Takaroa

Takaroa, Taka-roa or Takapua, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It has a length of 27.4 kilometres (17.0 miles) and a width of 7 km (4 mi); its land area is 20 square kilometres (8 square miles).

Takaroa
NASA picture of Takaroa Atoll
Takaroa
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates14°27′S 144°59′W
ArchipelagoTuamotus
Area93 km2 (36 sq mi)  (lagoon)
20 km2 (8 sq mi) (above water)
Length24.7 km (15.35 mi)
Width7 km (4.3 mi)
Administration
France
Overseas collectivityFrench Polynesia
Administrative subdivisionÎles Tuamotu-Gambier
CommuneTakaroa
Largest settlementTeavaroa
Demographics
Population674[1] (2017)
Takaroa
Location of Takaroa
Coordinates: 14°27′00″S 144°58′59″W
CountryFrance
Overseas collectivityFrench Polynesia
SubdivisionÎles Tuamotu-Gambier
Area
1
26 km2 (10 sq mi)
Population
 (2017)[1]
1,175
 • Density45/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−10:00
INSEE/Postal code
98749 /98781
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The nearest land is Takapoto Atoll, located 10 kilometres (6 miles) to the southwest.

Fine pearls, including black pearls, were obtained in the lagoon of Takaroa.

Geographically Takaroa is part of the King George Islands (Iles du Roi Georges) subgroup, which includes Ahe, Manihi, Takapoto, Takaroa and Tikei.

Takaroa Atoll has 674 inhabitants (2017).[1] The main village is Teavaroa.

History

The first recorded Europeans to arrive to Takaroa were Dutch explorers Jacob le Maire and Willem Schouten on 14 April 1616 during their Pacific journey. They called this atoll "Sondergrond Island".

Captain Cook visited the island in 1774.[2]

Takaroa territorial airport was inaugurated in 1986.

Administration

The commune of Takaroa consists of the islands of Takaroa, Takapoto and Tikei.[3]

See also

References
  1. Répartition de la population en Polynésie française en 2017, Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française
  2. Salmond, Anne (2010). Aphrodite's Island. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 299. ISBN 9780520261143.
  3. Décret n°72-407 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française, Légifrance


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