- Fangatau
Fangatau, or Nakai-erua, is a small
atoll in theTuamotu group inFrench Polynesia . The nearest land isFakahina Atoll, located 72 km to the ESE.This small atoll has an elongated shape. Its length is 8 km, maximum width 3.5 km. Its reef encloses its lagoon completely. Anchorage is difficult.
Fangatau Atoll has 165 inhabitants. Teana is the main village.
History
The first recorded European to arrive to Fangatau was
Russia n oceanic explorerFabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on the10 July 1820 on ships "Vostok" and "Mirni". He named this atoll "Arakcheev".There is a territorial (domestic) airfield in Fangatau which was inaugurated in 1978.
Administration
The commune of Fangatau consists of Fangatau Atoll, as well as the atoll and associated commune of
Fakahina .References
* [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/tuamotu/fangatau.htm ]
* [http://www.world-airport-codes.com/french-polynesia/fangatau-2273.html Fangatau Airport]
* [http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_8_1899/Volume_8,_No._4,_December_1899/Names_of_the_Paumotu_Islands,_by_J.L._Young,_p_264-268?action=null Atoll names]
* [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-BucExpl-t1-body-d19-d2-d7.html Bellingshausen]External links
* [http://www.pacific-image.pf/pages/boutic/dboutic_cdrom_sp132.html Atoll list (in French)]
ee also
*
Fangatau Airport
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
