Takapoto

Takapoto, Tua-poto or Oura, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. Length 17 Km, width 6.4 Km. Latitude 14° 42'; Longitude S 145° 15' W.

The nearest land is Takaroa Atoll, located 10 Km to the Northeast.

Takapoto's lagoon has a high salinity and a strong phytoplankton biomass.

Geographically Takapoto is part of the King George Islands (Iles du Roi Georges) subgroup, which includes: Ahe, Manihi, Takapoto, Takaroa and Tikei.

Takapoto Atoll has 441 inhabitants. Fakatopatere, the main village on Takapoto, is located at the southern end of the atoll.

History

The first recorded European to sight Takapoto Atoll was Jacob Le Maire in 1616. [ [http://www.scarecrowpress.com/Chapters/Index.shtml?SKU=0810853957&Site=scarecrowpress&Title=Historical%2... Sample Chapter(s) for Historical%2 ] ]

Takapoto Atoll was visited by the Charles Wilkes expedition in September 1839.

Takapoto Airport was inaugurated in 1973.

Administration

The commune of Takaroa-Takapoto consists of the atolls of Takaroa and Takapoto, and Tikei Island.

ee also

*Takapoto Airport

References

* [http://cruises.about.com/cs/frenchpolynesia/a/takapoto_photos.htm]
* [http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/91943.html Takapoto Airport]
* [http://tahitinow.com.au/accommodation/familypensions/pageNo=4 Fakatopatere village]
* [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 Names]
* [http://www.catholiquenapuka.pf/Page/Histoire/charleswilkes.html Wilkes Expedition]

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)]