thumb|right|300px|Location of Ahe Atoll

Ahe, Ahemaru or Omaru, is a coral atoll in the northern Tuamotu Archipelago, 14&nbsp;km to the west of Manihi, in French Polynesia. Its ring shape is broken by only a single small passage into the lagoon. It has a land area of approximately 12&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and a lagoon area of 138&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. , 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.

The 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.

History

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 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 damage caused by cyclones.

In the late 1970s, sailor Bernard Moitessier lived on Ahe for two years.

Demographics

Population of Ahe:

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;width:60%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%;"

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:11% ; color:#000000;" | 1977

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:11% ; color:#000000;" | 1983

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:11% ; color:#000000;" | 1988

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:11% ; color:#000000;" | 1996

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:11% ; color:#000000;" | 2002

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:12% ; color:#000000;" | 2007

! style="background: #F5F5F5; width:12% ; color:#000000;" | 2012

|-

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 109

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 142

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 162

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 377

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 441

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 566

| style="background: #D1E8FF; color:#000000;" | 552

|-

| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"| <small>Sources ISPF, Mairie de Ahe<br />* : estimation</small>

|}

Administration

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

See also

  • Ahe Airport

References

  • Shuttle Image ISS008-E-17141 (Astronaut Photography)
  • Tuamotu Atolls List (Pacific Image)
  • TX5EG Amateur Radio DX Expedition to Ahe Atoll