Penrhyn (atoll)

Penrhyn (also called Tongareva, Mangarongaro, Hararanga, and Te Pitaka) is the most remote and largest atoll of the 15 Cook Islands in the south Pacific Ocean.

Geography

Located at 1,365 km (848 mi) north-north-east of Rarotonga, 9 degrees south of the equator. It sits atop the highest submarine volcano in the Cooks, 4876 m (15,917 ft) above the ocean floor. It is composed of a ring of coral 77 km (48 mi) around. The lagoon covers 233 square kilometres (90 mile²) of which 62 square kilometres (24 mile²) is covered with pearlshell. Land area is 9.84 square kilometres (2,432 acres). Maximum elevation less than 5 m. Population according to the 2001 census was 351 with a decrease by 2011 to only 213 inhabitants.

People & culture

Villages

Penrhyn Atoll has two villages. The main village of Omoka, seat of Penrhyn Island Council, is on Moananui Islet, on the western rim of the atoll, north of the airport. The village of Te Tautua is on Pokerekere Islet (also known as Pokerere or Tautua), on the eastern rim.