Taiaro

Taiaro, or Maro-taua, is a small atoll in the west of the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It is one of the smallest of the Tuamotu atolls. Taiaro lies 42 Km to the northeast of Raraka Atoll.

The shape of Taiaro Atoll is roughly a polygon 3.7 Km across. It has a deep sandy lagoon without any passes to the ocean.

Taiaro Atoll is uninhabited. It is the private property of W. A. Robinson.

History

The first recorded European arrivng to Taiaro Atoll was Captain Robert FitzRoy on ship "Beagle" in 1835. It was the last atoll of the Tuamotus to be recorded and charted.

This atoll was visited by the United States Exploring Expedition led by Charles Wilkes on September 3d 1839. Wilkes named it "King's Island" after the surname of the sailor at the masthead who had first sighted it.

In 1977 Taiaro was declared a protected area by UNESCO under the name Biosphere Reserve Taiaro Atoll.

Administration

Taiaro Atoll belongs to the commune of Fakarava , which consists of Fakarava, as well as the atolls of Aratika, Kauehi, Niau, Raraka, Taiaro and Toau.

References

* [http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/tuamotu/taiaro.htm]
* [http://www.mab-france.org/eng/reserves/R_taiaro.html MAB France - Biosphere Reserve Taiaro Atoll]
* [http://www.springerlink.com/index/J1FR6D1GAG87WDDC.pdf 1994 Franco-Australian expedition ]
* [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.catholiquenapuka.pf/Page/Histoire/charleswilkes.html Charles Wilkes] & [http://www.history.navy.mil/ac/exploration/wilkes/agate_exhibit2.htm United States Exploring 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/ukdivato.htm Diversity of the French Polynesian atolls]
* [http://www.com.univ-mrs.fr/IRD/atollpol/irdpoly/uksalv85.htm Classification of the French Polynesian atolls by Salvat (1985)]