Fakaofo, formerly known as Bowditch Island, is a

South Pacific Ocean South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

atoll An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can gr ...

located in the

Tokelau Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, a ...

Group. The actual land area is only about 3 km² (1.1 sq mi), consisting of islets on a coral reef surrounding a central lagoon of some 45 km². According to the 2006 census 483 people officially live on Fakaofo (however just 370 were present at census night). Of those present 70% belong to the Congregational Church and 22% to the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Geography and government

The main settlement on the island is Fale on Fale Islet, towards the western side of the atoll. Located two kilometres to the west of it is the relatively large Fenua Fala Islet, where a second settlement was established in 1960. Other islets in the group include Teafua, Nukumatau, Nukulakia, Fenua Loa, Saumatafanga, Motu Akea,

Matangi Matangi ( sa, मातङ्गी, ) is a Hindu goddess. She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and an aspect of the Hindu Divine Mother. She is considered to be the Tantric form of Saraswati, the goddess of music and learning. ...

, Lalo, and Mulifenua. Fakaofo's Council of Elders is made up of citizens over the age of 60.

History

The island was sighted by the whale ship ''General Jackson'' in 1835, which returned in 1839. The island was named ''Bowditch'' (after

Nathaniel Bowditch Nathaniel Bowditch (March 26, 1773 – March 16, 1838) was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book '' The New American Practical Navi ...

), this island was visited by the American ship which was part of the first American voyage of discovery – The

United States Exploring Expedition The United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842 was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby ...

(also known as "the Ex Ex" or "the Wilkes Expedition"), 1838–1842,

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Lieutenant

Charles Wilkes Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer, ship's captain, and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842). During the American Civil War (1861–1865), he commanded ' during the ...

commanding. Nathaniel Bowditch (1773–1838) was a noted American navigator who wrote a famous two-volume encyclopedia of navigation and sailing that is still used and published today by the Defense Mapping Agency Topographic Center (DMATC). In ''Twenty Years Before The Mast'', Charles Erskine wrote "The people found on this island had no knowledge of fire, which I believe, is the only instance of the kind on record." In a village on the island is a coral slab monument personifying

Tui Tokelau Tui Tokelau is a god worshipped in Tokelau in the Pacific. Before the arrival of Christianity in the islands, Tui Tokelau was the primary god along with the usual pantheon of Polynesian gods. The marae of the village of Fakaofo on Fakaofo atoll was ...

, a god once worshiped in the islands. Between 1856 and 1979, the United States claimed that it held sovereignty over the island and the other Tokelauan atolls. In 1979, the U.S. conceded that Tokelau was under New Zealand sovereignty, and a

maritime boundary A maritime boundary is a conceptual division of the Earth's water surface areas using physiographic or geopolitical criteria. As such, it usually bounds areas of exclusive national rights over mineral and biological resources,VLIZ Maritime Boun ...

between Tokelau and

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the Internationa ...

was established by the

Treaty of Tokehega The Treaty of Tokehega (), officially titled the Treaty between the United States of America and New Zealand on the Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Tokelau and the United States of America, is a 1980 treaty between New Zealand and ...

Climate crisis

Five metre high concrete walls surround one of Fakaofo's atolls, that were constructed by residents to protect the islet from rising sea levels.

List of islands

# Mulifenua # Vini # Motu Pelu # Avaono # Talapeka # Te Lafu # Olokalaga # Palea # Manumea # Ofuna # Kavivave # Heketai # Motuloa # Motu Akea # Motu Iti # Niue # Fugalei # Manuafe # Otafi Loto # Otafi Loa # Kaivai # Nukuheheke # Nukamahaga Lahi # Nukamahaga Iti # Tenki # Pagai # Matakitoga # Vaiaha # Falatutahi # Lapa # Hugalu # Logotaua # Tafolaelo # Otano # Akegamutu # Te Loto # Kapiomotu # Metu # Hakea Mahaga # Pukava # Hakea # Te Kau Afua o Humu # Nukulakia # Te Papaloa # Pataliga # Nukumatau # Fale # Te Afua tau Lua # Fenua Fala

Notes

References

Pacific Island travel

External links

Fakaofo - Chiefly island of Tokelau
{{authority control Atolls of Tokelau Pacific islands claimed under the Guano Islands Act Territorial disputes of New Zealand Capitals in Oceania Former disputed islands