Disappointment Islands
Coordinates: 14°10′S 141°16′W / 14.167°S 141.267°W
The Disappointment Islands (French: Îles du Désappointement) are a subgroup of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. They are located towards the northeast, away from the main Tuamotu group.
The Disappointment Islands are a small group of coral islands, which includes the island of Tepoto and the atoll of Napuka. Puka-Puka, 180 miles (290 km) to their southeast, is often included in this subgroup.[1]
These islands are arid, and are not especially conducive to human habitation.
Demographics
The Disappointment Islands are sparsely populated. The inhabitants are overwhelmingly native Polynesians. According to the 2002 census, the population of the islands is as follows:
- Tepoto: 54
- Napuka: 257
- Puka-Puka: 197
Administration
Administratively Tepoto Island belongs to the commune of Napuka, while Puka-Puka has its own commune.
History
The western Disappointment Islands, Tepoto and Napuka, were colonized by voyagers from the neighboring Tuamotus, but Puka-Puka was colonized by settlers from the Marquesas Islands, several hundred miles to the northeast.
It is said that these islands were given their name by Ferdinand Magellan, who could not find a water source there from which to replenish his ship's supplies, while en route to the Philippine Islands.[2]
However, the first recorded European to reach Napuka Atoll was the British explorer John Byron in 1765. He named Napuka and Tepoto "Disappointment Islands" because he found the natives to be of a hostile disposition toward him. The islands were also visited by the United States Exploring Expedition in 1839.
See also
References
External links
- History (French)
| ||||||||||||||||||||
