Marquesas

The Marquesas Islands are a group of high volcanic islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, one of the five administrative subdivisions of French Polynesia. The archipelago lies about 1,000 kilometers northeast of Tahiti and is among the most remote inhabited regions of the Polynesian triangle. It comprises roughly a dozen inhabited islands, including Nuku Hiva (the largest), Hiva Oa, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Tahuata, and Fatu Hiva. The terrain is rugged and mountainous, with deep valleys and narrow coastal plains. The climate is tropical, with a trade-wind pattern and distinct wet and dry seasons.

Human settlement dates to around 1000–1300 CE, and the islands developed distinctive cultural traditions, including tattooing and wood carving. European contact began in the 16th century during Spanish exploration; the archipelago was later brought to wider attention by navigators who named it the Marquesas. In the 19th century the islands came under French influence and were incorporated into French Polynesia. Today the Marquesas form an administrative subdivision of French Polynesia, with local councils and a shared territorial government within the French Republic.

Marquesan languages constitute the North and South Marquesan branches of the Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian family. French is the official language for administration and education, while Marquesan languages survive in daily use in many communities. The population is small and dispersed, about 9,000 people, concentrated on Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa. The economy relies on subsistence farming, fishing, and handicrafts, with tourism a growing but modest component. Cultural traditions include tattooing, wood carving, and barkcloth (tapa), alongside distinctive music, dance, and religious practices that blend Catholic and indigenous beliefs.