Rapa Nui
Geography
Easter Island is considered to be the most easterly island of Polynesia. It is also one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. The shape of the island is triangular, and it is due to three extinct volcanoes that have formed the island. Those volcanoes are Terevaka (507m), Poike (370m) and Rano Kau (324m). There are three small islets near the South-West coast of Rapa Nui: Motu Kao Kao, Motu Iti and Motu Nui.
Other names: Te Pito o te Henua (old native name meaning “The Navel of the Earth”), Isla de Pascua (Spanish), Eastern Island (English).
Location: 27°07′10″S 109°21′17″W (1,850 km from Juan Fernandez Islands; 2,075 km from Pitcairn Island and 3,512 km from the Chilean coast).
Area: 163.6 km² (24.6 km long and 12.3 km wide).
Highest point: 507 metres (Ma′unga Terevaka)
Climate: Climate is rather mild due to a cool ocean current. The lowest temperatures occur in August (average 18.0 °C), while highest in February (23.7 °C).
Population: 7,750 (2017)
Capital/Main town: Hanga Roa
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| Rapa Nui map |
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| Rapa Nui |
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| Three islets and their sizes |
History
It is not clear when Rapa Nui was settled. However, it must have happened between 300 and 1200 AD.
5 April 1722 (Easter Sunday) – Rapa Nui was discovered by a Dutch sailor Roggeveen.
15 November 1770 – The island was visited by two Spanish ships commanded by Felipe González de Ahedo.
March 1774 – James Cook visited Rapa Nui.
10 April 1786 - Jean François de Galaup La Pérouse visited the island.
1804 – Twelve natives were kidnapped by the crew from an American ship Nancy. It was the beginning of blackbirding on the island.
8 March 1837 - First Chilean ship (Colo Colo) visited the island.
December 1862 – Peruvian started to kidnap natives from the island to work in their guano mines. Hundreds of natives were kidnapped to Peru.
1863 - 15 natives came back to the island from Peru, but they carried with them smallpox. Consequently, it was spreading around the island, killing many natives.
By 1868 - All the islanders were baptized.
9 September 1888 – Chile annexed Rapa Nui.
End of 19th century – 1953 – nearly all island (except Hanga Roa) was rented as a sheep farm.
1995 – Rapa Nui became UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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| Ahu Tongariki |
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| Souther coast |
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| Rano Raraku |
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| Rano Kau |
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| Motu Iti |
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| Anakena |
Source
Pacific Islands Volume II Eastern Pacific Naval Intelligence Division 1943
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