Ahé

Ahe

NASA picture of Ahe Atoll
Ahe
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates	14°29′S 146°19′W / 14.483°S 146.317°W / -14.483; -146.317Coordinates: 14°29′S 146°19′W / 14.483°S 146.317°W / -14.483; -146.317
Archipelago	Tuamotus
Area	138 km2 (53 sq mi)  (lagoon) 12 km2 (5 sq mi) (above water)
Length	23.5 km (14.6 mi)
Width	12.2 km (7.58 mi)
Highest elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Highest point	(unnamed)
Administration
France
Overseas collectivity	French Polynesia
Administrative subdivision	Tuamotus
Commune	Manihi
Largest settlement	Tenukupara (pop. 100)
Demographics
Population	552 (2012)
Pop. density	47 /km2 (122 /sq mi)

Ahe, Ahemaru or Omaru, is an almost entirely-enclosed coral atoll, located in the northern Tuamotu Archipelago, just 14 km to the west of Manihi, in French Polynesia.

Ahe Atoll's ring shape is broken by only a single small passage into the lagoon. Length 23.5 km, width 12.2 km. It has a land area of approximately 12 km² and a lagoon area of 138 km².

As of 2012^[update], Ahe Atoll had 553 inhabitants. The only village in Ahe is Tenukupara with approximately 100 inhabitants. It is located on an island in the south side of the Atoll.

Geographically Ahe Atoll is part of the King George Islands (Iles du Roi Georges) subgroup, which includes Ahe, Manihi, Takapoto, Takaroa and Tikei.

There are several pearl farms in Ahe's lagoon.

In the late 1970s, the famous single-handed sailor Bernard Moitessier lived on Ahe for a couple of years.

The first recorded Europeans to arrive to Ahe Atoll were Dutch mariners Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire in 1616.

Ahe was later visited by the historic United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842.Charles Wilkes called the atoll "Peacock Island" after one of the ships of the expedition. This atoll has sometimes suffered damages caused by cyclones.

Ahe has a territorial (domestic) airport which was inaugurated in 1997.

Population of Ahe:

Ahe Atoll belongs to the commune of Manihi, which consists of the atolls of Manihi and Ahe.

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Wikipedia