdahlThor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer with a scientific background in zoology and geography...
, sailing from
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
reached
RaroiaRaroia, 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-TikiKon-Tiki is 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 made headlines for French nuclear weapons testing on the atolls of Mururoa (sometimes called also Moruroa) and Fangataufa.
See also
External links