- Reao
Reao or Natūpe is an
atoll in the eastern expanses of theTuamotu group inFrench Polynesia . The closest land is Pukarua Atoll, located 48 Km to the WNW.Reao is 24.5 km long and its maximum width is 5 km. The whole length of its northeastern rim is occupied by a single long island. There is no navigable pass into the lagoon.
Reao Atoll's population is 344 inhabitants.
History
The first recorded European to sight Reao Atoll was French explorer
Louis Isidore Duperrey in 1823. He named this atoll "Clermont Tonnerre". [ [http://www.scarecrowpress.com/Chapters/Index.shtml?SKU=0810853957&Site=scarecrowpress&Title=Historical%2... Sample Chapter(s) for Historical%2 ] ]Reao was visited by the United States Exploring Expedition led by
Charles Wilkes on August 13, 1839. Wilkes called this atoll "Minerva".Reao Airport was inaugurated in 1979.
Administration
The commune of Reao consists of Reao, as well as the atoll of
Pukarua .References
* [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/tuamotu/reao.htm]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/ac/exploration/wilkes/agate_exhibit2.htm United States Exploring Expedition]
* [http://www.world-airport-codes.com/french-polynesia/reao-6230.html Reao 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 Historical names]
* [http://www.catholiquenapuka.pf/Page/Histoire/charleswilkes.html Charles Wilkes]External links
* [http://www.pacific-image.pf/pages/boutic/dboutic_cdrom_sp132.html Atoll list (in French)]
* [http://www.com.univ-mrs.fr/IRD/atollpol/irdpoly/uksalv85.htm Classification of the French Polynesian atolls by Salvat (1985)]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.