Tuesday, December 30, 2008

What is RIMATARA?

Courtesy of Wikipedia's erudition:
Rimatara is the westernmost of the Austral Islands in French Polynesia. It has a total surface area of 8.6 km² (3.3 square miles) and a population of 815 inhabitants (as of 2002 census). It is located 550 km (341 miles) south of Tahiti and 150 km (93 miles) west of Rurutu. The commune of Rimatara includes the small and uninhabited Maria Islands.

Rimatara is a circular volcanic plateau surrounded by a reef with a height of 8 to 10 meters (26 to 32 feet). The highest point, at the peak of Mount Uhau, is 83 meters (272 feet). The main villages are Amaru (the capital), Anapoto and Mutuaura.

Rimatara was one of the last Polynesia islands to welcome European visitors. Captain Samuel Pinder Henry discovered the island in 1811. Two missionaries arrived in 1821 and established a Protestant mission. France established a protectorate in 1889 and annexed Rimatara in 1900.

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