Paraoa, Tohora, or Hariri is a small atoll of the central
Tuamotu Archipelago
The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, 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, extendin ...
in
French Polynesia
)Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze")
, anthem =
, song_type = Regional anthem
, song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui"
, image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of French ...
. It is located 76 km south of
Hao Atoll's westernmost point. The closest land is
Manuhangi
Manuhangi (also known as Te Fara) is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 68 km southeast of Nengonengo, 52 km west of Paraoa and 845 km east of Tahiti. ''Oceandots.com''
Manuhangi Atoll is sma ...
Atoll, 52 km to the west.
Paraoa Atoll is ovular in shape. It measures in length with a maximum width of . Its lagoon is not connected to the ocean by a pass, which makes this small atoll quite inaccessible. Paraoa Atoll is uninhabited.
History
The first recorded European who arrived to Paraoa was Englishman
Samuel Wallis
Samuel Wallis (23 April 1728 – 21 January 1795 in London) was a British naval officer and explorer of the Pacific Ocean. He made the first recorded visit by a European navigator to Tahiti.
Biography
Wallis was born at Fenteroon Farm, n ...
in 1767. He named it "Gloucester".
Samuel Wallis (in German)
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Administration
Paraoa belongs to the commune of Hao (Main village: Otepa), which includes also Ahunui (uninhabited), Nengonengo, and Manuhangi
Manuhangi (also known as Te Fara) is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 68 km southeast of Nengonengo, 52 km west of Paraoa and 845 km east of Tahiti. ''Oceandots.com''
Manuhangi Atoll is sma ...
(uninhabited).
References
External links
Presidency of French Polynesia site
Atolls of the Tuamotus
{{FrenchPolynesia-geo-stub