pop (2000e) 9300; area 1189 km²/459 sq mi. Mountainous, wooded volcanic island group of French Polynesia, 1184 km/736 mi NE of Tahiti; comprises Nuku Hiva (where Herman Melville lived), Ua Pu, Ua Huka, Hiva Oa (where Gauguin painted), Tahuata, Fatu Hiva, and five smaller uninhabited islands; acquired by France, 1842; chief settlement, Taiohae (Hiva Oa); copra, cotton, vanilla.
Marquesas IslandsTe Fenua ‘Enata/Te Henua Kenana
| National motto: Mau‘u‘u ha‘e iti | |
| Official languages | French, Tahitian |
| Political status | Dependent territory, administrative division of French Polynesia |
| Capital | Tai o Hae |
| Largest City | Tai o Hae |
| Area | 1,274 km² ( 492 sq. mi.) |
|
Population
- Total (2002) |
8,712 6.84/km² |
| Currency | CFP franc |
| Time zone | UTC -9.5 |
| Internet TLD | .pf |
| Calling Code | 689 |
The Marquesas Islands are a group of islands in French Polynesia.
See also: Marquesas Islands namesIslands of the Marquesas
Northern Marquesas
Eiao Hatutu Motu Iti Motu `Oa Motu One Nuku Hiva Ua Huka Ua PuSouthern Marquesas
Fatu Hiva Fatu Huku Hiva `Oa Moho Tani Motu Nao Tahuata TerihiSeamounts
There are also a number of seamounts or shoals, located in the area of the northern Marquesas. Among these are:
Clark Bank Hinakura Bank Lawson Bank See also: Marquesas Islands names and Marquesas geologyGovernment
The center of government is Tai o Ha`e on Nuku Hiva, although the former capital, Atuona on Hiva `Oa, still serves as the administrative center for the southern islands.
See also: Marquesas Islands politics and Flags of the Marquesas IslandsAdministratively, the Marquesas Islands form the administrative subdivion of the Marquesas Islands (la subdivision administrative des (Îles) Marquises), one of French Polynesia's five administrative subdivisions (subdivision administratives). Geographically, the administrative subdivision of the Marquesas Islands (la subdivision administrative des (Îles) Marquises) is identical with the electoral circumscription of the Marquesas Islands (circonscription des Îles Marquises), one of French Polynesia's six electoral districts/circumscriptions (circonsriptions électorales) for the Assembly of French Polynesia (see also Politics of French Polynesia).
The Marquesas Islands suffered the greatest population decline as a result of diseases brought by European and American explorers, reducing the estimated sixteenth century population of over 100,000 inhabitants, to about 20,000 by the middle of the nineteenth century, and to just over 2,000 by the beginning of the 1900s.
Demographics
The population of the Marquesas Islands at the 2002 census was 8,712 inhabitants, which is on the rise, but still far lower than 16th century estimates which put the population at over 100,000.
Communications
Airports
There are four airports in the Marquesas, one each on the islands of Nuku Hiva, Ua Pu, Ua Huka, and Hiva Oa.
Geography
The Marquesas Islands are the island group farthest from any continent in the world, lying between 400 and 600 miles (600 and 1,000 km) south of the equator and approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) northeast of Tahiti. They fall naturally into two geographical divisions: the northern group, consisting of Eïao, Hatutu (Hatutaa), Motu One, and the islands centered around the large island of Nuku Hiva: Motu Iti (Hatu Iti), Ua Pou, Motu `Oa and Ua Huka, and the southern group of Fatu Uku, Tahuata, Moho Tani (Motane), Terihi, Fatu Hiva and Motu Nao (Thomasset Rock), clustered around the main island of Hiva `Oa. miles), the Marquesas are among the largest island groups of French Polynesia, Nuku Hiva being the second largest island in the entire territory, after Tahiti.
Geology
With the exception of Motu One, all of the Marquesas Islands are high islands.
See also: Marquesas zoology and Marquesas botany
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