Vahitahi

Vahitahi, or Vaitake, is an atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Vahitahi's nearest neighbour is Akiaki, which is located 41 kilometres (25 miles) to the northwest.

Vahitahi
NASA picture of Vahitahi Atoll
Vahitahi is located in French Polynesia
Vahitahi
Vahitahi
Geography
LocationPacific Ocean
Coordinates18°47′S 138°50′W
ArchipelagoTuamotus
Area13 km2 (5.0 sq mi)  (lagoon)
2.5 km2 (1 sq mi) (above water)
Length10 km (6 mi)
Width4.5 km (2.8 mi)
Administration
France
Overseas collectivityFrench Polynesia
Administrative subdivisionÎles Tuamotu-Gambier
CommuneNukutavake
Demographics
Population105[1] (2012)
Location of Vahitahi within the Tuamotu archipelago

Vahitahi is a small atoll with an elongated oval shape. It measures approximately 41 kilometres (25 miles) in length and has a maximum width of 4.5 kilometres (2.8 miles). Its reef encloses completely the lagoon. The total land area of the islands on its reef is 2.5 square kilometres (1.0 square mile).

The main village is called Mohitu (formerly Temanufaara). There were 105 inhabitants according to the 2012 census.

History

Vahitahi Atoll was the first land that Louis Antoine de Bougainville found in the Pacific in 1768.[2] He called the atoll Les Quatre Facardins, after a novel of the time. James Cook reached Vahitahi the following year and named it Lagoon Island.

Vahitahi has a territorial airport. It was inaugurated in 1986.

Administration

Administratively Vahitahi Atoll belongs to the commune of Nukutavake.

References
  1. "Population". Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  2. Salmond, Anne (2010). Aphrodite's Island. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 93. ISBN 9780520261143.



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