Austral Islands
| Austral Islands | |||
 The Austral (lower red) on the map of French Polynesia | |||
| Geography | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  France | ||
| Location | Pacific Ocean | ||
| Contact | 23 S 150 W / -23, -150 23 S 150 W / -23, -150 | ||
| Area | 152 km 2 | ||
| Number of islands | 7 | ||
| Island (s) principal (s) | Tubuai , Rurutu , Rimatara , Raivavae , Rapa | ||
| Geology | Volcanic islands | ||
| Administration | |||
| Status | Form a district | ||
| France | |||
| Community overseas | French Polynesia | ||
| Demography | |||
| Population | 6310 inhabitants (2007). | ||
| Density | 41.51 inhabitants / km 2 | ||
| Other information | |||
| Time Zone | UTC-10 | ||
Geolocation on the map: French Polynesia
| |||
| Ile de France | |||
The Austral Islands are an archipelago with a total area of approximately 152 km 2 located in the southern Pacific Ocean. The archipelago lies between 600 and 1300 km south of Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is sometimes called Tubuai Islands named after its largest island.
Summary |
Geography
Islands, islets and atolls
They consist of five islands high main
- Tubuai , 45 sq km, the administrative center of the Austral
- Rurutu , 36 km
- Rimatara , 8 km
- Raivavae , 16 km
- Rapa , 40 km , sometimes called Rapa Iti to distinguish it from Rapa Nui, the Easter Island
and
- atoll islands Maria , 1.3 km
- Marotiri , where islands of Bass, 0.04 km
Towns
- Rurutu 2088 inhab.
- Tubuai 2050 inhab.
- Raivavae : 905 inhabitants.
- Rimatara 785 inhab.
- Rapa 482 inhab.
History
The Austral archipelago would not be populated until relatively late in comparison to other islands of Polynesia. It is likely that in the eleventh century or the fourteenth century that the islands have welcomed their first residents most likely originating in Tahiti populated much earlier. However, there has never been a real archaeological excavation was undertaken on this subject.
It's James Cook will be the first European to discover one of the Austral Islands. Indeed, he discovers Rurutu on 13 August 1769 , when he calls Oteroah. It attempts to dock by sending a whaling which however can not dock because of the hostility of the inhabitants. The naturalist on board note the quality of boats and weapons used by the islanders.
Discovers the same browser on his third and last trip to the island Tubuai the 8 August 1777. It docks but not the islanders come to meet him. He then notices the similarities in language with the Tahitian. He also noted the advantage of having the island for ships crossing light dense vegetation while clarifying that a large coral reef makes it incapable of anchorage. It is this characteristic that motivate the choice of the mutineers of HMS Bounty to take refuge there.
Raivavae was discovered before Tubuai in 1775 by Spanish navigator Thomas Gayangos but still very clear of shipping lanes and receives very few ships.
Rapa was discovered by George Vancouver on 22 December 1791 , the island then called Oparo. The language of Rapa is the name usually given incorrectly to various Southern languages that differ substantially.
Rimatara was discovered in late 1811 by the Rev. Henry, captain of a schooner from Tahiti.
The Maria Islands were discovered in 1824 by the American whaling Maria commissioned by George Washington Gardner. Another browser, Jacques-Antoine Moerenhout , ignoring the discovery of these islands, claimed in 1829 by giving his name.
Marotiri was discovered by George Bass , hence the name of the Bass islands, probably in 1800.
Art and culture
The traces of culture from the Austral are quite numerous and works of art that were produced were often considered as the most notable occurred in Polynesia. However, almost none of these works are found on these islands but in famous museums in Western countries. Indeed, the passage of vessels have received numerous offerings but also looted some sites of the islands, including the missionaries of the London Missionary Society , anxious to remove any trace of ancient religion. The marae, places of worship Polynesian, have much disappeared. A Raivavae for example, of 62 marae that could be found in the early twentieth century , there remain today only 23 visible.
The most famous works of art out of Australia is very definitely the sculpture of God A'a, discovery Rurutu and currently on display at the British Museum in London Languages Four islands have airports and are serviced regularly by plane: Rimatara (since 2006), Tubuai, and Raivavae Rurutu. Tubuai Raivavae and have low tourist activity. Rurutu is mostly frequented by tourists during the presence of whales (September-November) that come to give birth in its waters. The most important activity, in addition to fishing , the craft (including the basket ) of food crops and livestock is gardening , aided by a cooler climate than Tahiti which is exported to an important part of the vegetable production. Activities
References
Bibliography
Society Islands ( Windward Islands , les Sous le Vent ) 
Tuamotu Archipelago 
Gambier Islands 
Austral Islands 
Marquesas Islands Austral Islands Maria Islands Marotiri Raivavae Rapa Rimatara Rurutu Tubuai
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