Uturoa
Uturoa | |
|---|---|
 Location of the commune (in red) within the Windward Islands | |
Location of Uturoa  | |
| Coordinates: 16°43′52″S 151°26′35″W / 16.731°S 151.443°W | |
| Country | France |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Subdivision | Leeward Islands (administrative capital) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2014-2020) | Sylviane Terooatea |
Area 1 | 15 km2 (6 sq mi) |
| Population (2012) | 3,697 |
| • Density | 250/km2 (640/sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 98758 /98735 |
| Elevation | 0–479 m (0–1,572 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Uturoa is a commune of French Polynesia and an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Uturoa is located on the island of Raiatea, which is the largest island of the Îles Sous le Vent (Leeward Islands)[1] in the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands, of which Uturoa is the administrative capital.[2] The Leeward Islands are part of the Society Islands, and Uturoa is the main port of Raiatea Island. As of August 2007, the urban area of Uturoa had 8,934 inhabitants, 3,697 of whom lived in Uturoa proper. Uturoa is about 120 mi (200 km) northwest of Papeete, the Tahitian capital.
Transport
Raiatea Airport is a single-runway airport located in Eastern Uturoa, which links it to the nearby islands. The runway was constructed from asphalt and ends at the eastern edge. Air Tahiti is one of the main airlines in Uturoa, providing service to Faa'a International Airport in Tahiti, for extended overseas flights. Ferries from Raiatea sail to Tahaa in the north, Vaitape/Bora Bora in the northwest, and to Tahiti in the southeast. Most airlines in Tahiti are American, such as Delta, United, JetBlue, and Frontier.
History
Early Polynesians, traveling from Southeast Asia, were the first settlers in Uturoa. They built their houses from branches and grass and their main sources of food were fish, bananas, and apples. The first European to visit Uturoa was Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernandez de Quirós in 1606, charting it as Fugitive.[3] During the 1700s, Captain James Cook arrived at Tahiti and many more French Polynesian islands in an effort to map most of the Pacific Ocean. Later, Charles Darwin would arrive, exploring Moorea and the other Society Islands. An 1896 raid by the forces of Queen Mamea in retaliation for the French annexation of her kingdom killed several traders.[4] Don the Beachcomber resided in Uturoa for some of his life. Uturoa experienced major population growth during the 1940s.
Harbour
Container ships and ferries are found throughout the harbour. The ferries sail to the other Society Islands such as Bora Bora and Moorea. The harbour's size is limited by a short coastline.
Recreation
Uturoa has parks near the harbour, with the closest one being the Uturoa Coastal Park. The parks on the mountains close to Uturoa have beautiful views of both the harbour and the city. School parks are found throughout Raiatea and usually have wide open spaces.
Government
The current mayor of Uturoa is Sylviane Terooatea. She was re-elected in 2014 for a second term.[5]
Geography
Uturoa is around 169 mi (270 km) from Teahupo'o, a district of Tahiti. Teahupo is close to a reef break that has enormous swells. The northernmost point is Raiatea and has a view of Bora Bora, Taha'a, and Huahine. The commune is about 5 ft (1.5 m) above sea level on average. The mountains of Uturoa are not far inland and sometimes touch the coast and form coastal ranges. Uturoa is situated between the small pass of Taha'a and the forest-covered mountains of Raiatea. This small territory is located between a blue lagoon and Mount Tapioi, 294 meters high.[6]
Weather
The temperature usually ranges between 20-30 degrees Celsius throughout the year. The rainy season occurs between the months of November - May, during which it rains 17 days per month on average. Humidity levels hover around 80% and remain consistent throughout the year.[7]
Beaches
Some beaches of Uturoa have black sand partially due to past volcanic eruptions. The beaches give way to an industrialized coast filled with cranes and container ships.
Nearby communes
Uturoa is part of the Raiatea commune. Two other districts make up Raiatea: Huahine, which is about 31 mi (50 km) away from Raiatea and is home to Fare, a large community; and Tahaa, which is just across the strait. The main island of Bora Bora (Anau) can be seen from Uturoa.
Sports
Popular sports in Uturoa include football and basketball. Due to high rates of tourism, water sports are also popular, including sailing, jet skiing, water skiing, kayaking, windsurfing and fishing.
See also
References
- ^ https://www.britannica.com/place/Raiatea
- ^ "Raiatea".
- ^ Burney, James A chronological history of the discoveries in the South Sea or the Pacific Ocean London, 1803, vII, p.326.
- ^ "Mamea is Plucky". The Saint Paul Globe. No. Page 9. April 12, 1896. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ Loubet, Mireille. "Uturoa : Sylviane Terooatea réélue largement". TAHITI INFOS, les informations de Tahiti (in French). Retrieved 2018-11-30.
- ^ Stanley, David (2003-08-26). Moon Handbooks Tahiti: Including the Cook Islands. David Stanley. ISBN 9781566914123.
- ^ https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,uturoa-raiatea-pf,French-Polynesia
External links
