Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Pacific Ocean |
Coordinates | 20°47′S139°10′W / 20.783°S 139.167°W |
Archipelago | Tuamotus |
Area | 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi)(lagoon) 5 km2 (2 sq mi) (above water) |
Length | 3.5 km (2.17 mi) |
Width | 2.2 km (1.37 mi) |
Administration | |
France | |
Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
Administrative subdivision | Tuamotus |
Commune | Tureia |
Demographics | |
Population | Uninhabited [1] (2012) |
Vanavana, Kurataki, or Huataki is an atoll in the southeastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Vanavana's nearest neighbour is Tureia, which is located 58 kilometres (36 miles) to the east. [2] [3] [4]
Vanavana is a small oval-shaped atoll. It measures approximately 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) in length, has a maximum width of 2.2 kilometres (1.4 miles) and a land area of approximately 5 square kilometres (1.9 square miles). Its reef encloses completely the deep lagoon, which is 6 square kilometres (2.3 square miles). There is one hook-shaped large island in the north and another in the south of its reef.
Vanavana Atoll is uninhabited; however, buildings on the northern end of the island are present.
The first recorded European to arrive at Vanavana was British mariner Captain Frederick Beechey in 1826. He named this atoll "Barrow Island", after Sir John Barrow. [5]
Administratively Vanavana Atoll belongs to the commune of Tureia, which includes the atolls of Tureia, Fangataufa, Moruroa, Tematangi and Vanavana.
The Coral Sea Islands Territory is an external territory of Australia which comprises a group of small and mostly uninhabited tropical islands and reefs in the Coral Sea, north-east of Queensland, Australia. The only inhabited island is Willis Island. The territory covers 780,000 km2 (301,160 sq mi), most of which is ocean, extending east and south from the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef and includes Heralds Beacon Island, Osprey Reef, the Willis Group and fifteen other reef/island groups. Cato Island is the highest point in the Territory.
The Maldives are formed by 20 natural atolls, along with a few islands and isolated reefs today which form a pattern stretching from 7 degrees 10′ North to 0 degrees 45′ South. The largest of these atolls is Boduthiladhunmathi, while the atoll containing the most islands is Huvadhu.
Moruroa, also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is located about 1,250 kilometres (780 mi) southeast of Tahiti. Administratively Moruroa Atoll is part of the commune of Tureia, which includes the atolls of Tureia, Fangataufa, Tematangi and Vanavana. France undertook nuclear weapon tests between 1966 and 1996 at Moruroa and Fangataufa, causing international protests, notably in 1974 and 1995. The number of tests performed on Moruroa has been variously reported as 175 and 181.
Fangataufa is an uninhabited coral atoll in the eastern part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. The atoll has been fully-owned by the French state since 1964. From 1966 to 1996 it was used as a nuclear test site by the French government. In total, 4 atmospheric and 10 underground nuclear explosions were carried out on the atoll.
The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extending over an area roughly the size of Western Europe. Their combined land area is 850 square kilometres. This archipelago's major islands are Anaa, Fakarava, Hao and Makemo.
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is an archipelago of 55 islands in the Indian Ocean, located south of India. It is situated approximately halfway between Africa and Indonesia. The islands form a semicircular group with an open sea towards the east. The largest, Diego Garcia, is located at the southern extreme end. It measures 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi) and accounts for almost three-quarters of the total land area of the territory. Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island and is home to the joint UK-US naval support facility. Other islands within the archipelago include Danger Island, Three Brothers Islands, Nelson Island, and Peros Banhos, as well as the island groups of the Egmont Islands, Eagle Islands, and the Salomon Islands.
Tenararo is the smallest atoll in the Acteon Group in the southeastern part of the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia. It is administratively a part of the Gambier Islands. It is uninhabited.
St. François Atoll is one of two atolls of the Alphonse Group in the Seychelles that are part of the Outer Islands.
Tureia is an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia.
Tematagi or Tematangi is an atoll in the southeastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Tematagi's nearest neighbour is Mururoa, which is located 161 kilometres to the ESE.
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, a coral atoll which lies 14 kilometres to the northwest.
Fangatau, or Nakai-erua, is a small atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Fakahina Atoll, located 72 km to the ESE. This small atoll has an elongated shape. Its length is 8 kilometres, maximum width 3.5 kilometres. It has a total area of 22.2 square kilometres, land area 5.9 km2. Its reef encloses its lagoon completely. Anchorage is difficult. Fangatau Atoll has 150 inhabitants. Teana is the main village.
Namonuito Atoll, also called Namonweito, Weito, or Magur Islands, is the largest atoll of the Federated States of Micronesia and of the Caroline Islands with a total area of 2,267 square kilometres, unless one considers the still larger Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon as a type of atoll in an early stage of development. In Micronesia, only Kwajalein Atoll of the Marshall Islands is still larger.
Tikehau or Porutu-kai is a coral atoll in the Palliser Islands group, part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is included in the commune of Rangiroa.
Takume or Pukamaru is an atoll of the Tuamotus chain in French Polynesia, located 790 km northeast of Tahiti and 6 km northeast of Raroia and 128 kilometres to the west of Fangatau.
Vairaatea is a small atoll of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Geographically Vairaatea Atoll is part of the East-central subgroup of the Tuamotus, which includes Ahunui, Amanu, Fangatau, Hao and Nukutavake. Nukutavake, the closest land, lies 41 kilometres to the east.
Katiu, or Taungataki, is an atoll of the central Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 23.5 kilometres west of Makemo Atoll's westernmost point. It measures 27 kilometres in length with a maximum width of 12.5 kilometres. Its total area, including the lagoon is 232.5 square kilometres and a land area of approximately 10 square kilometres. There are many narrow islands on the north-eastern side of its long reef with a total land area of about 3 square kilometres. Its lagoon is connected to the ocean.
Tahanea Atoll is an uninhabited atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 12 kilometres to the east of Faaite Atoll.
Anuanurunga is an atoll in French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group. Anuanurunga's nearest neighbor is Nukutepipi, which is located about 22 km (14 mi) to the ESE.
Vahitahi, or Vaitake, is an atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Vahitahi's nearest neighbour is Akiaki, which is located 41 kilometres to the northwest.