Ahe

For other uses, see Ahe (disambiguation).

Ahe, Ahemaru or Omaru,^[2] is a coral atoll in the northern Tuamotu Archipelago, 14 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 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.^[3]

Ahe

NASA picture of Ahe Atoll
Ahe
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates	14°29′S 146°19′W
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[1] (2012)
Pop. density	47/km2 (122/sq mi)

Location of Ahe 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.^[4] Charles Wilkes called the atoll "Peacock Island" after one of the ships of the expedition.^[5] This atoll has sometimes suffered damage caused by cyclones.^[6]

In the late 1970s, sailor Bernard Moitessier lived on Ahe for two years.^[7]

Demographics

Population of Ahe:

1977	1983	1988	1996	2002	2007	2012
109	142	162	377	441	566	552
Sources ISPF,[8] Mairie de Ahe[9] * : estimation

Administration

Ahe Atoll belongs to the commune of Manihi, which consists of the atolls of Manihi and Ahe.^[10]

See also

• Ahe Airport