Katiu, or Taungataki,
is an atoll of the central
Tuamotu Archipelago
The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (, officially ) are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extending (from northwest to ...
in
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 located west of
Makemo Atoll's westernmost point. It measures in length with a maximum width of . Its total area, including the lagoon is and a land area of approximately . There are many narrow islands on the north-eastern side of its long reef with a total land area of about . Its lagoon is connected to the ocean.
Katiu has a population of 250 inhabitants. The main occupations are fishing, copra harvesting and pearl farming. The most important village is called Toini; it is located on one of the long islands of the northeastern reef.
History
The first recorded European to arrive to Katiu was Russian oceanic explorer
Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen
Faddey Faddeyevich Bellingshausen or Fabian Gottlieb Benjamin von Bellingshausen ( – ) was a Russian cartographer, explorer, and naval officer of Baltic German descent, who attained the rank of admiral. He participated in the first Russi ...
in 1820 on the ships ''Vostok'' and ''Mirni''. He named this atoll "Osten-Saken" or "Saken".
NZETC - Bellingshausen
/ref>
Administration
Katiu belongs to the commune of Makemo, which consists of the atolls of Makemo, Haraiki, Marutea Nord, Katiu, Tuanake, Hiti, Tepoto Sud, Raroia, Takume, Taenga and Nihiru.
References
*
External links
Atoll list (in French)
Atolls of the Tuamotus
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