Archipelago of Tuamotu

The archipelago of Tuamotu is a Archipel of 78 Atoll S which belong to the French Polynésie. It belongs to the administrative subdivision Tuamotu- Gambier.

The inhabitants of Tuamotu are the Paumotu .

Geography

Located between the 134° and 150° of western longitude and 14° and 24° of southern latitude, it covers 1.800 km length and 600 broad. It covers a surface of 800.000 km 2 . In 2002, the archipelago was populated of 14.876 inhabitants.

Principal atolls of Tuamotu

List of the 78 atolls

  1. Ahe
  2. Ahunui
  3. Amanu
  4. Anaa
  5. Anuanuraro
  6. Anuanurunga
  7. Apataki
  8. Aratika
  9. Arutua
  10. Faaite
  11. Fakahina
  12. Fakarava
  13. Fangatau
  14. Fangataufa
  15. Hao
  16. Haraiki
  17. Hereheretue
  18. Hikueru
  19. Hiti
  20. Katiu
  21. Kauehi
  22. Kaukura
  23. Makatea
  24. Makemo
  25. Mangareva
  26. Manihi
  27. Manuhangi
  28. Maria
  29. Marokau
  30. Northern Marutea
  31. Southern Marutea
  32. Mataiva
  33. Matureivavao
  34. Morane
  35. Motutunga
  36. Mururoa
  37. Napuka
  38. Nengonengo
  39. Niau
  40. Nihiru
  41. Nukutipipi
  42. Nukutavake
  43. Paraoa
  44. Pinaki
  45. Pukapuka
  46. Pukaruha
  47. Rangiroa
  48. Raraka
  49. Raroia
  50. Ravahere
  51. Rekareka
  52. Reao
  53. Reitoru
  54. Taenga
  55. Tahanea
  56. Taiaro
  57. Takapoto
  58. Takaroa
  59. Takume
  60. Tatakoto
  61. Tauere
  62. Tekokota
  63. Tematangi
  64. Temoe
  65. Tenararo
  66. Northern Tenarunga
  67. Tepoto
  68. Southern Tepoto
  69. Tikehau
  70. Tikei
  71. Toau
  72. Tuanake
  73. Tureia
  74. Vahanga
  75. Vahitahi
  76. Vairaatea
  77. Vanavana

Certain atolls are grouped geographically and form the archipelagoes of the Groupe Actéon, of the islands of the Disappointment, the islands of the Duke of Gloucester, of the islands of the King Georges, the islands Palliser or the islands Raevski.

Geology

All the islands of Tuamotu (except Makatea) are made of sand banks recovering a coral barrier. The islands Gambier have a different geological origin.

Flora and fauna

The thin ground of the coral islands does not support vegetable diversity and allows generally only one agriculture of subsistence. The coconuts, from which one extracts copra, have a great economic importance for these islands. On some of one enters cultivates also vanilla.

The principal cultures are the Igname, the Taro and the Breadfruit tree as well as others tropical fruits.

The sheet of the Pandanus is traditionally used to make hats and to cover the roofs of the dwellings (but it is replaced more and more by corrugated sheet.)

Fauna is primarily made up of birds, insects and some reptiles. There are only 57 species of birds of which 10 are endemic and 13 are threatened. On the other hand sea-beds are of an exceptional richness. This variety did of Tuamotu one of the most beautiful destinations of the world for deep-sea diving.

Climate

The climate is tropical on the whole of the islands. The average temperature is of approximately 26°C., it is relatively constant throughout the year. There is neither souce, neither river, nor lake; the only way of having fresh water is to collect rainwater. The average of precipitations is of approximately 1400 mm/an. They are rather well distributed in the year, September and October are a little more rainy.

History

The January 24th 1521, Fernand of Magellan discovers Puka Puka, first Atoll of the Pacifique to being discovered by the Européens. It will still be necessary a few years so that those launch out in the exploration of the many atolls. The last atoll discovered was Ahe, on September 6th, 1839 by Charles Wilkes. These atolls became a French protectorate that in 1844 and were annexed in 1881.

Demography

With the census of 2002, there were 14.876 inhabitants in the islands Tuamotu and Gambier is a density of 18 hab/km ². 769 inhabitants live with less than 400 kilometers of the islands Moruroa and Fangataufa (old base of nuclear tests). The language of Tuamotu, the Paumotu, is recognized like regional language of the French Republic. In Gambier one speaks the language mangarévienne as well as a dialect Marquisien in Puka-Puka.

Economy

The economy of Tuamotu rests on the tourism, the Perliculture, the fishing and the culture of the Coprah.

Communes of Tuamotu

The archipelago of Tuamotu is composed of 17 common S including the Gambier:

Electoral divisions

The archipelago of Tuamotu forms two of the six electoral constituencies of the Assemblée of French Polynesia.

In the east of the archipelago, the electoral constituency of the “islands Gambier and Tuamotu” count the commune of Gambier and 11 other communes: Anaa, Fangatau, Hao, Hikueru, Makemo, Napuka, Nukutavake, Pukapuka, Reao, Tatakoto and Tureia.

In the west, the electoral constituency of the “western Tuamotu islands” counts 5 communes: Arutua, Fakarava, Manihi, Rangiroa and Takaroa.

External bond

  • Site of the Presidency on the archipelago of Tuamotu
  • Information on all the islands and atolls
  • Vidéos of the Research institute for Development (IRD) - Tikehau: an atoll observatory of the coral ecosystems (environmental, biological and human aspect)

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