Îles Maria
Native name: Nororotu | |
|---|---|
| File:Îles Maria (ISS013-E-5001).jpg NASA picture of Îles Maria | |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 411: Malformed coordinates value. | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Archipelago | Australes |
| Total islands | 4 |
| Area | 1.9 km2 (0.73 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
France | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Administrative subdivision | Australes |
| Commune | Rimatara |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited[1] (2012) |
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Îles Maria or simply Maria, also known as Hull Island,[2] is a small coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Its original name is Nororotu. The nearest island is Rimatara situated 205 kilometres (127 miles) to the ESE.
The atoll consists of four islets (îles), with a dense atoll forest[3] and a very shallow lagoon, supporting numerous bird species.[4] The atoll is uninhabited.[5] Copra is occasionally harvested at the island.[4]
The four islands are:
- Île du Sud
- Île Centrale
- Île de l' Ouest
- Île du Nordêt
The Îles Maria should not be confused with Maria Atoll in the Gambier Islands, also in French Polynesia, which is sometimes differentiated with the name "Maria Est" (East).[6] There is also another island once known as Hull Island in the Phoenix Islands, which is now known as Orona.
History
[edit | edit source]
According to Polynesian legend, the uninhabited island was discovered by Chief Ama'itera'i of Rurutu in ancient times.[7]: 558 It was made a place of exile by King Teuruarii IV and his mother and regent Taarouru.[8]: 138 The island was also claimed by the neighboring island kingdom of Rimatara. The territorial dispute would not be settled until 1937, when two of the four atolls were awarded to each party.[9]: 108–109 This atoll is named for the whaler Maria, who sighted the island in 1824,[4] It was captained by George Washington Gardner, a Nantucket sea captain (1778–1838).[10]
Administration
[edit | edit source]The atoll Îles Maria is administratively part of Rimatara commune (municipality) in the Tubuai (Austral Islands) division of French Polynesia.
References
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- ^ Dunmore, John (1992); Who's Who in Pacific Navigation, Australia:Melbourne University Press, Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)., pp114-115
External links
[edit | edit source]- Maria at the Wayback Machine (archived December 23, 2010) - from OceanDots
