- Nihiru
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Coordinates: 16°44′S 142°50′W / 16.733°S 142.833°W
NASA picture of Nihiru Atoll.
Nihiru, or Nikia, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is a relatively small atoll located 49 km to the east of Makemo Atoll and 30 km northeast of Marutea Atoll.
Nihiru Atoll is roughly triangular in shape. It measures 14 km in length with a maximum width of 10.5 km. Its lagoon has an area of 79 km².
Nihiru had 30 inhabitants in 1996.
Contents
History
The first recorded European to arrive to Nihiru was Russian oceanic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen in 1820 on ships Vostok and Mirni. He named this atoll "Nigeri".
This atoll is now inhabited by approximately twenty permanent occupants, most of whom originated from Taenga.
Administration
Nihiru Atoll belongs to the commune of Makemo, which consists of the atolls of Makemo, Haraiki, Marutea Nord, Katiu, Tuanake, Hiti, Tepoto Sud, Raroia, Takume, Taenga and Nihiru.
References
External links
Categories:- Atolls of the Tuamotus
- French Polynesia geography stubs
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