Raeffsky Islands

Location of the Raeffsky Islands in the Pacific Ocean

The Raeffsky Islands or Raevski Islands (French: Îles Raéffsky or Îles Raevski) is a subgroup with just over 3000 people in the Tuamotu group in French Polynesia. They are located roughly in the central area of the main Tuamotu atoll cluster. (Latitude: 16° 45' 0 S, Longitude: 144° 13' 60 W.) Named after Nikolay Raevsky, a Russian general of the Napoleonic wars.

Atolls

The Raeffsky Islands include the following atolls:

Anaa
Faaite
Tahanea (uninhabited)
Motutunga (uninhabited)
Takume
Raroia
Taenga
Nihiru
Makemo
Katiu
Tuanake (uninhabited)
Hiti (uninhabited)
Tepoto (South), Tepoto Sud (uninhabited)
Marutea Nord (uninhabited)
Haraiki (uninhabited)
Aratika
Kauehi
Taiaro (private)
Raraka

Administration

The commune of Anaa consists of 4 atolls: Anaa, Faaite, Tahanea and Motutunga. The total population is of 639 inhabitants according to the 2002 census.
The commune of Makemo consists of 11 atolls: Makemo, Takume, Raroia, Taenga, Nihiru, Kaitu, Tuanake, Hiti, Tepoto (South) (Tepoto Sud), Marutea Nord and Haraiki. The total population is of 964 inhabitants according to the 2002 census.
The commune of Fakarava consists of 7 atolls in Raeffsky Group: Fakarava, Aratika, Kauehi, Niau, Raraka, Taiaro and Toau. The total population is of 1511 inhabitants.

UNESCO site

The ring-shaped atoll Taiaro provides a rare example of a coral reef with a fully enclosed lagoon. The atoll was officially designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1977.^[1]