Vairaatea

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Vairaatea
NASA image of Vairaatea
NASA image of Vairaatea
Waters Pacific Ocean
archipelago Tuamotu Archipelago
Geographical location 19 ° 21 ′  S , 139 ° 13 ′  W Coordinates: 19 ° 21 ′  S , 139 ° 13 ′  W
Vairaatea (French Polynesia)
Vairaatea
Number of islands 2
Main island Puka Runga
Land area 3 km²
Lagoon area 13 km²
Residents 66 (2007)
Map of Vairaatea
Map of Vairaatea
Template: Infobox Atoll / Maintenance / HoeheFehlt

Vairaatea is an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean . Politically it belongs to French Polynesia and there to the municipality of Nukutavake . Vairaatea is around 38 kilometers away from the island of the same name, Nukutavake , and 180 kilometers from Hao Atoll .

The atoll consists of two larger, crescent-shaped islands in the northwest and in the east, numerous small motus and a shallow, central lagoon . Only the eastern island of Puka Runga is inhabited by 66 people who live in the main town of Ahura on the northern tip of the island. The main livelihoods of the population are fishing and the production of copra .

Vairaatea was possibly discovered for Europe as early as 1606 by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernández de Quirós . He named the island of San Miguel Archangel. The discovery by Samuel Wallis on June 6, 1767 is considered certain. He gave it the name "Egmont Island".

Remarks

  1. ↑ It may be the island of Anuanuraro

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