Marutea Atoll also known as Marutea-i-runga, and Nuku-nui, is an atoll of the Tuamotu group 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 in the far southeast of the archipelago, about 72 km northeast from Maria Atoll

Maria Est

Maria Atoll is a small atoll of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is located in the far southeast of the archipelago, about 72 km southwest from Marutea Sud. Maria's closest neighbour is the small atoll of Matureivavao of the Acteon Group, 56 km to the northwest.Maria Atoll is oval in...

.

Marutea Atoll is irregular in shape and bound by reef broken by passes into the lagoon. It is 21 km long and has a maximum width of 10 km. Its islands are low and flat and the main village, Auorotini, is located at the northern end of the atoll. Marutea has no permanent population, but it is occasionally visited by islanders looking for pearls and maintaining the pearl farms.

Marutea Sud should not be confused with 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....

 located in the western area of the Tuamotu Archipelago at 17˚ 07' S, 143˚ 11' W.

History

The first recorded European to sight this atoll was Spanish explorer Pedro Fernández de Quirós on February 4th 1606. He called it "San Telmo". Other Spanish names were "San Blas" and "Corral de Agua". Marutea was later explored by Edward Edwards, while he was searching for the mutineers of the HMS Bounty

HMS Bounty

HMS Bounty , famous as the scene of the Mutiny on the Bounty on 28 April 1789, was originally a three-masted cargo ship, the Bethia, purchased by the British Admiralty, then modified and commissioned as His Majesty's Armed Vessel the...

in 1791. Edwards renamed it "Lord Hood".

According to Russian Admiral Adam Johann von Krusenstern

Adam Johann von Krusenstern

Adam Johann Ritter von Krusenstern , was an admiral and explorer, who led the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe.- Life :...

 Marutea was once inhabited by the ancient Polynesians. British mariner Frederick William Beechey

Frederick William Beechey

Frederick William Beechey was an English naval officer and geographer. He was the son of Sir William Beechey, RA., and was born in London.-Career:...

 found a stone walled hut upon it in 1825.

In 1984 Marutea Atoll was bought by Robert Wan

Robert Wan Pearl Museum

The Robert Wan Pearl Museum is the world's only museum dedicated to pearls. It is located in Papeete, Tahiti, the capital of French Polynesia.-Overview:...

, the main Tahitian black pearl

Black Pearl

The Black Pearl, originally Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. In the screenplay, the Black Pearl is easily recognized by her distinctive black hull and sails. The ship was originally named Wicked Wench before she was ordered burned and sunk by Lord Beckett...

trader, in order to engage in cultured black pearl farming. A private airfield was built in 1993.

External links

• Atoll list (in French)