Nukutavake or Nukutuvake is an

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

in the

Tuamotu The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, officially ) 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, extendin ...

group in French Polynesia. It lies 1125 km from

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...

. The closest land is small

Pinaki Pinaki,Te Kiekie or Artomix is a small atoll of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Geographically Pinaki Atoll is part of the East-central subgroup of the Tuamotus, which includes Ahunui, Amanu, Fangatau, Hao and Nukutavake. Geography Th ...

Atoll, located 15 km to the southeast.

Vairaatea 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 la ...

Atoll lies 38 km to the west of Nukutavake. Nukutavake's length is 5 km and its width between 0.45 km and 1.3 km. Nukutuvake is not a typical Tuamotu atoll, but a single island. It was formed when its lagoon filled up with silt, in a similar manner as Fuvahmulah in the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

, which has a similar size and shape. There are shallow remains of the lagoon filled with marshy vegetation. The higher ground has many coconut palms. Nukutavake has 177 inhabitants (2017 census); Tavananui is the largest town. Many islanders have left the island in recent years, mainly to Tahiti, in search for work. There are a number of abandoned houses on the island. The people who remain live primarily on

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

and

copra Copra (from ) is the dried, white flesh of the coconut from which coconut oil is extracted. Traditionally, the coconuts are sun-dried, especially for export, before the oil, also known as copra oil, is pressed out. The oil extracted from co ...

production. There is a cyclone shelter on Nukutavake.

History

The first recorded European to arrive at Nukutavake was Englishman

Samuel Wallis Samuel Wallis (23 April 1728 – 21 January 1795 in London) was a British naval officer and explorer of the Pacific Ocean. He made the first recorded visit by a European navigator to Tahiti. Biography Wallis was born at Fenteroon Farm, n ...

in 1767. He named it "Queen Charlotte Island" (''Reine Charlotte''). Wallis observed that the island was inhabited and well-stocked with coconut trees, but Captain Frederick Beechey, who visited Nukutavake in 1826, found it with no population and without the trees.

Administration

The

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

of Nukutavake consists of the associated communes Nukutavake (which also includes the uninhabited island

Vahitahi 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 to the northwest. Vahitahi is a small atoll with an elongated oval shape. It mea ...

(which also includes the uninhabited island

Akiaki Akiaki is a low coral atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Akiaki's nearest neighbor is Vahitahi, which is located 41 km to the southeast. Akiaki is a small atoll rising barely above sea level. The total ...

) and

.Décret n°72-407 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française

Légifrance Légifrance is the official website of the French government for the publication of legislation, regulations, and legal information. Access to the site is free. Virtually complete, it presents or refers to all concerned institutions or administrat ...

Geographically these islands are part of the East-central subgroup of the Tuamotus, which includes

Ahunui Ahunui or Nga-taumanga is a small atoll of the eastern Tuamotus, Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 55 km SSE of Paraoa Atoll and 120 km WSW of Vairaatea. Ahunui Atoll is roughly circular in shape and measures 6.5&n ...

Amanu Amanu, Timanu, or Karere, is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago. Amanu lies at right angles to neighbouring Hao Atoll; this orientation is quite rare for the Tuamotu atolls. It is situated 900 km east of Tahiti and 15 km north of Hao ...

Fangatau 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 , maximum width . It has a total area ...

, Hao and Nukutavake.

Transport

The island is served by the Nukutavake Airport .

References

External links

Atoll list (in French)

Atolls of the Tuamotus Communes of French Polynesia {{FrenchPolynesia-geo-stub