Takapoto

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Takapoto, other names: Tuapoto, Taapouta, Oura, old name: het Eiland Daageraad ( Roggeveen ) or Tagroth ( Behrens ), Spiridof (Kotzebue ) is a low coral atoll in the North West Group of the Tuamotu archipelago in the South Pacific. Geographically one of the atoll to the subgroup of the King George Islands ( Îles du Roi Georges ). The nearest inhabited island is Takaroa, 10 km Located in the northeast.

Geography

Takopoto and the neighboring island Takaroa located on a 2,780 -meter-high undersea mountain which grew out of a hot spot of the Pacific plate and is part of the " Tuamotu Seamount Trail ". The summit has been lowered due to tectonic processes and does not protrude more today about the sea beyond. From the atoll, only the dense crown of numerous Koralleninselchen ( Motus ) is retained, which together have a land area of ​​15 km ². In the 81 km ² large oval and on average 40 m deep lagoon are several coral reefs, which extend as far as the surface. The lagoon has no navigable passage to the Pacific Ocean, just some flat Tidenkanäle ( Hoa ), which serve the water exchange with the open sea.

The tropical humid climate of the island is relatively consistent, distinct seasons do not exist. The summer ( November to April) are slightly warmer. The average temperature of 23 ° C varies during the day and the seasons but little, and is perceived, despite the high humidity due to the constantly blowing winds as pleasant. Although tropical cyclones occur far less frequently than in the more western regions of Polynesia, also Takapoto in the past was repeatedly ravaged by cyclones, which caused considerable damage, such as in the years 1903, 1958 and 1983.

The porous limestone soil of the low islands of the South Pacific, where the rainwater seeps quickly, allows only a relatively species-poor vegetation. On Takapoto grow mainly beach winds, Pandanus, Pisonia grandis and numerous coconut trees. A special feature on Takapoto is the wet field cultivation of taro, on the in 1837 Jacques- Antoine Moerenhout reported and the Polynesian natives already knew. In the porous coral soil a deep trench is drawn, which touches on a Ghyben - Herzberg lens. The emergent freshwater supplies the taro plants with adequate moisture.

The terrestrial fauna is limited to insects, lizards, spiders and a few land and sea birds. On Takapoto the endemic Tuamotufruchttaube ( Ptilinopus coralensis ) occurs in a more stable population. The more species-rich is the coral reef, particularly the regions around the Tidenkanäle is flushed by the tides during the food in the lagoon.

Politics and Administration

Politically, the island is part of the French overseas country ( pays d' outre- mer - POM) French Polynesia and is the EU attached. It is managed by a sub-division ( subdivision administrative des Îles Tuamotu - Gambier ) of the High Commissioner of French Polynesia (Haut- commissariat de la République française en Polynésie ) based in Papeete. Together with the neighboring Takaroa and the uninhabited Tikei forms the island municipality Takaroa - Takapoto (Commune de Takaroa - Takapoto ) with a total of 1524 inhabitants, of which accounts for 512 Takapoto itself. The majority of the inhabitants are Catholics, but there are also Protestants and Mormons. The official language is French. Currency is (still) bound to the Euro CFP Franc. The only place is Fakatopatere in the extreme southwest of the atoll, where almost all inhabitants live. Some other motu are single, lived in pearl farms.

Infrastructure

In a motu on the southwestern tip of the atoll is the already opened in 1973 airfield Takapoto (ICAO ID: NTGT; IATA code: TKP ), only a 920 m long asphalt runway that is served only by small aircraft of Air Tahiti.

Takapoto has no port. The concrete web of Fakatopatere, located on the Pacific side, is suitable only for small boats. The goods of once a month trains running supply ship from Tahiti are unloaded at anchor with small boats. Cruise ships call at the atoll rare, they have to their passengers also can change at anchor.

The island has no roads, only some of the Motus associated with an unpaved runway.

The main industry now is the breeding of black pearls, which is operated on Takapoto since the 1960s. In the lagoon several floating pearl farms are anchored. To a lesser extent, copra is exported. Tourism plays hardly been a role that infrastructure is only slightly adapted to the needs of tourism. There is only one family house with some on the beach of the lagoon located huts ( Fare ), no restaurants and bars and no bank. A ( open at the discretion of the operator ) Mail is available, at the same time a small shop with limited choice. The island does not have adequate medical care, only one aid station for first aid.

History

One of the few scientific expeditions to Tuamotus, which included also the remote Takapoto, could be conducted under the direction of the American anthropologist Kenneth P. Emory 1929/30, the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu. Emory noted that the island was divided into classical times in total 5 be distinct districts ( matakeinaga ), which were dominated in each case by a clan ( gati ). The clan leaders were themselves the tribal chief ( ariki ) of the entire island tribute. Emory found the part considerably damaged remains of four Zeremonialanlagen ( Marae ) of the Polynesian natives. On Pointe Moturoa in the North East is still the reconstructed Marae Takai, a Zeremonialanlage of three small platforms that were built of vertical slabs of limestone. The age of the plant is not known

The first European explorers of the island was probably the Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen in 1722. The island is likely to be identical with that which he called " het Eiland Daageraad " or " Tagroth " since he saw her at daybreak. Prior to his escort ship Africaansche Galey was stranded on a reef in the neighboring island Takaroa.

James Cook visited the islands Takapoto and Takaroa during his second voyage to the Pacific on 18 April 1774 sailed to Takapoto but only at a distance of one nautical mile past without going ashore.

The next European explorer who started off Takapoto, Otto von Kotzebue was. He reached Takapoto on 22 April 1815 but did not go ashore. In his view, the island was uninhabited. This impression could be related to the consequences of an invasion from the island of Anaa 300 KM away. At the beginning of the 19th century, warriors had the islands Takapoto and Takaroa conquered and numerous inhabitants into slaves to Anaa. The few remaining people likely to have been hiding in the arrival of the alien ships. Kotzebue considered himself the first discoverer and baptized them " Spiridof " according to the Russian Admiral Spridof, under whose command he once stood.

The United States Exploring Expedition 1839 reached the sea area of King George Island. During the lead ship Vincennes visited with Charles Wilkes Manihi and Ahe, the escort ship Flying Fish landed on Takapoto. The accompanying botanists Pickering studied the flora of the island, and put on a list of plants. He describes the island again as densely inhabited ("well inhabited ").

The Whitney South Sea Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History, whose primary objective was to collect bird specimens on various Pacific islands, visited Manihi, Takapoto and other neighboring atolls in February-March 1923. Scientists collected botanical specimens and recorded the occurring coral species as well as the rest of the fauna of the reef.

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