Haraiki
Encyclopedia
Tuamotus
The Tuamotus or the Tuamotu Archipelago are a chain of islands and atolls in French Polynesia. They form the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean roughly the size of Western Europe...
in French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
. It is located 42 km southwest of Marutea Nord
Marutea Nord
Marutea, or Taunga tauranga-e-havana, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 24 km to the southeast of Makemo Atoll and 30 km southwest of Nihiru Atoll....
.
Haraiki Atoll is roughly triangular in shape. It measures 7 km in length with a maximum width of 5 km. There are three islets on its reef with a total land area of about 4 km². Its lagoon has a pass facing south.
Haraiki is purportedly uninhabited. However, Google Maps reveals there is a small collection of buildings on the north shore (-17.446343,-143.455739) and that the bulk of the land on all three islets has been heavily planted with a grid-like patchwork of trees or large shrubs.
History
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".Administration
Haraiki belongs to the commune of Makemo, which consists of the atolls of Makemo, Haraiki, Marutea NordMarutea Nord
Marutea, or Taunga tauranga-e-havana, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 24 km to the southeast of Makemo Atoll and 30 km southwest of Nihiru Atoll....
, Katiu
Katiu
Katiu, or Taungataki, is an atoll of the central Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 23.5 km west of Makemo Atoll's westernmost point....
, Tuanake
Tuanake
Tuanake or Mata-rua-puna is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 24 km southwest of Makemo Atoll's westernmost point....
, Hiti
Hiti
Hiti, or Hiti-rau-mea, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 19 km southwest of Makemo Atoll....
, Tepoto Sud, Raroia
Raroia
Raroia, or Raro-nuku, is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located 740 km northeast of Tahiti and 6 km southwest of Takume. Administratively it is a part of the commune of Makemo....
, Takume
Takume
Takume or Pukamaru is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located northeast of Tahiti and northeast of Raroia and to the west of Fangatau.This elongated atoll measures by . Its lagoon has an area of ....
, Taenga
Taenga
Taenga, or Taunga-hara, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 32 km to the northeast of Makemo Atoll and 27 km to the northwest of Nihiru Atoll....
and Nihiru
Nihiru
Nihiru, or Nikia, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is a relatively small atoll located 49 km to the east of Makemo Atoll and 30 km northeast of Marutea Atoll....
.