![]() Northwestern Marquesas Islands. Motu One and its lagoon are the pale blue oval shape in the upper right. Image courtesy of Johnson Space Center. | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | South Pacific Ocean |
Coordinates | 7°51′S 140°23′W / 7.85°S 140.38°W |
Archipelago | Marquesas Islands |
Area | 0.03 km2 (0.012 sq mi) |
Administration | |
Overseas country | French Polynesia |
Demographics | |
Population | 0 (2002) |
Pop. density | 0/km2 (0/sq mi) |
Motu One (Marquesan for "Sand Island"; French: Îlot de Sable) is the name of a small sandbank with no vegetation, located on the western edge of a coral reef; the only atoll in the Marquesas Islands.
The reef is approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) in diameter, and the islet has a surface area of less than one hectare, rising only a few feet above sea level and changing shape regularly as the action of the currents deposits and removes sand.[1] Motu One is the northernmost of the Marquesas Islands, located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of Eiao and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northeast of Hatutu. It is a calcareous coral reef on a volcanic plug - the only island in the group not made of exposed volcanic material.[1]
Motu One is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Nuku-Hiva, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Marquesas.