1.
NASA
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President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958 with a distinctly civilian orientation encouraging peaceful applications in space science. The National Aeronautics and Space Act was passed on July 29,1958, disestablishing NASAs predecessor, the new agency became operational on October 1,1958. Since that time, most US space exploration efforts have led by NASA, including the Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station. Currently, NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the agency is also responsible for the Launch Services Program which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches. NASA shares data with various national and international such as from the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite. Since 2011, NASA has been criticized for low cost efficiency, from 1946, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics had been experimenting with rocket planes such as the supersonic Bell X-1. In the early 1950s, there was challenge to launch a satellite for the International Geophysical Year. An effort for this was the American Project Vanguard, after the Soviet launch of the worlds first artificial satellite on October 4,1957, the attention of the United States turned toward its own fledgling space efforts. This led to an agreement that a new federal agency based on NACA was needed to conduct all non-military activity in space. The Advanced Research Projects Agency was created in February 1958 to develop technology for military application. On July 29,1958, Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, a NASA seal was approved by President Eisenhower in 1959. Elements of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and the United States Naval Research Laboratory were incorporated into NASA, earlier research efforts within the US Air Force and many of ARPAs early space programs were also transferred to NASA. In December 1958, NASA gained control of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA has conducted many manned and unmanned spaceflight programs throughout its history. Some missions include both manned and unmanned aspects, such as the Galileo probe, which was deployed by astronauts in Earth orbit before being sent unmanned to Jupiter, the experimental rocket-powered aircraft programs started by NACA were extended by NASA as support for manned spaceflight. This was followed by a space capsule program, and in turn by a two-man capsule program. This goal was met in 1969 by the Apollo program, however, reduction of the perceived threat and changing political priorities almost immediately caused the termination of most of these plans. NASA turned its attention to an Apollo-derived temporary space laboratory, to date, NASA has launched a total of 166 manned space missions on rockets, and thirteen X-15 rocket flights above the USAF definition of spaceflight altitude,260,000 feet. The X-15 was an NACA experimental rocket-powered hypersonic research aircraft, developed in conjunction with the US Air Force, the design featured a slender fuselage with fairings along the side containing fuel and early computerized control systems
2.
Pacific Ocean
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The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the Earths oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south and is bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, the Mariana Trench in the western North Pacific is the deepest point in the world, reaching a depth of 10,911 metres. Both the center of the Water Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere are in the Pacific Ocean, the oceans current name was coined by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during the Spanish circumnavigation of the world in 1521, as he encountered favourable winds on reaching the ocean. He called it Mar Pacífico, which in both Portuguese and Spanish means peaceful sea, important human migrations occurred in the Pacific in prehistoric times. Long-distance trade developed all along the coast from Mozambique to Japan, trade, and therefore knowledge, extended to the Indonesian islands but apparently not Australia. By at least 878 when there was a significant Islamic settlement in Canton much of trade was controlled by Arabs or Muslims. In 219 BC Xu Fu sailed out into the Pacific searching for the elixir of immortality, from 1404 to 1433 Zheng He led expeditions into the Indian Ocean. The east side of the ocean was discovered by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1513 after his expedition crossed the Isthmus of Panama and he named it Mar del Sur because the ocean was to the south of the coast of the isthmus where he first observed the Pacific. Later, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan sailed the Pacific East to West on a Castilian expedition of world circumnavigation starting in 1519, Magellan called the ocean Pacífico because, after sailing through the stormy seas off Cape Horn, the expedition found calm waters. The ocean was often called the Sea of Magellan in his honor until the eighteenth century, sailing around and east of the Moluccas, between 1525 and 1527, Portuguese expeditions discovered the Caroline Islands, the Aru Islands, and Papua New Guinea. In 1542–43 the Portuguese also reached Japan, in 1564, five Spanish ships consisting of 379 explorers crossed the ocean from Mexico led by Miguel López de Legazpi and sailed to the Philippines and Mariana Islands. The Manila galleons operated for two and a half centuries linking Manila and Acapulco, in one of the longest trade routes in history, Spanish expeditions also discovered Tuvalu, the Marquesas, the Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands, and the Admiralty Islands in the South Pacific. In the 16th and 17th century Spain considered the Pacific Ocean a Mare clausum—a sea closed to other naval powers, as the only known entrance from the Atlantic the Strait of Magellan was at times patrolled by fleets sent to prevent entrance of non-Spanish ships. On the western end of the Pacific Ocean the Dutch threatened the Spanish Philippines, Spain also sent expeditions to the Pacific Northwest reaching Vancouver Island in southern Canada, and Alaska. The French explored and settled Polynesia, and the British made three voyages with James Cook to the South Pacific and Australia, Hawaii, and the North American Pacific Northwest, one of the earliest voyages of scientific exploration was organized by Spain in the Malaspina Expedition of 1789–1794. It sailed vast areas of the Pacific, from Cape Horn to Alaska, Guam and the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, and the South Pacific. Growing imperialism during the 19th century resulted in the occupation of much of Oceania by other European powers, and later, Japan, in Oceania, France got a leading position as imperial power after making Tahiti and New Caledonia protectorates in 1842 and 1853 respectively. After navy visits to Easter Island in 1875 and 1887, Chilean navy officer Policarpo Toro managed to negotiate an incorporation of the island into Chile with native Rapanui in 1888, by occupying Easter Island, Chile joined the imperial nations
3.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
4.
Tuamotus
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Its major islands are Anaa, Fakarava, Hao and Makemo. The Tuamotu islands were settled by Polynesians, so Tuamotuans share a common culture. French Polynesia is an island group designated as an overseas country of France. The Tuamotus combine with the Gambier Islands to form the Îles Tuamotu-Gambier which is one of the five divisions of French Polynesia. The Tuamotus are grouped into sixteen communes, Anaa, Arutua, Fakarava, Fangatau, Hao, Hikueru, Makemo, Manihi, Napuka, Nukutavake, Puka Puka, Rangiroa, Reao, Takaroa, Tatakoto, and Tureia. The communes on Tuamotu are part of two different electoral districts represented in the Assembly of French Polynesia, the other five communes in western Tuamotu – Arutua, Fakarava, Manihi, Rangiroa, and Takaroa – form the Îles Tuamotu Ouest electoral district. At the 2007 census, the Tuamotus had a population of 18,317 inhabitants, of these,769 inhabitants live in a 215-nautical-mile radius around Mururoa and Fangataufa, the sites of former French nuclear tests. The common language spoken in the Tuamotus is Tuamotuan, except in Puka-Puka which uses the Marquesan language, the islands economy is predominantly composed of subsistence agriculture. The most important sources of income are the cultivation of black pearls. Tourism-related income remains meager, especially by comparison to the industry of the neighboring Society Islands. A modest tourism infrastructure is found on the atolls of Rangiroa, despite the vast spread of the archipelago, it covers a total land area of only about 885 km2. The climate is tropical, without pronounced seasons. The annual average temperature is a relatively continuous 26 °C, water sources such as lakes or rivers are absent, leaving catchments of rain as the only source of fresh water. The annual average rainfall is 1400 mm, rainfall is not markedly different throughout the year, although it is lowest during the months of September and November. Geological stability of the archipelago is high, as it was created by the weakly active Easter Fracture Zone, no volcanic eruptions have been recorded historically. The sparse soil of the coral islands does not permit a diverse vegetation, the coconut palm, which forms the basis for copra production, is of special economic importance. On a few islands, vanilla is also cultivated, agriculture is generally otherwise limited to simple subsistence. Fruit and vegetable staples include yams, taro, and breadfruit, pandanus leaves are traditionally woven together as roof thatch, as well as for other items, such as mats and hats
5.
French Polynesia
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It is composed of 118 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over an expanse of more than 2,000 kilometres in the South Pacific Ocean. Its total land area is 4,167 square kilometres, among its 118 islands and atolls,67 are inhabited. Tahiti, which is located within the Society Islands, is the most populous island and it has more than 68% of the population of the islands in 2012. Although not a part of its territory, Clipperton Island was administered from French Polynesia until 2007. Following the Great Polynesian Migration, European explorers visited the islands of French Polynesia on several occasions, traders and whaling ships also visited. In 1842, the French took over the islands and established a French protectorate they called Etablissements des français en Océanie, in 1946, the EFOs became an overseas territory under the constitution of the French Fourth Republic, and Polynesians were granted the right to vote through citizenship. In 1957, the EFOs were renamed French Polynesia, French Polynesia as we know it today was one of the last places on Earth to be settled by humans. Scientists believe the Great Polynesian Migration happened around 1500 BC as Austronesian people went on a journey using celestial navigation to find islands in the South Pacific Ocean, the first islands of French Polynesia to be settled were the Marquesas Islands in about 200 BC. The Polynesians later ventured southwest and discovered the Society Islands around AD300, European encounters began in 1521 when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, sailing at the service of the Spanish Crown, sighted Puka-Puka in the Tuāmotu-Gambier Archipelago. Over a century later, British explorer Samuel Wallis visited Tahiti in 1767, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville also visited Tahiti in 1768, while British explorer James Cook arrived in 1769. A short-lived Spanish settlement was created in 1774, and for a time some maps bore the name Isla de Amat after Viceroy Amat, in 1772, Dutchman Jakob Roggeveen came across Bora Bora in the Society Islands. Christian missions began with Spanish priests who stayed in Tahiti for a year, protestants from the London Missionary Society settled permanently in Polynesia in 1797. King Pōmare II of Tahiti was forced to flee to Moorea in 1803, he, French Catholic missionaries arrived on Tahiti in 1834, their expulsion in 1836 caused France to send a gunboat in 1838. In 1842, Tahiti and Tahuata were declared a French protectorate, the capital of Papeetē was founded in 1843. In 1880, France annexed Tahiti, changing the status from that of a protectorate to that of a colony, the island groups were not officially united until the establishment of the French protectorate in 1889. In the 1880s, France claimed the Tuamotu Archipelago, which belonged to the Pōmare Dynasty. Having declared a protectorate over Tahuata in 1842, the French regarded the entire Marquesas Islands as French, in 1885, France appointed a governor and established a general council, thus giving it the proper administration for a colony. The islands of Rimatara and Rūrutu unsuccessfully lobbied for British protection in 1888, postage stamps were first issued in the colony in 1892
6.
Communes of France
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The commune is a level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to civil townships incorporated municipalities in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany, the United Kingdom has no exact equivalent, as communes resemble districts in urban areas, but are closer to parishes in rural areas where districts are much larger. Communes are based on historical geographic communities or villages and have received significant powers of governance to manage the populations, the communes are the fourth-level administrative divisions of France. A French commune may be a city of 2.2 million inhabitants like Paris, communes typically are based on pre-existing villages and facilitate local governance. All communes have names, but not all named geographic areas or groups of people residing together are communes, a commune is a town, city, or municipality. Use of commune in English is a habit, and one that might be corrected. There is nothing in commune in French that is different from town in English. The French word commune appeared in the 12th century, from Medieval Latin communia, as of January 2015, there were 36,681 communes in France,36,552 of them in metropolitan France and 129 of them overseas. This is a higher total than that of any other European country. The whole territory of the French Republic is divided into communes and this is unlike some other countries, such as the United States, where unincorporated areas directly governed by a county or a higher authority can be found. There are only a few exceptions, COM of Saint-Martin and it was previously a commune inside the Guadeloupe région. The commune structure was abolished when Saint-Martin became an overseas collectivity on 22 February 2007, COM of Wallis and Futuna, which still is divided according to the three traditional chiefdoms. It was previously a commune inside the Guadeloupe region, the commune structure was abolished when Saint-Barthélemy became an overseas collectivity on 22 February 2007.88 square kilometres. The median area of metropolitan Frances communes at the 1999 census was even smaller, the median area is a better measure of the area of a typical French commune. This median area is smaller than that of most European countries. In Italy, the area of communes is 22 km2, in Belgium it is 40 km2, in Spain it is 35 km2, and in Germany. Switzerland and the Länder of Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia in Germany were the places in Europe where the communes had a smaller median area than in France. The communes of Frances overseas départements such as Réunion and French Guiana are large by French standards and they usually group into the same commune several villages or towns, often with sizeable distances among them
7.
Gambier Islands
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Because of their proximity, the Acteon Group, and the nearby atolls of Maria Est, Morane, Marutea Sud and Temoe, all permanently uninhabited, are sometimes included among the Gambiers. The commune of Gambier is made up of the Gambier Islands, the uninhabited Acteon Group to the northwest, and this group of islands and atolls covers an area of 35 km². Although these archipelagos are administered as a municipality, the main village is Rikitea. Temoe atoll, one island and a dozen of motus separated by passes over the corall reef. Acteon Group made of four atolls Tenararo, Vahanga, Tenarunga, apart from the above groups, it also includes the three isolated atolls of Marutea Sud, Maria Est, and Morane. The Gambier Islands, together with the islands in the part of the Tuamotus, form Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est. Together with the Tuamotus, the Gambier Islands form Îles Tuamotu-Gambier, the Gambier Islands proper have an enclosing coral reef which is broken by only three passages to the open sea. Besides Mangareva, the notable high islands of the group are Akamaru, Angakauitai, Aukena, Kamaka, Kouaku, Makapu, Makaroa, Manui, Mekiro. These are primarily of volcanic origin, a number of others are actually coral islands, hence of secondary volcanic origin, including Papuri, Puaumu, Totengengie and the Tokorua group. The islands proper are located at 23°09′S 134°58′W and are approximately 31 km² in area, the total population in 2007 was 1,641. The primary town is Rikitea, located on Mangareva, as is the highest point in the Gambiers, Mt. Duff, the more distant atolls of the Gambiers in the broad sense are all uninhabited. However, excessive logging by the islanders resulted in almost complete deforestation on Mangareva, with results for the islands environment. The folklore of the records a slide into civil war and even cannibalism as trade links with the outside world broke down. Today, the islands can support a population of only a few hundred, in 1834, the French Picpus priests Honoré Laval and François Caret with their assistant Columba Murphy founded a Roman Catholic mission in the Gambiers. After their success here, they moved to Tahiti in 1836, Mangareva along with its dependencies in the Gambier Islands were ruled by a line of kings and later regents that ruled until the French formally annexed the islands in 1881. A French protectorate was requested on 16 February 1844 by King Maputeoa but was never ratified by the French government, on 4 February 1870, Prince Regent Arone Teikatoara and the Mangarevan government formally withdrew the protectorate request and asked the French to not intervene in the kingdoms affairs. The Gambier Islands were finally annexed on 21 February 1881 under Prince Regent Bernardo Putairi, the Gambiers served as a logistical staging base for French nuclear testing activity in Mururoa, approximately 400 kilometers away. During this time, the French military dragged a chain through some of the reef beds to cut a wider and deeper channel for deep draft vessels
8.
Atoll
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An atoll, sometimes called a coral atoll, is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands/cays on the rim, the coral of the atoll often sits atop the rim of an extinct seamount or volcano which has eroded or subsided partially beneath the water. The lagoon forms over the crater or caldera while the higher rim remains above water or at shallow depths that permit the coral to grow. For the atoll to persist, continued erosion or subsidence must be at a slow enough to permit reef growth upwards and outwards to replace the lost height. The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu, meaning an administrative subdivision, the distribution of atolls around the globe is instructive, most of the worlds atolls are in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean has no large groups of atolls, other than eight atolls east of Nicaragua that belong to the Colombian department of San Andres and Providencia in the Caribbean. Reef-building corals will thrive only in tropical and subtropical waters of oceans and seas. The northernmost atoll of the world is Kure Atoll at 28°24 N, the southernmost atolls of the world are Elizabeth Reef at 29°58 S, and nearby Middleton Reef at 29°29 S, in the Tasman Sea, both of which are part of the Coral Sea Islands Territory. The next southerly atoll is Ducie Island in the Pitcairn Islands Group, at this latitude coral reefs would not develop without the warming waters of the Gulf Stream. However, Bermuda is termed a pseudo-atoll because its general form, while there is no atoll directly on the equator, the closest atoll to the Equator is Aranuka of Kiribati, with its southern tip just 12 km north of the equator. In most cases, the area of an atoll is very small in comparison to the total area. Atoll islands are low lying, with their elevations less than 5 meters, measured by total area, Lifou is the largest raised coral atoll of the world, followed by Rennell Island. More sources however list as the largest atoll in the world in terms of land area Kiritimati, the remains of an ancient atoll as a hill in a limestone area is called a reef knoll. The second largest atoll by dry land area is Aldabra with 155 km², the largest atoll in terms of island numbers is Huvadhu Atoll in the south of the Maldives with 255 islands. In 1842, Charles Darwin explained the creation of coral atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean based upon observations made during a voyage aboard the HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836. In time, subsidence carries the old volcano below the ocean surface, at this point, the island has become an atoll. Atolls are the product of the growth of marine organisms. Volcanic islands located beyond the water temperature requirements of hermatypic organisms become seamounts as they subside and are eroded away at the surface
9.
Tuamotu Islands
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Its major islands are Anaa, Fakarava, Hao and Makemo. The Tuamotu islands were settled by Polynesians, so Tuamotuans share a common culture. French Polynesia is an island group designated as an overseas country of France. The Tuamotus combine with the Gambier Islands to form the Îles Tuamotu-Gambier which is one of the five divisions of French Polynesia. The Tuamotus are grouped into sixteen communes, Anaa, Arutua, Fakarava, Fangatau, Hao, Hikueru, Makemo, Manihi, Napuka, Nukutavake, Puka Puka, Rangiroa, Reao, Takaroa, Tatakoto, and Tureia. The communes on Tuamotu are part of two different electoral districts represented in the Assembly of French Polynesia, the other five communes in western Tuamotu – Arutua, Fakarava, Manihi, Rangiroa, and Takaroa – form the Îles Tuamotu Ouest electoral district. At the 2007 census, the Tuamotus had a population of 18,317 inhabitants, of these,769 inhabitants live in a 215-nautical-mile radius around Mururoa and Fangataufa, the sites of former French nuclear tests. The common language spoken in the Tuamotus is Tuamotuan, except in Puka-Puka which uses the Marquesan language, the islands economy is predominantly composed of subsistence agriculture. The most important sources of income are the cultivation of black pearls. Tourism-related income remains meager, especially by comparison to the industry of the neighboring Society Islands. A modest tourism infrastructure is found on the atolls of Rangiroa, despite the vast spread of the archipelago, it covers a total land area of only about 885 km2. The climate is tropical, without pronounced seasons. The annual average temperature is a relatively continuous 26 °C, water sources such as lakes or rivers are absent, leaving catchments of rain as the only source of fresh water. The annual average rainfall is 1400 mm, rainfall is not markedly different throughout the year, although it is lowest during the months of September and November. Geological stability of the archipelago is high, as it was created by the weakly active Easter Fracture Zone, no volcanic eruptions have been recorded historically. The sparse soil of the coral islands does not permit a diverse vegetation, the coconut palm, which forms the basis for copra production, is of special economic importance. On a few islands, vanilla is also cultivated, agriculture is generally otherwise limited to simple subsistence. Fruit and vegetable staples include yams, taro, and breadfruit, pandanus leaves are traditionally woven together as roof thatch, as well as for other items, such as mats and hats
10.
Municipality
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It is to be distinguished from the county, which may encompass rural territory and/or numerous small communities such as towns, villages and hamlets. The term municipality may also mean the governing or ruling body of a given municipality, a municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district. The term is derived from French municipalité and Latin municipalis, a municipality can be any political jurisdiction from a sovereign state, such as the Principality of Monaco, or a small village, such as West Hampton Dunes, New York. The power of municipalities range from virtual autonomy to complete subordination to the state, municipalities may have the right to tax individuals and corporations with income tax, property tax, and corporate income tax, but may also receive substantial funding from the state. Similar terms include Spanish ayuntamiento, also called municipalidad, Polish gmina, Dutch/Flemish Gemeente, in Australia, the term local government area is used in place of the generic municipality. Here, the LGA Structure covers only incorporated areas of Australia, incorporated areas are legally designated parts of states and territories over which incorporated local governing bodies have responsibility. In Canada, municipalities are local governments established through provincial and territorial legislation, the Province of Ontario has different tiers of municipalities, including lower, upper, and single tiers. Types of upper tier municipalities in Ontario include counties and regional municipalities, nova Scotia also has regional municipalities, which include cities, counties, districts, or towns as municipal units. In India, a Nagar Palika or Municipality is a local body that administers a city of population 100,000 or more. Under the Panchayati Raj system, it directly with the state government. Generally, smaller cities and bigger towns have a Nagar Palika. Nagar Palikas are also a form of local self-government entrusted with duties and responsibilities. Such a corporation in Great Britain consists of a head as a mayor or provost, since local government reorganisation, the unit in England, Northern Ireland and Wales is known as a district, and in Scotland as a council area. A district may be awarded borough or city status, or can retain its district title, in Jersey, a municipality refers to the honorary officials elected to run each of the 12 parishes into which it is subdivided. This is the highest level of government in this jurisdiction. In the United States, municipality is usually understood as a city, town, village, or other local government unit, in the Peoples Republic of China, a direct-controlled municipality is a city with equal status to a province, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing. In Taiwan, a municipality is a city with equal status to a province, Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei. In Portuguese language usage, there are two words to distinguish the territory and the administrative organ, when referring to the territory, the word concelho is used, when referring to the organ of State, the word município is used
11.
Tenarunga
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Tenarunga or Tenania, formerly Minto Island is a low, wooded and uninhabited atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. It is administratively a part of the Gambier Islands, tenarunga is located 15 kilometres northwest of Matureivavao,6 kilometres west of Vahanga and 1,375 kilometres southeast of Tahiti. It has an area of 2.3 square kilometres. There are some buildings and a dock located on the north-east side of the island, the atolls lagoon is not accessible from the sea. It was previously owned by a man named Captain Nicholas but was redeemed in 1934, the island is home to many rare species including the Tuamotu sandpiper. Matureivavao Tenararo Vahanga Acteon Group Sailing Directions, Pub 126, Pacific Islands NIMA2002, page-12 Atoll list Google Maps
12.
Tahiti
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Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, this overseas collectivity of the French Republic is sometimes referred to as a French overseas country. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs, the population is 183,645 inhabitants, making it the most populous island of French Polynesia and accounting for 68.5 percent of its total population. Tahiti is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia, the capital, Papeete, is located on the northwest coast with the only international airport in the region, Faaā International Airport, situated 5 km from the town centre. Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between 300 and 800 CE and they represent about 70 percent of the islands population with the rest made up of Europeans, Chinese and those of mixed heritage. The island was part of the Kingdom of Tahiti until its annexation by France in 1880, when it was proclaimed a colony of France, French is the only official language although the Tahitian language is widely spoken. Tahiti is the highest and largest island in French Polynesia lying close to Moorea island and it is located 4,400 kilometres south of Hawaii,7,900 km from Chile and 5,700 km from Australia. The island is 45 km across at its widest point and covers an area of 1,045 km2, the highest peak is Mont Orohena. Mount Roonui, or Mount Ronui in the southeast rises to 1,332 m, the island consists of two roughly round portions centred on volcanic mountains and connected by a short isthmus named after the small town of Taravao, situated there. The northwestern portion is known as Tahiti Nui, while the much smaller portion is known as Tahiti Iti or Taiarapū. Tahiti Nui is heavily populated along the coast, especially around the capital, the interior of Tahiti Nui is almost entirely uninhabited. Tahiti Iti has remained isolated, as its half is accessible only to those travelling by boat or on foot. The rest of the island is encircled by a road which cuts between the mountains and the sea. A scenic and winding road climbs past dairy farms and citrus groves with panoramic views. Tahitis landscape features lush rainforests and many rivers and waterfalls, including the Papenoo River on the side. November to April is the wet season, the wettest month of which is January with 13.2 in of rain in Papeetē, August is the driest with 1.9 inches. The average temperature ranges between 21 and 31 °C with little seasonal variation, the lowest and highest temperatures recorded in Papeete are 16 and 34 °C, respectively. The first Tahitians arrived from Southeast Asia in about 200 BCE and this hypothesis of an emigration from Southeast Asia is supported by a number of linguistic, biological and archaeological proofs. For example, the languages of Fiji and Polynesia all belong to the same Oceanic sub-group, Fijian-Polynesian, in 1769, for instance, James Cook mentions a great traditional ship in Tahiti that was 33 m long, and could be propelled by sail or paddles
13.
Lord Edward Russell
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Admiral Lord Edward Russell CB MP was a British naval officer and Whig politician. He was the son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford and his second wife Lady Georgina Gordon, Russell gained the rank of Midshipman in 1819 in the service of the Royal Navy. He gained the rank of Lieutenant in 1826 and he fought in the Battle of Navarino in 1827, the victory over the Turks. He gained the rank of Commander in 1828 and he gained the rank of Captain in 1833. He was elected unopposed as Member of Parliament for Tavistock at the 1841 general election and he held the office of Naval Aide-de-Camp to HM Queen Victoria between 1846 and 1850. He was invested as a Companion, Order of the Bath in 1855 and he gained the rank of Rear-Admiral in 1856. He gained the rank of Vice-Admiral in 1863 and he gained the rank of Admiral in 1867. He died in 1887, aged 82, and is buried in Brompton Cemetery and he married Mary Ann Taylor on 8 February 1860. They did not have any children, hansard 1803–2005, contributions in Parliament by Lord Edward Russell Thepeerage. com
14.
Coconut
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The coconut tree is a member of the family Arecaceae and the only species of the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the coconut palm or the seed, or the fruit. The spelling cocoanut is a form of the word. The term is derived from the 16th-century Portuguese and Spanish word coco meaning head or skull, coconuts are known for their great versatility, as evidenced by many traditional uses, ranging from food to cosmetics. They form a part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics. Coconuts are distinct from other fruits for their quantity of water. When mature, they can be used as seed nuts or processed to give oil from the kernel, charcoal from the hard shell, the endosperm is initially in its nuclear phase suspended within the coconut water. As development continues, cellular layers of endosperm deposit along the walls of the coconut, when dried, the coconut flesh is called copra. The oil and milk derived from it are used in cooking and frying, as well as in soaps. The husks and leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decorating, the coconut also has cultural and religious significance in certain societies, particularly in India, where it is used in Hindu rituals. Cocos nucifera is a palm, growing up to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m long. Coconuts are generally classified into two types, tall and dwarf. On fertile soil, a coconut palm tree can yield up to 75 fruits per year. Given proper care and growing conditions, coconut palms produce their first fruit in six to ten years, botanically, the coconut fruit is a drupe, not a true nut. Like other fruits, it has three layers, the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp, the exocarp and mesocarp make up the husk of the coconuts. Coconuts sold in the shops of nontropical countries often have had the exocarp removed, the mesocarp is composed of a fiber, called coir, which has many traditional and commercial uses. The shell has three germination pores or eyes that are visible on its outside surface once the husk is removed. A full-sized coconut weighs about 1.44 kg and it takes around 6,000 full-grown coconuts to produce a tonne of copra
15.
Cassytha filiformis
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Cassytha filiformis, common name love-vine, is a species of obligate parasitic vine in the family Lauraceae. Cassytha filiformis is a vine with an orange to pale green stem. Leaves are reduced to scales about 1 mm long, flowers are borne in spikes or sometimes solitary. There are six tepals, each 0. 1-2.0 mm long, fruit is a drupe about 7 mm in diameter. Love Vine at Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida Cassytha filiformis in West African plants – A Photo Guide
16.
Amaranthaceae
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Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants known as the amaranth family. It now includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae, and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making it the most species-rich lineage within the flowering plant order of Caryophyllales. Most of these species are annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, some are shrubs, many species have stems with thickened nodes. The wood of the stem has a typical anomalous secondary growth. The leaves are alternate, sometimes opposite. The simple leaves are flat or terete, their shape is extremely variable, in some species, the leaves are reduced to minute scales. In most cases, neither basal or terminal aggregations of leaves occur, the flowers are solitary or aggregated in cymes, spikes, or panicles and typically perfect and actinomorphic. Bracts and bracteoles are either herbaceous or scarious, flowers are regular with a herbaceous or scarious perianth of mostly five tepals, often joined. One to five stamens are opposite to tepals or alternating, inserting from a hypogynous disc, the anthers have two or four pollen sacs. In tribe Caroxyloneae, antheres have vesicular appendages, the pollen grains are spherical with many pores, with pore numbers from a few to 250. One to three carpels are fused to a superior ovary with one basal ovule, the diaspores are seeds or fruits, more often the perianth persists and is modified in fruit for means of dispersal. Sometimes even bracts and bracteoles may belong to the diaspore, more rarely the fruit is a circumscissile capsule or a berry. The horizontal or vertical seed often has a thickened or woody seed coat, the green or white embryo is either spirally or annular. The basic chromosome number is mostly 8-9, widespread in the Amaranthaceae is the occurrence of betalain pigments. The former Chenopodiaceae often contain isoflavonoids, in phytochemical research, several methylenedioxyflavonols, saponins, triterpenoids, ecdysteroids, and specific root-located carbohydrates have been found. With around 800 species that are C4-plants, the Amaranthaceae represent the largest group with this photosynthesis pathway among the eudicots, within the family, several types of C4-photosynthesis occur, and about 17 different types of leaf anatomy are realized. Therefore, this photosynthesis pathway seems to have developed about 15 times independently during the evolution of the family. About two-thirds of the C4-species belong to the former Chenopodiaceae, the first occurrence of C4-photosynthesis dates from the early miocene, about 24 million years ago, but in some groups, this photosynthesis pathway has evolved much later, about 6 million years ago
17.
University of Auckland
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The University of Auckland is the largest university in New Zealand, located in the countrys largest city, Auckland. It is the university in the country, being ranked 81st worldwide in the 2016/17 QS World University Rankings. Established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand and it has a head count of more than 40,000 students, and more than 30,000 equivalent full-time students. The University of Auckland began as a constituent of the University of New Zealand, stewardship of the University during its establishment period was the responsibility of John Chapman Andrew. By 1901, student numbers had risen to 156, the majority of students were training towards being law clerks or teachers and were enrolled part-time. From 1905 onwards, a number of students enrolled in commerce studies. The University conducted little research until the 1930s, when there was a spike in interest in research during the Depression. In 1934, four new professors joined the college, Arthur Sewell, H. G. Forder, the combination of new talent, and academic freedom, saw Auckland University College flourish through to the 1950s. In 1950, the Elam School of Fine Arts was brought into the University of Auckland, archie Fisher, who had been appointed principal of the Elam School of Fine Arts was instrumental in having it brought in the University of Auckland. The University of New Zealand was dissolved in 1961 and the University of Auckland was empowered by the University of Auckland Act 1961. In 1966, lecturers Keith Sinclair and Bob Chapman established The University of Auckland Art Collection, the Collection is now managed by the Centre for Art Research, based at the Gus Fisher Gallery. The Stage A of the Science building is opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother on 3 May, Queen Elizabeth II opened the new School of Medicine Building at Grafton on 24 March 1970. The Queen also opened the Liggins Institute in 2002, the North Shore Campus, established in 2001, was located in the suburb of Takapuna. It offered the Bachelor of Business and Information Management degree, at the end of 2006, the campus was closed and the degree relocated to the City campus. On 1 September 2004, the Auckland College of Education merged with the Universitys School of Education to form the Faculty of Education, the faculty is based at the Epsom Campus of the former college, with an additional campus in Whangarei. Professor Stuart McCutcheon became Vice-Chancellor on 1 January 2005 and he was previously the Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington. He succeeded Dr John Hood, who was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, the University opened a new business school building in 2007, following the completion of the Information Commons. It has recently gained international accreditations for all its programmes and now completes the Triple Crown, in May 2013 the University purchased a site for new 5 hectare campus adjacent to the major business area in Newmarket
18.
Polynesian rat
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The Polynesian rat, or Pacific rat, known to the Māori as kiore, is the third most widespread species of rat in the world behind the brown rat and black rat. The Polynesian rat originated in Southeast Asia, and like its relatives, has become widespread, migrating to most Polynesian islands, including New Zealand, Easter Island and it shares high adaptability with other rat species extending to many environments, from grasslands to forests. It is also associated with humans, who provide easy access to food. It has become a major pest in most areas of its distribution, the Polynesian rat is similar in appearance to other rats, such as the black rat and the brown rat. It has large, round ears, a snout, black/brown hair with a lighter belly. It has a thin, long body, reaching up to 6 in in length from the nose to the base of the tail, where it exists on smaller islands, it tends to be smaller still. It is commonly distinguished by an upper edge of the hind foot near the ankle. The rest of its foot is pale, the Polynesian rat is widespread throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia. This rat also may have played a role in the complete deforestation of Easter Island by eating the nuts of the palm tree. Polynesian rats are nocturnal like most rodents, and are adept climbers, in winter, when food is scarce, they commonly strip bark for consumption and satisfy themselves with plant stems. They diverge only in that they do not breed year round, instead being restricted to spring, R. exulans is an omnivorous species, eating seeds, fruit, leaves, bark, insects, earthworms, spiders, lizards, and avian eggs and hatchlings. Polynesian rats have been observed to take pieces of food back to a safe place to properly shell a seed or otherwise prepare certain foods. This not only protects them from predators, but also from rain and these husking stations are often found among trees, near the roots, in fissures of the trunk, and even in the top branches. In New Zealand, for instance, such stations are found under rock piles, in New Zealand and its offshore islands, many bird species evolved in the absence of terrestrial mammalian predators, so developed no behavioral defenses to rats. The introduction by the Maori of the Polynesian rat into New Zealand resulted in the eradication of several species of terrestrial, subsequent elimination of rats from islands has resulted in substantial increases in populations of certain seabirds and endemic terrestrial birds. However, two islands in the Hen and Chickens group, Mauitaha and Araara, have now set aside as sanctuaries for the Polynesian rat. NZAID has funded rat eradication programs in the Phoenix Islands of Kiribati in order to protect the species of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area. Mortality was massive but of the 50,000 to 100,000 population,60 to 80 individuals survived, D. J. Campbell, I. A. E. Atkinson
19.
Polynesian ground dove
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The Polynesian ground dove is a critically endangered species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Tuamotus in French Polynesia with recent records from the atolls of Matureivavao, Rangiroa, Tenararo, Morane, Vahanga and perhaps Tikehau. It favors tropical forests, especially with Pandanus tectorius, Pisonia grandis and shrubs and it is threatened by habitat loss and predation by introduced species such as cats and rats. The total population is estimated to be around 100-120 birds and it has disappeared from several islands where it formerly occurred. The Polynesian ground dove was described in 1789 as Columba erythroptera by Johann Friedrich Gmelin. The holotype was collected from the island of Moorea in the Society Islands, the Polynesian ground dove forms a superspecies with its closest living relatives, the white-breasted, white-fronted, and white-throated ground doves. This superspecies is closely related to the Tongan, Santa Cruz, a second subspecies was initially described as G. e. e. pectoralis was declared invalid. Instead, G. e. albicollis, which was described by Tommaso Salvadori in 1892, is used for the birds found on Hao, Hiti and it has been suggested that this subspecies is merely a color variant, but this is not generally accepted. The Polynesian Ground Dove is only known female specimens for the remainder of its range. The Polynesian ground dove is a small, plump ground dove that displays sexual dimorphism, the male Polynesian ground doves of the nominate subspecies have white foreheads, cheeks, throats, and breasts. The crown, nape, and auricular stripe are grey, the upperparts are a dark olive grey with purple or, if the feathers have faded, chestnut red iridescence on the hindneck and wing-coverts. In males of the subspecies albicollis, the head is completely white, females of both subspecies look the same, they are a bright reddish brown overall that is tinged strongly with reddish-purple on the crown, neck, and wing-coverts. The mantle, back, rump, and inner wing-coverts are a dark olive and this plumage frequently fades in intensity due to wear. The juvenile Polynesian ground dove is red overall, with many of its feathers fringed with a cinnamon-rufous, the white parts of the face and underparts are suffused with grey. Juvenile males can be differentiated from juvenile females through the absence of a pale breast shield and purple-edged feathers on the scapulars, the adult Polynesian ground dove is about 23.5 to 26 cm in length, and weighs about 105 to 122 g. The ground doves iris is brown, while the bill is black, the legs and feet are a purplish black. The call of the Polynesian ground dove has been described as a low, the Polynesian ground dove was originally found in both the Tuamotu Archipelago and the Society Islands. It has since been extirpated from the Society Islands, where it was found on Tahiti, in the Tuamotus it has been recorded on Arakita, Hao, Hiti, Maria Est, Marutea Sud, Matureivavao, Rangiroa, Tenararo, Tenarunga, and Vanavana
20.
Matureivavao
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Matureivavao, or Maturei-vavao is an uninhabited atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands. It is the largest atoll within the Acteon Group, and like others in group, is administratively part of the commune of the Gambier Islands. Matureivavao is about 6.6 km long in a NNW-SSE direction and 4.6 km wide and it has a land area of 2.5 km2 and a lagoon area of 18 km2. It lies 16 km southeast of Tenarunga and 1,390 km from Tahiti, the atoll is high enough to be visible from a considerable distance. It appears as a beach, backed by a line of dark green. In bad weather, the seas sometimes sweep over the reef, there is no entrance to the lagoon. In some maps this atoll appears as Melbourne. It was previously owned by a man named Captain Nicholas but was redeemed in 1934, after the hurricane in 1983, Matureivavao was entirely replanted with thousands of coconut trees. The atoll is home to a variety of Amaranthaceae including the genus Achyranthes aspera var. velutina and it is also one of the few atolls in which rats were never introduced. Tenararo Tenarunga Vahanga Acteon Group Sailing Directions, Pub 126, Pacific Islands NIMA2002, page-12 Atoll list
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Tenararo
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Tenararo is the smallest atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. It is administratively a part of the Gambier Islands, Tenararo is located 6 kilometres west of Vahanga, the nearest island,115 kilometres west of the Gambier Islands and 1,370 kilometres southeast of Tahiti. It is an atoll with a land area of 1.6 square kilometres. The atoll has a place on its NW side between the small boulders which encumber the reef. There is no entrance to the lagoon and it was previously owned by a man named Captain Nicholas but was redeemed in 1934. In the nineteenth century, Tenararo became a French territory, with a population of about 20 Aboriginal people in 1850, the atoll is an important habitat for many endangered species. Species such as the Polynesian ground dove, atoll fruit dove, Tuamotu sandpiper, bristle-thighed curlew, the atoll is free of introduced mammalian predators, making it an essential conservational habitat. Matureivavao Tenarunga Vahanga Acteon Group Atoll list Sailing Directions, Pub 126, Pacific Islands NIMA2002, page-12
22.
Ahe
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Ahe, Ahemaru or Omaru, is an almost entirely-enclosed coral atoll, located in the northern Tuamotu Archipelago, just 14 km to the west of Manihi, in French Polynesia. Ahe Atolls ring shape is broken by only a small passage into the lagoon. Length 23.5 km, width 12.2 km and it has a land area of approximately 12 km2 and a lagoon area of 138 km2. As of 2012, Ahe Atoll had 553 inhabitants, the only village in Ahe is Tenukupara with approximately 100 inhabitants. It is located on an island in the side of the Atoll. Geographically Ahe Atoll is part of the King George Islands subgroup, there are several pearl farms in Ahes lagoon. In the late 1970s, the famous single-handed sailor Bernard Moitessier lived on Ahe for a couple of years, the first recorded Europeans to arrive to Ahe Atoll were Dutch mariners Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire in 1616. Ahe was later visited by the historic United States Exploring Expedition, charles Wilkes called the atoll Peacock Island after one of the ships of the expedition. This atoll has sometimes suffered damages caused by cyclones, Ahe has a territorial airport which was inaugurated in 1997. Population of Ahe, Ahe Atoll belongs to the commune of Manihi, Ahe Airport Ahe Atoll FP Shuttle Image ISS008-E-17141 Shuttle Image ISS007-E-16671 Ahe Atoll FP at the Wayback Machine Tuamotu Atolls List
23.
Ahunui
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Ahunui or Nga-taumanga is a small atoll of the eastern Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 55 km SSE of Paraoa Atoll and 120 km WSW of Vairaatea, Ahunui Atoll is roughly circular in shape and measures 6.5 km in diameter. It has an area of approximately 5.7 km2. Its lagoon is encircled by the reef, so that it is not connected to the ocean by a pass. The islands have coconut plantations on them, Ahunui Atoll is permanently uninhabited, but it is visited occasionally by neighboring islanders. The rarer pipi oysters are found in its lagoon, the first recorded European who arrived to Ahunui Atoll was British mariner Frederick William Beechey. He named it Byam Martin after Admiral of the Fleet Sir Thomas Byam Martin, Ahunui belongs to the commune of Hao, which includes Ahunui, Nengonengo, Manuhangi and Paraoa
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Akamaru Island
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Akamaru is the third largest island in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia. It is a small, rocky island with an area of approximately 2.6 km2, the island is located approximately 7 km southeast of Mangareva. Its highest point rises to an elevation of 247 m, the first European to arrive was the navigator James Wilson in 1797. In 1834, the French missionary Honoré Laval 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 oranges in season, according to the 2012 census, there are 22 inhabitants. The much smaller island of Mekiro is located just off Akamarus northwestern shore
25.
Akiaki
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Akiaki is a low coral atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Akiakis nearest neighbor is Vahitahi, which is located 41 km to the southeast, Akiaki is a small atoll rising barely above sea level. The total land surface is only 1.3 km² and its reef is occupied by a single flat island covered with coconut trees and other vegetation. There is no lagoon and it has only a difficult landing located on its northwestern side, Akiaki is uninhabited, but is visited occasionally for its coconut plantations. The first recorded European that arrived to Akiaki Atoll was Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1768 and he called this atoll Ile des Lanciers. James Cook reached Akiaki the following year, during his first voyage, Akiaki lies on top of a small seamount which is part of the Tuamotu Seamount Trail on the Pacific Plate. Akiakis seamount is 3420 m high, administratively Akiaki Atoll belongs to the commune of Nukutavake, which includes Nukutavake, as well as the atolls of Vahitahi, Vairaatea, Pinaki and Akiaki. EVS Islands James Cook History Akiaki Seamount List of atolls
26.
Amanu
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Amanu, Timanu, or Karere, is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago. Amanu lies at right angles to neighbouring Hao Atoll, this orientation is quite rare for the Tuamotu atolls and it is situated 900 km east of Tahiti and 15 km north of Hao. The atoll is 32 km long and 10 km wide, but only 9.6 km² of its land is above water, the surface area of Amanus wide lagoon is 240 km². There are two passes to enter it. However, several 16th-century Spanish cannons were found on Amanu in 1929, some historians notably Robert Adrian Langdon believe the cannons belonged to the caravel San Lesmes, which was split off from the Loaísa expedition which sailed the Pacific Ocean in 1526. It was later visited by Spanish explorer Domingo de Boenechea in 1774, russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen visited Amanu in 1820 on ships Vostok and Mirni. Administratively Amanu forms a commune in French Polynesia which includes the atolls of Rekareka, the Amanu commune is associated with the Hao commune. Oceandots Atoll list Classification of the French Polynesian atolls by Salvat
27.
Anuanuraro
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Anuanuraro is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group, anuanuraros nearest neighbor is Anuanurunga, which is located about 29 km to the southeast. It measures 5.3 km in length, with a width of 3.2 km. Its shape is roughly square and its lagoon is totally enclosed by the fringing reef, first sighting recorded by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 4 February 1606. With the other three atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands they were named Cuatro Coronas, british naval officer and explorer Philip Carteret visited the Duke of Gloucester islands in 1767. Formerly Ananuararo Atoll belonged to Robert Wan, the wealthy Tahitian pearl trader and it was bought back by the government of French Polynesia in March 2002. This atoll has an airfield which was built by Wans company and it was opened in 1982 but is now in disuse. Archived from the original on 2010-12-23
28.
Anuanurunga
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Anuanurunga is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group, anuanurungas nearest neighbor is Nukutepipi, which is located about 22 km to the ESE. Anuanurunga is a small atoll. It is ring-shaped, measuring approximately 3.3 km in diameter with an area of 7 km2. Its reef is quite broad, enclosing completely the small lagoon, there are four relatively large islands on its reef, as well as a few small motu. First sighting recorded by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 4 February 1606, with the other three atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands they were named Cuatro Coronas. British naval officer and explorer Philip Carteret visited it in 1767 and he named this atoll Four Crowns. Oceandots Diversity of the French Polynesian atolls Atoll list
29.
Apataki
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Apataki is a coral atoll in the South Pacific Ocean, territorially part of French Polynesia. It is one of the Palliser Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu Archipelago, Apataki is located approximately 370 kilometres northeast of the island of Tahiti,17 km east of Arutua and 24 km northeast of Kaukura. The island is rectangular, it is 34 km long and 24 km wide. It has an area of approximately 706 km2 with a land area of approximately 20 km2. Its wide lagoon has two passes to enter it. As of 2012, Apataki Atoll has 350 inhabitants, down from 492 in 2007, the main village is called Niutahi. The first recorded European to sight Apataki Atoll was Dutch navigator Jakob Roggeveen in 1722 and it was visited by James Cook in 1774. Apataki appears in maps as Hagemeister Island. On 27 May 1902, while Paul Gauguin was living in the Marquesas Islands, leading to a three-month loss of supplies for the islanders. There is an airfield in Apataki which was inaugurated in 1977. Administratively, Apataki Atoll is part of the commune of Arutua, Apataki has an airport but no tourism industry. The only main industry of the island is cultured Tahitian pearls, the coconut palm, which forms the basis for copra production, used to be of special economic importance to the islanders. On a few islands, the residents cultivate vanilla, agriculture is generally limited to simple subsistence. Pandanus leaves are woven together as roof thatch, as well as for other items such as mats and hats. Apatakis two large reef passes provide excellent diving and surfing, both of which are serviced by local boat-based charter companies, fruit and vegetable staples include yams, taro, and breadfruit, as well as a wide range of tropical fruits. The sparse soil of Apataki cannot sustain a variety of vegetation. The animal life on the islands consists mostly of seabirds, landcrabs, insects, the underwater fauna, however, is rich and varied, making scuba diving a popular activity for tourists. Oceandots Apataki Atoll FP Shuttle Image ISS006-E-38475 Apatika Atoll FP at the Wayback Machine Tuamotu Atolls List Apataki Airport
30.
Aratika
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Aratika is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Kauehi Atoll, located 35 km to the south east, Aratika has an unusual butterfly shape. Its length is 20.8 km2 and its maximum width 10.7 km2 and it has a land area of approximately 8.3 km2. The lagoon is wide and deep, and can be entered by two navigable passes, Aratika had 160 inhabitants in 2012. The main village is called Paparara, Aratika appears in some maps as Carlshoff Island. This atoll was visited by the Charles Wilkes expedition on September 3,1839, prior to the pearl market slump at the turn of the century, Aratika was home to about 2000 people, thereafter dropping to about 200. Aratika has an airfield which opened in 1998 and is owned by the Fourcade company. Much of the main infrastructure, including the school in 2004 and many business from Paparara village were moved there due to ease of access to. The population number has been declining and halves when the children go to school from the age of 11 as there is only a primary school on the island which has one class for 3-11 year olds. Aratika Atoll belongs to the commune of Fakarava, which consists of Fakarava, as well as the atolls of Aratika, Kauehi, Niau, Raraka, Taiaro and Toau. Pictures Aratika-Nord Airport Charles Wilkes Expedition Aratika Atoll FP Shuttle Image ISS005-E-13941 Aratika Atoll FP at the Wayback Machine Tuamotu Atolls List
31.
Arutua
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Arutua, or Ngaru-atua is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is located 40 km SW of Rangiroa, the closest land is Apataki Atoll, only 16 km to the East. Arutua Atoll has a pentagonal shape. Length 31 km, width 24 km, the lagoon area is 484 km2 and the land area is 15 km2. Its lagoon is wide and deep with one navigable passage, as of 2012, Arutua had a population of 680 inhabitants. There is an airport at Arutua which was opened in 1984. Geographically Arutua belongs to the Palliser Islands subgroup of the Tuamotus, the first recorded European to visit Arutua Atoll was Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. British mariner Frederick Beechey touched at Arutua in 1826 and he named this atoll Cockburn Island. This atoll is the capital of the commune of Arutua, which consists of Arutua, as well as the atolls of Apataki, oceandots - & History Arutua Airport Arutua Atoll FP Shuttle Image ISS014-E-5393 Arutua Atoll FP at the Wayback Machine Tuamotu Atolls List
32.
Faaite
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Faaite, or Faaiti is an atoll of the Tuamotus in French Polynesia. It is located 60 kilometres to the north of Anaa Atoll, the total surface of the atoll is 227 square kilometres Its dry land area is 8.87 square kilometres. Its length is 28 kilometres and its width 10.5 kilometres, the total population as of 2012 is 401 inhabitants. Faaites inner lagoon has a channel to the ocean. The main village is Hitianau, with a population of 246. First recorded sighting by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 11 February 1606, john Turnbull rediscovered it in 1802. Turnbull was the first retailer of the Pacific who used the route of Tahiti to Hawaii, russian oceanic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen visited Faaite in 1820 on the ships Vostok and Mirni. This atoll reached a measure of fame after the Bûchers de Faaite affair, on September 2,1987 six persons were thrown into the fire because the islanders were convinced that they were possessed by the devil. There is an airfield in Faaite which was inaugurated in 1992. Administratively Faaite belongs to the commune of Anaa, which includes the atoll of Faaite. Oceandots Faaite Airport Bruno Saura, Les bûchers de Faaite, paganisme ancestral ou dérapage chrétien en Polynésie française, paris 1990 Book review Atoll list
33.
Fakahina
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Fakahina, or Kaīna, is a small atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Fangatau Atoll, located 72 km to the WNW, Fakahina Atolls length is 9 kilometres and its maximum width 6.3 kilometres. It has an area of 8 square kilometres and a lagoon area of 20 square kilometres. There is no pass connecting the lagoon with the ocean, the ancient Maohi people used this atoll as a site for sacrifices. The first recorded European to arrive to Fakahina Atoll was Otto von Kotzebue, sailing in the service of the Russian tsars and this atoll appears as Predpriati in some maps. Part of the population of Fakahina was moved to Puka-Puka to work in the production of copra, there is a territorial airfield in Fakahina which was inaugurated in 1985. Fakahina belongs to the commune of Fangatau, which consists of Fangatau Atoll, as well as the atoll, oceandots History Maohi people Fakahina Airport Atoll list
34.
Fakarava
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Fakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havaii or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls, the nearest land is Toau Atoll, which lies 14 kilometres to the northwest. The shape of Fakarava Atoll is roughly rectangular and its length is 60 kilometres, Fakarava has a wide and deep lagoon with a surface of 1,112 square kilometres and two passes. The main pass to enter the lagoon, located in its end, is known as Passe Garuae and it is the largest pass in French Polynesia. It has an area of 16 square kilometres. Fakarava has 855 inhabitants, the village is called Rotoava. The Pōmare Dynasty originated here before ruling the island of Tahiti, the first recorded European to arrive to Fakarava Atoll was Russian oceanic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on July 17,1820 on ships Vostok and Mirni. Fakaravas inhabitants were evangelized by French Picpus priest Honoré Laval in 1849, the church at Rotoava was dedicated in 1850. There is an airfield in Fakarava which was inaugurated in 1995. Fakarava is being classified by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, the commune of Fakarava consists of three associated communes, Fakarava, Kauehi and Niau. Oceandots Pictures Bellingshausen Fakarava Airport Atoll list Natural and cultural heritage of Fakarava on Tahiti Heritage
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Fangatau
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Fangatau, or Nakai-erua, is a small atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Fakahina Atoll, located 72 km to the ESE and this small atoll has an elongated shape. Its length is 8 kilometres, maximum width 3.5 kilometres and it has a total area of 22.2 square kilometres. Its reef encloses its lagoon completely, the first recorded European to arrive to Fangatau was Russian oceanic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on the 10 July 1820 on ships Vostok and Mirni. Fangatau was the home of Kamake an Iturangi, regarded by anthropologist Kenneth Emory as the greatest Tuamotuan sage he ever met, there is a territorial airfield in Fangatau which was inaugurated in 1978. The commune of Fangatau consists of Fangatau Atoll, as well as the atoll,1 Commune associée The atoll is served by the Fangatau Airport. Fangatau Airport Oceandots Fangatau Airport Bellingshausen Atoll list
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Fangataufa
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Fangataufa is a small, low, narrow, coral atoll in the eastern side of the Tuamotu Archipelago. It was formerly known as Cockburn Island, along with its neighboring atoll, Moruroa, it has been the site of approximately 200 nuclear bomb tests. 9.5 kilometres long and 9.5 kilometres wide and it has a lagoon area of 45 square kilometres and a land area of 5 kilometres. It is located 37 kilometres south of Moruroa atoll,197 kilometres east of Tematangi,240 kilometres southwest of the Gambier Islands and 1,190 kilometres southeast of Tahiti. Access to the lagoon is through a pass lying 0.5 miles SW of the northernmost point of the atoll, the channel has a width of about 60 metres and a dredged depth of 6.5 metres. A 12-metre-long quay, in 2.5 metres of water, is situated in the NE part of the lagoon, another quay,50 metres long in 5 metres of water, the access channel is marked, on each side, by two beacons. There is an airfield, built to accommodate medium size transport aircraft. It is reported that the pass of Fangataufa is obstructed by a chain boom and this boom can be moved by agreement with the local military authority. The first recorded European to arrive to Fangataufa Atoll was Frederick William Beechey in 1826 and this atoll was inhabited well into the 20th century. Fangataufa was the site of Frances first two-stage thermonuclear test, code named Canopus, the nuclear explosion had a yield of 2.6 megatons. The atoll was also the location of the 1970 914-kiloton Licorne test and 2 other atmospheric tests as well as several underground nuclear tests. Today, Fangataufa serves as a sanctuary for various species of birds. It is classified as a Common Military Zone, the zone includes the lagoon areas enclosed by the atoll and by baselines linking the closest points emerging from the reef on both sides of the channel. Administratively Fangataufa Atoll is part of the commune of Tureia, which includes the atolls of Tureia, Moruroa, Tematangi and it was ceded to France for nuclear tests in 1964
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Hao (French Polynesia)
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Hao, or Haorangi, is a large coral atoll in the central part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. It has c.1000 people living on almost 50 km² and it is used to house the military support base for the nuclear tests on Mururoa. Because of its shape, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville named it Harp Island, Hao is 920 km east of Tahiti. It is 50 km long and 14 km wide, the lagoon is the fourth largest atoll in French Polynesia and has only one navigable passage, at Kaki, on the north end of the atoll where strong currents prevail up to 20 knots with bores. The lagoon covers an area of 720 km², the climate is maritime, with temperatures oscillating between 23 and 32 °C throughout the year. The chief town is the village of Otepa, where the economic activity is the cultivation of pearls. The first recorded European arriving on Hao was Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 10 February 1606 and he named it Conversion de San Pablo. He was followed by José Andía y Varela in 1774, because of its shape, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville named it Harp Island. In some maps it appears as Bow Island. Hao was the first atoll of the Tuamotus that Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen visited in 1820 on the ships Vostok and their earlier-than-agreed-upon repatriation from the island by the French government became a diplomatic incident between New Zealand and France. Haos military airfield, now known as Hao Airport, was transferred to the authorities in 2000. This airport serves many of the smaller eastern Tuamotus, whose landing strips are too short to land large enough to make the flight to Tahiti. The livelihood of many of the inhabitants was directly tied to the military base. Hao forms the commune of Hao, which also includes Ahunui, Nengonengo, Manuhangi, as of the 2012 census, the atolls total population was 1066. The commune of Hao is associated with the commune of Amanu, Hao Airport is in the islands north. It is used as a base by Air Tahiti Nui, the airline of French Polynesia. French Polynesia History of Hao Atoll Classification of the French Polynesian atolls by Salvat Atoll list Oceandots Iero Andía y Varela Bellingshausen
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Haraiki
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Haraiki is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 42 km southwest of Marutea Nord, Haraiki Atoll is roughly triangular in shape. It measures 7 km in length with a width of 5 km. There are three islets on its reef with a land area of about 4 km². Its lagoon has a pass facing south, the first recorded European to sight Haraiki Atoll was Spanish navigator Domingo de Boenechea on October 31,1772 on ship Aguila. He named this atoll San Quintín, Haraiki 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
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Hereheretue
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Hereheretue or Hiri-oro is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is the northernmost island of the Duke of Gloucester Islands group, or Îles du Duc de Gloucester, hereheretues nearest neighbour is Anuanuraro, which is located about 150 km away. It lies 450 km southwest of Hao and 488 km southeast of Tahiti, Hereheretue Atoll has a roughly trapezoidal shape. Its lagoon is deep and has an area of 23 km². The broad reef completely encloses the lagoon, so there is no navigable passage to enter it. Hereheretue is the permanently inhabited atoll of the group. It had a population of 56 at the 2012 census, most of the population lives in the main village Otetou. First sighting recorded by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 4 February 1606, with the other three atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands they were named Cuatro Coronas. Administratively the four atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, including Anuanuraro, Anuanurunga and Nukutepipi, belong to the commune of Hereheretue, there is a meteorological station on Hereheretue
