Fakaofo

Template: Infobox Atoll / Maintenance / height Missing

Fakaofo (formerly D' Wolf Iceland or Iceland Bowditch ) is a composed of several small islands in the Pacific atoll that forms the group of the Tokelau Islands with the two atolls Nukunonu and Atafu. According to the 2006 census, living officially 483 people on Fakaofo ( but only 370 were present during the census ). Of the latter, 70 % of the Congregational Church and 22 % to the Catholic Church confess.

Only two of the islands of the atoll are inhabited. On the main island Fale most residents Fakaofos live. Here is the meeting house, the bank, the post office and the only grocery store in the atoll. Fales surface is approximately equal to that of five football fields. Visitors of the atoll can land only here because Fakaofos land mass is surrounded by coral reefs and Fale has a smaller berth. Located on the north of Fale, Island Fenuafala is Fakaofos hospital Fenuafala Hospital, as well as the school. A school ship several times daily commutes between the two islands, is responsible for the transportation of pupils. Fenuafala is in area greater than Fale, but the population here is lower.

Geography

Fakaofo is the southernmost and second largest of the three atolls of Tokelau. The 62 Motus of the atoll are distributed around the central lagoon (50 km ²), and together form a land area of ​​about 4 square kilometers.

History

The first written mention of Fakaofo dates of 14 February 1835, when by a Bristol ship during a Pacific voyage an atoll island was discovered, which was named the captain of this ship after the owner D' Wolf Iceland.

On January 28, 1839 Stephen R. Crocker visited by American whalers General Jackson Atoll Fakaofo (as it was later called ) and found the locals to be friendly.

After leaving the island, the position was 8 km southeast set.