Fatu Huku (up center), Hiva Oa, Tahuata
and Motane (center), Fatu Hiva (down right) seen from the Space Shuttle.
"Image courtesy of the Image Analysis
Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center": http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
HIVA OA, TAHUATA, MOTANE
Hiva Oa covers an area of 318 square kilometers.
Hiva Oa has a population of 1,837 persons (1996 census). Atuona, the main village and the
administrative center for the southern group of Marquesas Islands, is located on the south
coast of Hiva Oa. Other villages are: Puamau, Hanapaaoa, Taaoa, Hanaiapa and Nahoe. The
highest point of the island is mount Temetiu (1190 m). The first European to discover Hiva
Oa was Spanish navigator Mendaña in July 1595.
Tahuata has an area of
70,8 square kilometers. The island has a population of 637 (1996 census), divided
among four villages: Vaitahu, Hapatoni, Motopu and Hanatetena.
Motane is a small uninhabited island (12,2 sq km)
southeast of Hiva Oa in the southern Marquesas Islands. The highest point of the island is
520 m.
Hiva Oa, Tahuata (down left) and Motane
(down right) seen from the Space Shuttle.
"Image courtesy of the
Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center": http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
Hiva Oa, Tahuata and Motane seen from the
Space Shuttle.
"Image courtesy
of the Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center": http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
FATU HIVA (FATU IVA)
Fatu Hiva
is the furthest south of the Marquesas Islands. It has an area of 78 square kilometers.
Fatu Hiva is the remains of two volcanoes, one of which rose from the crater of the other,
the ridges of both craters forming a jagged mountain spine whose highest altitude is 960
meters (mount Touaouoho). In the island there are two villages all in the west coast:
Hanavave located in Hanavave Bay, also known as the Bay of Virgins, in the north and Omoa
located in Omoa Bay to the south. Fatu Hiva’s population was 631 (1996 census). Fatu
Hiva is the most remote of the Marquesas, Hanavave on the Bay of the Virgins offer one of
the most fantastic scenary of the whole Polynesia.
Fatu Hiva seen from the Space
Shuttle.
"Image courtesy of the
Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center": http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
Southern part of Fatu Hiva
seen from the Space Shuttle.
"Image
courtesy of the Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center":
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
