Vairaatea facts for kids
NASA picture of Vairaatea Atoll
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 Vairaatea
Location in French Polynesia
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 19°21′S 139°13′W / 19.350°S 139.217°W |
| Archipelago | Tuamotus |
| Area | 13 km2 (5.0 sq mi) (lagoon) 3 km2 (1 sq mi) (above water) |
| Length | 8 km (5 mi) |
| Width | 4 km (2.5 mi) |
| Administration | |
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France
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| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Administrative subdivision | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier |
| Commune | Nukutavake |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 57 (2012) |
Vairaatea is a small island in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Tuamotus group of islands. These islands are located in French Polynesia. French Polynesia is a country that belongs to France.
Vairaatea is an "atoll." This means it is a ring-shaped coral reef. It has a calm body of water called a lagoon in its center. Vairaatea is located in the east-central part of the Tuamotus. Other nearby islands include Ahunui, Amanu, Fangatau, Hao, and Nukutavake. The island of Nukutavake is the closest land, about 41 kilometers (25 miles) to the east.
The Vairaatea Atoll is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) long. It is also about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) wide. Its coral reef looks a bit like a triangle. There are two long islands on the reef itself. The reef completely surrounds a lagoon that is 13 square kilometers (5 square miles) in size. It can be tricky to land on this atoll. This is because of the ocean waves and a lack of safe places for boats to anchor.
In 1989, only eight families lived on Vairaatea. They lived in a village on the northern part of Puka Runga. This is the only island on the atoll where people live. In 2012, a count showed that 57 people lived on Vairaatea. This was a decrease from 70 people in 1996.
History of Vairaatea
Early European Visits
The first European to write about visiting Vairaatea was a Spanish explorer. His name was Pedro Fernández de Quirós. He arrived on February 9, 1606. He called the atoll San Miguel Arcángel. However, his captains, Prado y Tovar and Vaéz de Torres, called it Santa Polonia. They saw the island on the day of a Christian saint named Santa Polonia.
An Englishman named Samuel Wallis visited Vairaatea in 1767. He gave the island the name "Lord Egmont." On some old maps, the island also appears with the name "Industriel."
How Vairaatea is Governed
Vairaatea is managed as part of the commune of Nukutavake. A commune is like a local government area in France.
