Faaite

Template: Infobox Atoll / Maintenance / height Missing

Faaite is an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago northwest of the Pacific Ocean. The atoll is located 250 kilometers east of Tahiti and 60 kilometers north of the atoll Anaa. Administratively, it is part of French Polynesia, where the municipality of Anaa.

The oval- shaped atoll has a total area of ​​approximately 250 km ², of which, however, accounts for 227 km ² in the central lagoon and only 8.9 km ² on land. The remaining area is occupied by coral reefs. The low land area of ​​Faaite distributed to numerous motus, especially in the north of the atoll. According to the census of 2007 366 people lived on Faaite; Capital is Hitianau.

History

The atoll was discovered for Europe probably in 1802 by the Briton John Turnbull, as secured the discovery is considered by the German Baltic sailors Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen of 16 July 1820. He named the island " Miloradovich " after the Russian General Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich.

Significance reached the Atoll to the " Bucher de Faaite " events: On September 2, 1987, six people, including children, burned living body under an exorcism. The inhabitants of the island believed that they were possessed by the devil.

1992 an airfield was opened on the island.

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