Akiaki[2] is a low coral atoll in the eastern area of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. Akiaki's nearest neighbor is Vahitahi, which is located 41 km to the southeast.
 Map of Akiaki Atoll | |
  Akiaki | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 18°33′S 139°13′W / 18.550°S 139.217°W |
| Archipelago | Tuamotus |
| Area | 1.3 km2 (0.50 sq mi) |
| Length | 2 km (1.2 mi) |
| Width | 0.9 km (0.56 mi) |
| Administration | |
France | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Administrative subdivision | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier |
| Commune | Nukutavake |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 13[1] (2020) |
Akiaki is a small atoll rising barely above sea level. The total land surface is only 1.3 km2. Its reef is occupied by a single flat island covered with coconut trees and other vegetation. There is no lagoon and it has only a difficult landing located on its northwestern side.
Akiaki is barely inhabited with a rough total of 13 residents, its occasionally visited by tourists for its coconut plantations. Akiaki maintains a small fishing port used by the residents as their source of revenue.
History
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The first recorded European that arrived to Akiaki Atoll was Louis Antoine de Bougainville on 22 March 1768.[3] He called this atoll Ile des Lanciers. James Cook reached Akiaki the following year, during his first voyage, and named it Thrum Island.
Geology
editAkiaki lies on top of a small seamount which is part of the Tuamotu Seamount Trail on the Pacific Plate. Akiaki's seamount is 3420 m high.
Administration
editAdministratively Akiaki Atoll belongs to the commune of Nukutavake, which includes Nukutavake, as well as the atolls of Vahitahi, Vairaatea, Pinaki and Akiaki.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Population". Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française. Archived from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ Young, J.L. (1899). "Names of the Paumotu Islands, with the old names so far as they are known". Journal of the Polynesian Society. 8 (4): 264–268. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- ^ Salmond, Anne (2010). Aphrodite's Island. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 93. ISBN 9780520261143.
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