Fangatau

Fangatau

Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates	15°49′12″S 140°53′14″W
Archipelago	Tuamotu archipelago
Length	8 km (5 mi)
Width	3.5 km (2.17 mi)
Administration
France
Demographics
Population	121

Fangatau
Location of Fangatau in the Tuamotu Archipelago
Location of Fangatau
Country	France
Overseas collectivity	French Polynesia
Subdivision	Îles Tuamotu-Gambier
Area 1	14.25 km2 (5.50 sq mi)
Population  (2007)	252
• Density	18/km2 (46/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	98717 /
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Fangatau, or Nakai-erua, is a small atoll in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. The nearest land is Fakahina Atoll, located 72 km to the ESE.

This small atoll has an elongated shape. Its length is 8 km, maximum width 3.5 km. It has a total area of 22.2 km² (land area 6 km²). Its reef encloses its lagoon completely. Anchorage is difficult.

Fangatau Atoll has 121 inhabitants. Teana is the main village.

History

The first recorded European to arrive to Fangatau was Russian oceanic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen on the 10 July 1820 on ships Vostok and Mirni. He named this atoll "Arakcheev".

There is a territorial (domestic) airfield in Fangatau which was inaugurated in 1978.

Administration

The commune of Fangatau consists of Fangatau Atoll, as well as the atoll and associated commune of Fakahina.

Atoll	Main village	Population 2007	Above<br/water (km²)	Lagoon (km²)	Coordinates
Fangatau	Teana	121	6	11	15°49′S 140°52′W
Fakahina1	Tarione	131	8	20	15°59′S 140°08′W
Commune of Fangatau	Teana	252	14,25	31

¹ Commune associée

Transport

The atoll is served by the Fangatau Airport (IATA: FGU, ICAO: NTGB).

References

• [1]
• Fangatau Airport
• Atoll names
• Bellingshausen

External links

• Atoll list (in French)

See also

• Fangatau Airport