Taenga

Taenga, or Taunga-hara, is one of the Tuamotu atolls in French Polynesia. It is located 32 km to the northeast of Makemo Atoll and 27 km to the northwest of Nihiru Atoll.

Taenga Atoll is roughly triangular in shape. It measures 27 km in length with a maximum width of 11 km.

Taenga's lagoon has an area of 170 km². It is very difficult to enter on account of the currents and the very narrow pass.

This atoll has currently 76 inhabitants, most of whom are Mormons.

History

Taenga Atoll was first discovered by John Buyers on March 10, 1803 who named it "Holts Island" on the same day as he discovered Makemo atoll. It was later rediscovered by Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen in 1820. In some maps it still appears as "Yermolov".

Administration

Taenga 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

* [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/tuamotu/taenga.htm]
* [http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_triplett/index.htm Description]
* [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=a340ef960417b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Mormons in Taenga]
* [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]