Taravai is the second largest island in the

Gambier Islands The Gambier Islands ( or ) are an archipelago in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They cover an area of , and are made up of the Mangareva Islands, a group of high islands remnants of a caldera alo ...

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

, at 5.7 km². Taravai is about 1.5 km southwest of

Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent pop ...

and about 300 m north of the island of Angakauitai. Off its eastern shore lies the tiny rock Îlot Motu-o-ari. The village named Agonoko is located near the main bay on the island's eastern shore. It has a population of 9 (). Former villages were Aga-nui (northwest) and Agakau-i-uta (southeast). The Onemea archaeological site suggests sporadic occupation of the island around AD 950 with a possible continuous settlement since the 13th century. Before the conversion to Christianity, the king of Taravai was a vassal to the king of

Rikitea Rikitea is a small town on Mangareva, which is part of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. A majority of the islanders live in Rikitea. The island was a protectorate of France in 1871 and was annexed in 1881. History The town's history date ...

in Mangareva.R. W. Williamson, ''The Social and Political Systems of Central Polynesia'', Cambridge University Press, 1924 File:Vue.Taravai.JPG, View of Taravai and

Angakauitai Angakauitai is an island of the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia.Mont Mokoto Mont Mokoto is a mountain located in the South Pacific, on the island of Mangareva. It has an elevation of above sea level and is north of the town of Rikitea Rikitea is a small town on Mangareva, which is part of the Gambier Islands in Fren ...

File:Eglise.Saint-Gabriel.Taravai.JPG, Church of Saint-Gabriel File:Taravai.3.jpg, View of

and

Aukena Aukena is the 5th largest of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. Aukena is located about halfway between Mangareva and Akamaru, or about 5 km southeast of Mangareva. Aukena is approximately 2.5 km long and about 0.5 km wide, ...

from Taravai File:Taravai.2.jpg, Taravai

References

External links

Mangareva, Tahiti - Death of a People
Islands of the Gambier Islands {{FrenchPolynesia-geo-stub