An atoll is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical parts of the oceans and seas where corals can grow. Most of the approximately 440 atolls in the world are in the Pacific Ocean.
Aitutaki, also traditionally known as Araʻura and Utataki, is the second most-populated island in the Cook Islands, after Rarotonga. It is an "almost atoll", with fifteen islets in a lagoon adjacent to the main island. Total land area is 18.05 km2 (6.97 sq mi), and the lagoon has an area of between 50 and 74 km2. A major tourist destination, Aitutaki is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands.
Manuae is an uninhabited atoll in the southern group of the Cook Islands, 100 kilometres south-east of Aitutaki. Manuae is not administratively part of Aitutaki, however, it is part of Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara Constituency on Aitutaki for electoral purposes only.
Ee (island) is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. Located between the smaller islands of Angarei and Mangere, it is the third largest of the Aitutaki motus, after Tekopua and Akaiami, and measures 975m long and up to 410m wide.
Muritapua is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is a small islet located on the eastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon between the larger islands of Akaiami and Tekopua, six kilometres to the southeast of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 360m long and 150m wide.
Tekopua is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the southeastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon between the smaller islands of Muritapua and Tapuaetai, seven kilometers to the southeast of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is the largest of the Aitutaki atoll, measuring 2,250 meters long and up to 480 meters wide.
Tapuaetai, or "One Foot Island", is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the southeastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon immediately to the southwest of the larger island of Tekopua, seven kilometres to the east of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 570m long and up to 210m wide, with an average elevation of 1.5m above sea level.
Motukitiu is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is a small island located at the southeastern tip of Aitutaki Lagoon, one kilometre to the south of the larger island of Tekopua and eight kilometres to the southeast of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 450m long and 300m wide.
Moturakau is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located in the southeast of Aitutaki Lagoon between the larger islands of Rapota and Tekopua, six kilometres to the southeast of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 460m long and 120m wide. Moturakau served as a leper colony from the 1930s to 1967. More recently, it was home to the 'Sharks' for four years of the UK reality TV programme Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands.
Rapota is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located in the south of Aitutaki Lagoon to the west of the smaller island of Moturakau, six kilometres to the southeast of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is volcanic, with a core of basalt surrounded by basalt boulders.
Maina is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located at the southwestern extreme of Aitutaki Lagoon, five kilometres to the southwest of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is a sand cay 710m long and up to 310m wide. In front of Maina island stands a sandbar known as "Honeymoon Island" named after a Canadian couple who decided to get married here.
Akitua is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is on the northeastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon and is 750m long and up to 310m wide. The island is owned by The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa, a 5 star hotel equipped with luxury bungalows, restaurant and bar. It is known for its beautiful turquoise, indigo blue, beach.
Angarei is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the northeastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon to the north of the larger island of Ee, three kilometres to the east of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 480m long by 400m wide.
Mangere is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the northeastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon to the south of the larger island of Ee, three kilometres to the east of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 350m across.
Papau is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the eastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon, four kilometres to the east of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 400m long and 200m wide.
Tavaeruaiti is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the eastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon to the north of the larger island of Tavaerua, four kilometres to the east of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 250m long and 210m wide.
Tavaerua is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is located on the eastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon to the south of the smaller island of Tavaeruaiti, four kilometres to the east of the main island of Aitutaki. The island is 290m wide and 500m long and has an elevation of 7 metres (23 ft) above sea level.
The Ootu Peninsula, though connected to the main island of Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands, may in many respects be considered as one of the reef islands, being the largest and longest of them. It is located at the northern end of the eastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon to the north and then west of the northernmost true reef island, Akitua, from which is separated by a channel 50 metres wide and less than two metres deep. The southernmost point of the peninsula is called Aumoana. The northernmost point of the peninsula, Teaumera, is also the northernmost point of Aitutaki as a whole. In the northeast is Kopu a Ruatapu, a boat passage through the fringing coral reef.
Tapuaeta cay is one of 22 islands in the Aitutaki atoll of the Cook Islands. It is a sand cay located on the eastern perimeter of Aitutaki Lagoon, to the west of Tapuaetai, and is 190m long and up to 70m wide.
There are fifteen Cook Islands, all being related to extinct volcanoes that have erupted in the volcanic hotspot highway of the south-central Pacific Ocean. Low islands include six of the more northern islands that are atolls, and four of the more southern being uplifted coral islands. Rarotonga, the largest island of the group is a mountainous volcanic island. Rock formations include late Pliocene to more recent volcanics, Oligocene and Miocene reefs and middle Tertiary limestone underlying atolls More recent emergence of the coral reefs is characterised in several cases consistent with sealevel fall at Mangaia, of at least 1.7 m in the last 3400 years. The northern Suwarrow Atoll rim has portions of reef dated to between 4680 and 4310 years B.P. and at the northeast of the atoll the three ridges are dated from the land out at 4220 years B.P., 3420 years B.P. and from 1250 years B.P. On Mitiaro the centre of the reef flat has regions dated 5140–3620 years B.P.
