Kaukura or Kaheko is an

atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical parts of the oceans and seas where corals can develop. Most ...

in the

Tuamotu 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 ...

group 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 ...

, long and wide. It is in the western area of the archipelago, southeast of

Rangiroa Rangiroa ( Tuamotuan for 'vast sky') or Te Kokōta (Cook Islands Māori Cook Islands Māori is an Eastern Polynesian language that is the official language of the Cook Islands. Cook Islands Māori is closely related to, but distinct from ...

. The closest land is Apataki Atoll, to the northeast. Kaukura Atoll is elongated, with a length of and a maximum width of . The northern reef rim is narrow, while the southern is broad. There are two groups of 65 islets. The surface of Kaukura's lagoon is and the land area . It has only one navigable pass cutting through the reef. The most important island is Motu Panao, in the atoll's northwest. Kaukura has 475 inhabitants ; the main village is Raitahiti. Geographically Kaukura belongs to the

Palliser Islands The Palliser Islands or Pallisers are a subgroup of the Tuamotus, Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located in the very northwest of the main group of atolls. Atolls The group includes: *Apataki *Arutua *Fakarava *Kaukura *Mataiva *Rang ...

(Îles Palliser) subgroup of the Tuamotus.

History

The first recorded European to arrive to Kaukura was Dutch Navigator Jakob Roggeveen on his expedition for the

Dutch West India Company The Dutch West India Company () was a Dutch chartered company that was founded in 1621 and went defunct in 1792. Among its founders were Reynier Pauw, Willem Usselincx (1567–1647), and Jessé de Forest (1576–1624). On 3 June 1621, it was gra ...

to seek

Terra Australis (Latin for ) was a hypothetical continent first posited in antiquity and which appeared on maps between the 15th and 18th centuries. Its existence was not based on any survey or direct observation, but rather on the idea that continental l ...

in 1722. Formerly, fishing was the main occupation of Kaukura's islanders. But presently, tourism has replaced the traditional activities as a source of income. There is a small

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

at Kaukura which was opened in 1994.Kaukura Airport
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Administration

Kaukura belongs to the commune of Arutua. The commune of Arutua consists of Arutua, as well as the atolls of Apataki and Kaukura.

References

External links

Atoll list (in French)
{{Tuamotus Atolls of the Tuamotus

History

Administration

See also

References

External links