Paraoa

Paraoa

NASA picture of Paraoa Atoll
Paraoa
Geography
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates 19°08′S 140°43′W / 19.133°S 140.717°W / -19.133; -140.717Coordinates: 19°08′S 140°43′W / 19.133°S 140.717°W / -19.133; -140.717
Archipelago Tuamotus
Area 14 km2 (5.4 sq mi)  (lagoon)
4 km2 (1.5 sq mi) (above water)
Length 8.5 km (5.28 mi)
Width 5.5 km (3.42 mi)
Administration
Overseas collectivity French Polynesia
Administrative subdivision Tuamotus
Commune Hao
Demographics
Population Uninhabited[1] (2012)
NASA picture of Paraoa Atoll.

Paraoa, Tohora, or Hariri[2] is a small atoll of the central Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is located 76 km south of Hao Atoll's westernmost point. The closest land is Manuhangi Atoll, 52 km to the west.[3]

Paraoa Atoll is oval in shape. It measures 8.5 kilometres (5.3 miles) in length with a maximum width of 5.5 kilometres (3.4 miles). Its lagoon is not connected to the ocean by a pass, which makes this small atoll quite inaccessible. Paraoa Atoll is uninhabited.

History

The first recorded European who arrived to Paraoa was Englishman Samuel Wallis in 1767. He named it "Gloucester".[4]

Administration

Paraoa belongs to the commune of Hao (Main village: Otepa), which includes also Ahunui (uninhabited), Nengonengo, and Manuhangi (uninhabited).

References

  1. ↑ "Population". Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Atoll names
  3. ↑ Oceandots at the Wayback Machine (archived December 23, 2010)
  4. ↑ Samuel Wallis (in German)



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