Fort Towson

NASA picture of Manuhangi atoll

Manuhangi (also known as Te Fara[2]) is an atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 68 km southeast of Nengonengo, 52 km west of Paraoa and 845 km east of Tahiti.[3]

Manuhangi Atoll is small in size,[3] with a length of 5.4 km and a maximum width of 3.6 km. It has an oval shape and a coral reef completely enclosing a small lagoon. Manuhangi has a hook-shaped island covering the east and northeast of its reef.

History

The old Paumotu (Tuamotu's inhabitants) called this small atoll "manu hagi" (meaning "the loving bird").[4] The atoll has been uninhabited for many years.[4]

The first recorded European who arrived to Manuhangi was English navigator Samuel Wallis in 1767.[4] He named it "Cumberland".

Administration

Administratively Manuhangi belongs to the commune of Hao (main village: Otepa), which includes Ahunui (uninhabited), Nengonengo, Manuhangi (no permanent inhabitant) and Paraoa (uninhabited).

Flora and fauna

Manuhangi is a protected area and various species of birds are found in the atoll.[4] Part of the land is planted with coconut palms.[5] Apart from the birds, the fauna of the island primarily consists of coconut crabs.[5]

Economy and infrastructure

Tahitian black pearls are collected and cultivated in the surrounding islands.[4] The island has some houses with permanent structures, cisterns, and water supply from natural wells.[5] Manuhangi has no permanent inhabitant.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Population". Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  2. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Manuhangi". Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved 2009-03-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Oceandots.com
  4. ^ a b c d e Manuhangi Atoll Archived 2008-02-18 at the Wayback Machine Privateislandsonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Manuhangi Atoll Archived 2019-02-02 at the Wayback Machine Pavilionsofsplendourinternational.com
  6. ^ United Nations Environment Programme, IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas (1986). Review of the Protected Areas System in Oceania. The World Conservation Union. pp. 207. ISBN 2-88032-509-9.