Mangareva

Mangareva is the largest island of the Gambier Islands, a volcanic group in French Polynesia. It lies in the southern Pacific Ocean as part of the Tuamotu-Gambier archipelago. The island features a central volcanic core surrounded by a broad coral reef and a large, sheltered lagoon. The western coast is where the town of Rikitea is located, serving as the administrative and cultural center of the island. The population is concentrated there, with smaller settlements around the coastline.

The Mangarevan language, a member of the Eastern Polynesian subgroup, is traditionally spoken on the island alongside French. Mangareva has a long pre-contact history and was later a focus of Catholic missionary activity in the 19th century, which established churches, schools, and other institutions and left a lasting influence on local culture.

Economy and administration: The local economy relies on subsistence farming, fishing, and small-scale tourism; coconuts and copra have historically played a role. Administratively, Mangareva is part of French Polynesia, a French overseas collectivity, with Rikitea as the main settlement and gateway to the Gambier Islands.