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Geography Of French Polynesia
French Polynesia is located in Oceania. It is a group of six archipelagos in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between South America and Australia. Its area is about 4,167 km2 (around 130 islands), of which 3,827 km2 is land and 340 km2 is (inland) water. It has a coastline of 2,525 km but no land borders with other countries. Physical geography There are 118 islands in French Polynesia (and many more islets or ''motus'' around atolls). Four of the islands are volcanic and one island is coral. Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean – the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru. The terrain consists of a mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs. It is made up of six archipelagos. The largest and most populated island is Tahiti, in the Society Islands. The archipelagos are: * Marquesas Islands – administratively making the Marquesas Islands subdivision (12 h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gambier Islands
The Gambier Islands ( or ) are an archipelago in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They cover an area of , and are made up of the Mangareva Islands, a group of high islands remnants of a caldera along with islets on the surrounding fringing reef, and the uninhabited Temoe atoll, which is located 45 km (28 mi) south-east of the Mangareva Islands. The Gambiers are generally considered a separate island group from Tuamotu both because their culture and language (Mangarevan language, Mangarevan) are much more closely related to those of the Marquesas Islands, and because, while the Tuamotus comprise several chains of coral atolls, the Mangareva Islands are of volcanic origin with central high islands. Administratively, the Gambier Islands are inside the Communes of France, commune of Gambier (commune), Gambier, which also includes several atolls in the Tuamotu Archipelago. The town hall (''mairie'') of the commune of Gambier is located o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nuku Hiva
Nuku Hiva (sometimes spelled Nukahiva or Nukuhiva) is the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas country of France in the Pacific Ocean. It was formerly also known as ''Île Marchand'' and ''Madison Island''. Herman Melville wrote his book '' Typee'' based on his experiences in the Taipivai valley in the eastern part of Nuku Hiva. Robert Louis Stevenson's first landfall on his voyage on the ''Casco'' was at Hatihe'u, on the north side of the island, in 1888. Geography Coast Western Nuku Hiva is characterized by a steep but fairly regular coastline, indented occasionally by small bays, leading to deep valleys, which in turn lead into the interior. There are no villages on the western side. The coastline of the eastern part of the island has few places to land by sea and takes the brunt of the ocean swells. The northern side, in contrast, is indented by deep bays, the largest of which are Anahō and Hatihe'u. A third bay, 'A'akapa, is smaller and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maupiti
Maupiti is an island in the western Leeward Islands in French Polynesia. It is the westernmost volcanic island in the archipelago, northwest of Tahiti and west of Bora Bora. It has a population of 1,286 people. The largest town is Vaiea. Geography Maupiti is a volcanic island, and lies on the Society hotspot. It is estimated to be 3.9 - 4.5 million years old. The island is a "near atoll", consisting of a central volcanic peak surrounded by a lagoon and barrier reef with four motu: Auira, Pa'ao, Tuanai, Tiapaa and Pitiahe. The lagoon has an area of and the central island has an area of and a maximum elevation of . History There are ancient Polynesian archaeological artifacts dating from at least AD 850 in Maupiti. A burial site excavated in 1962 suggested early cultural links with New Zealand. The first European to arrive on the island was the Dutchman Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. Historically, the island has had strong cultural links with Bora Bora. Economy Maupiti Airp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Huahine
Huahine is an island located among the Society Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Leeward Islands (Society Islands), Leeward Islands group ''(Îles sous le Vent).'' At the 2022 census it had a population of 6,263. History Human presence on Huahine dates back to at least a millennium ago, as evinced by the numerous Marae on the island. Archaeologists estimate that the ancient Tahitian Maohi people colonized Huahine from at least the 9th century AD. Huahine is home to one of the largest concentrations of Polynesian archaeological remains dated between 850 AD and 1100 AD. Independent kingdom Until the late 19th century Huahine was an independent kingdom, also called the Huahine and Maiao Realm, Kingdom. According to tradition, three main dynasties succeeded each other: The Hau-moo-rere dynasty was founded in the 17th century; its last representative was Queen Tehaapapa I, whom Captain Cook met ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hiva Oa
With its , Hiva Oa ( Marquesan: Hivaoa) is the second largest island in the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Located at 9 45' south latitude and 139 W longitude, it is the largest island of the southern Marquesas group. Around 2,200 people reside on the island. A volcano, Temetiu, is Hiva Oa's highest point with . History Colonial period The first recorded sighting of Hiva Oa by the Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Álvaro de Mendaña on 21 July 1595. They charted it as ''Dominica''. The island was briefly occupied by german forces under the command of Admiral Von Spee in October 1914. Overview Administratively, Hiva Oa is part of the commune (municipality) of Hiva-Oa, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Marquesas Islands. Atuona, on the coast of Hiva Oa island, is the administrative centre of the commune. Atuona was formerly the seat of government for all of the Marquesas Islands, but it h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
