Mataiva (meaning "Nine Eyes" in Tuamotuan), Tepoetiriura ("Sparkling Pearl") or Lazarev atoll is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is located in the Palliser group, and is the westernmost of the Tuamotus. The nearest atoll, Tikehau, is located 35 km to the east. Rangiroa is located 79 km to the east, and Tahiti is 311 km to the south.

Geography

thumb|left|Mataiva lagoon

thumb|right|Mataiva in French Polynesia

The atoll's oval-shaped lagoon is 5.3 km wide and 10 km long, and is almost completely surrounded by land. In the lagoon the decaying coral morphed into linear rocky structures 50 to 300 meters wide. Some of these coral structures top above the water, forming about 70 basins. The varying depths of these basins and the clear water gives the lagoon a blue and green tesselated appearance when viewed from above. This type of lagoon structure is unique in French Polynesia. Rich phosphate deposits have been discovered at the bottom of these basins, up to an estimated 10 to 15 million tonnes. Although similar deposits exist in Makatea and Nauru, Mataiva inhabitants and ecosystems protection activists have successfully prevented its exploitation for the time being.

Economy

Mataiva's primary export is vanilla, cultivated at a small plantation on the interior of the island. The islands are covered with coconut palms, the source of the other main economic activity: copra production. Since the inauguration of the airport in 1999, tourism is becoming a new economic activity on Mataiva.

Administration

Mataiva Atoll belongs to the commune of Rangiroa, which consists of 3 atolls (Rangiroa itself, Tikehau and Mataiva, and a separate island (Makatea).

References

  • Atoll list (in French)
  • Diversity of the French Polynesian atolls
  • Bellingshausen