Reitoru
Atoll in French Polynesia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reitoru, or Te Pirehi, is a small atoll of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located in center of the archipelago, 50 km southwest of Hikueru.
1.4 km2 (1 sq mi) (above water)
| |
  Reitoru | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 17°52′S 143°5′W |
| Archipelago | Tuamotus |
| Area | 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi) (lagoon) 1.4 km2 (1 sq mi) (above water) |
| Length | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Width | 3 km (1.9 mi) |
| Administration | |
France | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Administrative subdivision | Tuamotus |
| Commune | Hikueru |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited[1] (2012) |
The inner lagoon is closed and is inaccessible from the ocean. The total surface area is 1.39 km2. The island is inhabited by a small number of people who live by farming pearls and gathering copra.
History
The first recorded European who arrived to Reitoru Atoll was French Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1768. The following year, James Cook called the island "Bird Island", because the birds were the only inhabitants found.
During the 19th and 20th century, Reitoru was an important center for pearl divers. In 1903, the atoll was devastated by a cyclone, causing the death of approximately one hundred people.[2]
