Mehetia

Mont Fareura
NASA Geocover 2000 image
Elevation	435 m (1,427 ft)
Prominence	435 m (1,427 ft)
Location
Location	Society Islands
Coordinates	17°52′S 148°4′W / 17.867°S 148.067°W / -17.867; -148.067
Geology
Type	Stratovolcano
Last eruption	Unknown

Mehetia or Meetia is a volcanic island in the Windward Islands, in the east of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. This island is a very young active stratovolcano 110 kilometres (68 mi) east of Taiarapu Peninsula of Tahiti. It belongs to the Teahitia-Mehetia hotspot.

The island has an area of 2.3 square kilometres (0.89 sq mi) and its highest point is 435 metres (1,427 ft). Mehetia's well-defined volcanic crater contains a very active hot point. In 1981 the island was the centre of earthquakes.

History

Mehetia was sighted by Spanish navigator Domingo de Boenechea on November 6, 1772 on ship Aguila. He named this island "San Cristóbal". The first European to sight it was Samuel Wallis in HMS Dolphin 1767.

Administration

Mehetia is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Taiarapu-Est and of its easternmost commune associée Tautira. The island is uninhabited and doesn't have much vegetation but has a small coral reef on the underwater slopes.

See also

• List of volcanoes in French Polynesia

References

• Global Volcanism Program: Mehetia
• Andre Alexander's link
• Spanish voyages

External links

• Mehetia database
• Mehetia
• Andre's favorite link