Raeffsky Islands
Location of the Raeffsky Islands in the Pacific Ocean
The Raeffsky Islands or Raevski Islands (French: Îles Raéffsky or Îles Raevski) is a subgroup with just over 3000 people in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located roughly in the central area of the main Tuamotu atoll cluster. (Latitude: 16° 45' 0 S, Longitude: 144° 13' 60 W.) Named after Nikolay Raevsky, a Russian general of the Napoleonic wars.
Atolls
[edit]The Raeffsky Islands include the following atolls:
- Anaa
- Faaite
- Tahanea (uninhabited)
- Motutunga (uninhabited)
- Takume
- Raroia
- Taenga
- Nihiru
- Makemo
- Katiu
- Tuanake (uninhabited)
- Hiti (uninhabited)
- Tepoto (South), Tepoto Sud (uninhabited)
- Marutea Nord (uninhabited)
- Haraiki (uninhabited)
- Aratika
- Kauehi
- Taiaro (private)
- Raraka
Administration
[edit]- The commune of Anaa consists of 4 atolls: Anaa, Faaite, Tahanea and Motutunga. The total population is of 639 inhabitants according to the 2002 census.
- The commune of Makemo consists of 11 atolls: Makemo, Takume, Raroia, Taenga, Nihiru, Kaitu, Tuanake, Hiti, Tepoto (South) (Tepoto Sud), Marutea Nord and Haraiki. The total population is of 964 inhabitants according to the 2002 census.
- The commune of Fakarava consists of 7 atolls in Raeffsky Group: Fakarava, Aratika, Kauehi, Niau, Raraka, Taiaro and Toau. The total population is of 1511 inhabitants.
UNESCO site
[edit]The ring-shaped atoll Taiaro provides a rare example of a coral reef with a fully enclosed lagoon. The atoll was officially designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1977.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ UNESCO (2008). "Biosphere Reserve Information". Unesco.com. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg/40px-Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg.png)
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Tuamotu_Islands.