Fakaofo
Fakaofo formerly Bowditch Island – coral atoll in the islands of Tokelau, which belongs administratively to a dependent territory of New Zealand – Tokelau. Atoll is the same administrative unit with the same name.
Atoll has an area of 2.63 square kilometers and is surrounded by the inner lagoon with an area of about 45 square kilometers. Is inhabited by 464 persons (2007). The atoll of 26 major islands and dozens of small islands, of which the main ones are: These Lafu, Te Loto, Fenua Loa Fenua waves and waves.
Principal of the only two settlements atoll, is located on the island of Fakaofo Fenua wave and occupied by 265 people. The second village is located on the island waves.
Atoll was discovered in 1841 (at the latest throughout the archipelago of Tokelau). In 1889 United Kingdom established a protectorate over the atoll (along with the rest of Tokelau Islands), including him in 1916 to the British colony of deposits and Gilbert Islands. In 1925 the British transferred the administration of New Zealand. In the years 1926 – 1948 atoll was managed from Western Samoa (then also a dependent territory of New Zealand). Today it is still managed by New Zealand under the Tokelau Act of 1948 (as amended in 1963 and 1999). For the 1979 to claim an atoll reported the United States.
