Rurutu

Island in French Polynesia

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Commune in French Polynesia, France

Flag

Location of Rurutu

Coordinates: (2020–2026) Frédéric Riveta^[1]Area

32.7 km² (12.6 sq mi)Population

(2017)

2,466 • Density75/km² (200/sq mi)Time zoneUTC−10:00INSEE/Postal code

98744 /98753

Elevation0–389 m (0–1,276 ft)¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Rūrutu is the northernmost island in the Austral archipelago of French Polynesia, and the name of a commune consisting solely of that island. It is situated 572 km (355 mi) south of Tahiti. Its land area is 32.7 km² (12.6 sq mi).^[2] It is 10.8 km long and 5.3 km wide. Its highest point (Manureva) is 389 m (1,276 ft).^[2] At the 2017 census it had a population of 2,466.^[3]

Geologically, Rurutu was initially formed 12 million years ago by the Macdonald hotspot, a hotspot associated with the Macdonald seamount. Over the next 10 million years, erosion shrank the island until it was almost an atoll. Then, just over a million years ago, Rurutu passed over the Arago hotspot, which lifted it roughly 150 meters. Steep sea cliffs of ancient coral lifted by the event—called makatea—now largely encircle the island. These are riddled with caves filled with concretions—indeed, Rurutu is largely unique among islands in French Polynesia in that its historic inhabitants were cave-dwelling.

Because it is endowed with a fringing reef, Rurutu has in recent years become known for whale watching: humpback whales come and reproduce here between July and October within easy sighting distance from the beach.

Although its tiny community still subsists primarily on fishing and basic agriculture, tourism has been a growing industry, especially since François Mitterrand's visit in 1990. Whale watching season sees the bulk of tourists, but the largely untouched native culture, the white sand beaches, and the lush tropical flora draw small numbers of tourists year-round.

Administration

The commune of Rurutu consists of the island of Rurutu, and is subdivided into the following associated communes:^[4]

Avera
Hauti
Moerai

Notable people

Teuruarii IV, last king of Rurutu

References

^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
^ ^a ^b Environnement marin des îles Australes, p. 205
^ Répartition de la population en Polynésie française en 2017, Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française
^ Décret n°72-407 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française, Légifrance