Haʻapai
 Map of Haʻapai | |
 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 20°0′S174°40′W/ 20.000°S 174.667°W |
| Archipelago | Tonga Islands |
| Total islands | 51 |
| Major islands | 17 |
| Area | 109.30 km2(42.20 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,046 m (3432 ft) |
| Highest point | Kao |
| Administration | |
Tonga | |
| Largest settlement | Pangai,Lifuka Island |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 5,419[1](2021) |
| Pop. density | 60.53/km2(156.77/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Tongan (majority), European, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders |
Haʻapaiis a group of islands,islets,reefs,andshoalsin the central part ofTonga.It has a combined land area of 109.30 square kilometres (42.20 sq mi). TheTongatapuisland group lies to its south, and theVavaʻugroup lies to its north. Seventeen of the Haʻapai islands are inhabited. Their combined population is 5,419. The highest point in the Ha‘apai group, and in all of Tonga, is onKao,which rises almost 1,050 metres (3,440 ft) above sea level.
The administrative capital village ofHaʻapai DistrictisPangai,which is located onLifuka.
Geography[edit]
Haʻapai comprises 51 islands that lie directly west of theTonga Trench.They constitute a chain of bothvolcanicand coral islands, including Kao, the highest point in the kingdom, which stands 1,046 metres (3,432 ft) high. Farther to the east are thecoral islands,which are inhabited. The Haʻapai archipelago lies 204 kilometres (127 mi) north ofTongatapuand 130 kilometres (81 mi) south ofVavaʻu.Seventeen of the islands are inhabited, including the main islands of Lifuka and Foa. The two main villages in the archipelago are Pangai on Lifuka (where Salote Pilolevu Airport is located) andHa'ano.A total of 6125 people live on the Ha'apai islands (Census 2016[2]).
All of the larger islands of Haʻapai are in the eastern Lifuka group. The two largest islands areLifukaandFoawhich in 2016 had recorded populations of 2,205 and 1,392 people respectively. The next largest areNomukaandHaʻano,which have four villages, with a combined population of 910. To the south of these islands isʻUiha,which has two villages with a combined population of 695. ʻUiha is also the site of ancient burial grounds and an ancient monument.
The large islands ofTofua(an active volcano) andKao(a dormant volcano) are in the far west. The islands of theKotugroup, locally known asLulunga,are in the southwest of the archipelago. The islands of theNomukagroup, locally known as ʻOtu Muʻomuʻa, are farther south. TheHunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apaivolcano is located in the southwest of Haʻapai.
Humpback whalesmigrate to the area during their “wintering” seasons.[3]
History[edit]
Traces of ancient settlements of theLapita culture,dating from around 1500 BC, have been found at sites within the Haʻapai island group.
The first European to visit Haʻapai wasAbel Tasman,in 1643. CaptainJames Cookmade several stops on some of the islands in the group in 1774 and 1777. He gave them the name of the Friendly Islands in 1777.
On 18 May 1777, when Cook arrived on one of the islands, accompanied byOmai,they were greeted by Fatafehi Paulaho, the Tu'i Tonga (meaning 'King of the Isles'), who was the most venerated of any chief on the islands.[4]
On 28 April 1789, the Haʻapai island group was one of the sites involved in the famousMutiny on the Bounty:CaptainWilliam Blighvisited the volcanic island of Tofua shortly after his crew set him adrift following their mutiny.
In 1806,William Marinerarrived on one of the islands, aboard thePort-au-Prince.The crew of this ship was killed by Tongan warriors. Mariner survived, and lived for four years on one of the islands before he was found by a passing English ship and was able to return to England.
In 1840, theUS Exploring Expeditionvisited one of the islands and met with George (Taufa'ahau), the chief of Ha'apai.[5]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 10,792 | — |
| 1986 | 8,919 | −17.4% |
| 1996 | 8,138 | −8.8% |
| 2006 | 7,570 | −7.0% |
| 2011 | 6,616 | −12.6% |
| 2016 | 6,125 | −7.4% |
| 2021 | 5,419 | −11.5% |
| Sources:[6][7][1] | ||
Governors[edit]
- Havea Tu‘iha‘angana
- Moʻale Finau(appointed February 2015)[8]
- Tēvita Mohenoa Puloka(appointed 26 June 2018)[9]
- Viliami Hingano(appointed 25 January 2021)[10]
- Pita Faiva Taufatofua(appointed 28 December 2021)[11]
See also[edit]
- Mataʻuvave
- 2006 Tonga earthquake
- 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami
- List of islands and towns in Tonga
References[edit]
- ^ab"Tonga's population drops to 100,209".Matangi Tonga. 24 December 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 24 December 2021.Retrieved24 December2021.
- ^"Population and Housing Census | Tonga Statistics Department".
- ^Amarula Sail. 2016.The last place on earth you would expect to find a vet!.Retrieved on April 05, 2017
- ^Salmond, Anne (2010).Aphrodite's Island.Berkeley: University of California Press. pp.408-412.ISBN9780520261143.
- ^Stanton, William (1975).The Great United States Exploring Expedition.Berkeley: University of California Press. pp.187.ISBN0520025571.
- ^"1996 Tonga Census Administrative Report".Tonga Department of Statistics. p. xii.Retrieved30 December2021.
- ^"Census".Tonga Statistics Department.Retrieved30 December2021.
- ^"Commoner becomes governor of Tonga's Ha'apai".Radio New Zealand International. 9 February 2015.Retrieved9 February2015.
- ^"King officially appoints MP Ma'asi as Minister, Dr Puloka as Ha'apai governor".Kaniva Tonga. 26 June 2018.Retrieved9 January2022.
- ^"King confirms key government appointments".Fāngongo. 25 January 2021.Retrieved9 January2022.
- ^"PM names new government".Matangi Tonga. 29 December 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 29 December 2021.Retrieved29 December2021.
External links[edit]
Ha'apaitravel guide from Wikivoyage
19°45′S174°22′W/ 19.750°S 174.367°W
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| Geographic | |
