Takapoto
Atoll in French Polynesia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Takapoto, Tua-poto or Oura, is an atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. It has a length of 20 kilometres (12 miles) and a width of 6.7 kilometres (4.2 miles).
15 km2 (6 sq mi) (above water)
NASA picture of Takapoto Atoll | |
  Takapoto | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 14°37′39″S 145°12′18″W |
| Archipelago | Tuamotus |
| Area | 85 km2 (33 sq mi) (lagoon) 15 km2 (6 sq mi) (above water) |
| Length | 20 km (12 mi) |
| Width | 6.7 km (4.16 mi) |
| Administration | |
France | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Administrative subdivision | Tuamotus |
| Commune | Takaroa |
| Largest settlement | Fakatopatere |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 380[1] (2012) |
The nearest land is Takaroa Atoll, located 10 kilometres (6 miles) to the northeast.
Takapoto's lagoon has a high salinity and a strong phytoplankton biomass.
Geographically Takapoto is part of the King George Islands (Iles du Roi Georges) subgroup, which includes: Ahe, Manihi, Takapoto, Takaroa and Tikei.
Takapoto Atoll has 380 inhabitants. Fakatopatere, the main village on Takapoto, is located at the southern end of the atoll.
History
The first recorded European to sight Takapoto Atoll was Jacob Le Maire in 1616.[2] Jacob Roggeveen's flagship Afrikaansche Galey wrecked near the atoll and abandoned in 1722; the incident became a major point in history where Polynesians first acquired knowledge of metals like iron from her scraps broken apart by local islanders not long after.[3]
Takapoto Atoll was visited by the Charles Wilkes expedition in September 1839.
Takapoto Airport was inaugurated in 1973.
