Toau, Pakuria, or Taha-a-titi is a coral

Coral

Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...

 atoll

Atoll

An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...

 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...

, one of the Palliser Islands

Palliser Islands

The Palliser Islands or Pallisers are a subgroup of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located in the northwest of the main group of atolls.-Atolls:The group includes:*Apataki*Arutua*Fakarava*Kaukura*Mataiva*Rangiroa*Makatea...

 (Îles Pallisier). Toau has a wide lagoon; length 35 km, width 18 km. The nearest land is Fakarava

Fakarava

Fakarava, Havaiki-te-araro, Havai'i or Farea is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls. The nearest land is Toau Atoll, which lies 14 km to the northwest....

 Atoll, located 14 km to the Southeast.

Toau Atoll is almost uninhabited. It has a population of only about forty people, who mostly depend on fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 for their livelihood. The main village is called Maragai.

Historical facts

Captain

Captain (naval)

Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....

 James Cook

James Cook

Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...

 was the first recorded Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an to sight the atoll, in April of 1774. In some maps Toau appears as "Elizabeth".

Administration

Toau Atoll belongs to the commune of Fakarava, which consists of Fakarava, as well as the atolls of Aratika

Aratika

Aratika is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Kauehi Atoll, located 35 km to the south east.Aratika has an unusual butterfly shape. Its length is 20.8 km and its maximum width 10.7 km. The lagoon is wide and deep, and can be entered by two...

, Kauehi

Kauehi

Kauehi, or Putake, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia.The nearest land is Raraka Atoll, located 17 km to the Southeast.Kauehi Atoll is roughly kidney-shaped and has a wide lagoon; length 23 km, width 17 km....

, Niau

Niau

Niau is a small atoll in French Polynesia, in the commune of Fakarava . This atoll has broad fringing reef and an area of 20 km²....

, Raraka

Raraka

Raraka, or Te Marie, is an atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It lies 17 km to the southeast of Kauehi Atoll....

, Taiaro

Taiaro

Taiaro, or Maro-taua, is a small atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is one of the smallest of the Tuamotu atolls. Taiaro lies 42 km to the northeast of Raraka Atoll....

and Toau.

External links

• Atoll list (in French)