Easter Island

Easter Island (Polynesian: Rapa Nui ("Great Rapa") or Te Pito te Henua ("Navel and Uterus"), Spanish: Isla de Pascua) is an island in the south Pacific Ocean belonging to Chile. It is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world. Although located 3,515 km (2,185 statute miles) west of continental Chile, it is administratively a province (containing a single municipality) of the Chilean Valparaíso Region, together with its closest neighbour, Isla Sala y Gómez, 400 km further east. The island is approximately triangular in shape. Easter Island is located at {{coor dms|27|07|37|S|109|22|10|W}} whith a latitude of 27° south which is similar to that for the Chilean city of Copiapó, north of Santiago. The nearest inhabited land is Pitcairn Island, located 2,075 km (1,290 statute miles) to the west. The island has an area of 163.6 km² (63 sq. miles), and a population of 3,791 (2002 census), 3,304 of which live in its capital city Hanga Roa. The island is famous for its numerous moai, thousand-year-old (approx.) stone statues now located along the coastlines.

Related Topics:
Polynesian - Spanish - Pacific Ocean - Chile - Statute mile - Valparaíso Region - Isla Sala y Gómez - Copiapó - Santiago - Pitcairn - Hanga Roa - Moai

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~