Napuka, or Pukaroa, is a small
coral
Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...
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
Disappointment Islands, in the northeastern part of the
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 only 15 km to the southeast of
Tepoto Nord, its nearest neighbor, forming a small group. These two atolls are quite isolated, the nearest land being
Fangatau Atoll 170 km to the south.
Napuka Atoll is 10.5 km long and about 4 km wide. Its reef is quite broad, completely enclosing the lagoon. The total dry land area of the thirty islands on Napuka's reef is 8 km
2. The surface of the lagoon is 18 km
2.
Napuka has 255 inhabitants according to the 2022
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
.
[ The main village is Tepukamaruia (Te Puka Maru Ia).
]
History
The first recorded European to reach Napuka Atoll was the British explorer John Byron
Vice-Admiral John Byron (8 November 1723 – 1 April 1786) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer. He earned the nickname "Foul-Weather Jack" in the press because of his frequent encounters with bad weather at sea. As a midshipman, he sa ...
, in 1765. He named Napuka and Tepoto "Disappointment Islands" because he found the natives to be of a hostile disposition toward him.
Napuka was visited by the historic United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842 was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby ...
, on 23 Aug. 1839.Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer, ship's captain, and List of explorers, explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842).
During the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865 ...
called "Wytoohee" or "Wutoohee".
The airport on Napuka opened in 1977.
Administration
The commune of Napuka consists of the atolls of Napuka and Tepoto Nord.[Décret n°72-407 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française]
Légifrance
Légifrance () is the official website of the French government for the publication of legislation, regulations, and legal information. It was established by decree in 2002. Access to the site is free.
Virtually complete, it presents or refers to ...
References
*
Atoll names
External links
A journey to the Disappointment Islands
Communes of French Polynesia
Atolls of the Tuamotus
{{FrenchPolynesia-geo-stub