Akamaru is the third largest island in the
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 alo ...
of
French Polynesia
French Polynesia ( ; ; ) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole #Governance, overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than in the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. The t ...
. It is a small, rocky island with an area of approximately . The island is located approximately southeast of
Mangareva
Mangareva is the central and largest 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. Mangareva has a permanent p ...
, which is the largest island of the whole Gambier Islands archipelago. Akamaru's highest point rises to an elevation of .
The first European to arrive was the navigator
James Wilson James Wilson may refer to:
Politicians and government officials
Canada
* James Wilson (Upper Canada politician) (1770–1847), English-born farmer and political figure in Upper Canada
* James Crocket Wilson (1841–1899), Canadian MP from Queb ...
in 1797. In 1834, the French missionary
Honoré Laval
Honoré Laval, SS.CC., (born ''Louis-Jacques Laval''; 5/6 February 1808 – 1 November 1880) was a French people, French Catholic priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (also known as the Picpus Fathers), a religious ins ...
celebrated the first Mass on the island. The church of
Notre-Dame de la Paix was built between 1835 and 1862. People from Mangareva sometimes visit to maintain the church and pick
orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
** Orange juice
*Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...
s in season. According to the 2012 census, there are 22 inhabitants.
The much smaller island of
Mekiro
Mekiro is an island of the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia
French Polynesia ( ; ; ) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole #Governance, overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching ...
is located just off (about 100 m) Akamaru's northwestern shore.
Gallery
File:Akamaru.2.jpg, View of Akamaru and Mekiro
Mekiro is an island of the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia
French Polynesia ( ; ; ) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole #Governance, overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching ...
File:Eglise.Notre-Dame_de_la_Paix.Akamaru.jpg, Church of Notre-Dame de la Paix
File:Allee.Akamaru.jpg, Alley of coconut trees
File:Akamaru.02.01.14.4.JPG, View on Mangareva island from Akamaru
File:Akamaru.02.01.14.3.JPG, Palms
References
Islands of the Gambier Islands
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