Mehetia

Mont Fareura

NASA Geocover 2000 image
Highest point
Elevation 435 m (1,427 ft)
Prominence 435 m (1,427 ft)
Coordinates 17°52′S 148°4′W / 17.867°S 148.067°W / -17.867; -148.067Coordinates: 17°52′S 148°4′W / 17.867°S 148.067°W / -17.867; -148.067
Geography
Location Society Islands
Geology
Mountain type Stratovolcano
Last eruption Unknown

Meheti'a or Me'eti'a is a volcanic island in the Windward Islands, in the east of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. This island is a very young active stratovolcano 110 kilometres (68 mi) east of the Taiarapu Peninsula of Tahiti. It belongs to the Teahiti'a-Mehetia hotspot.

The island has an area of 2.3 square kilometres (0.89 sq mi) and its highest point is 435 metres (1,427 ft). Meheti'a's well-defined volcanic crater contains a very active hot point. In 1981 the island was the centre of earthquakes.

History

The first European sighting was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 9 February 1606, that charted it as Decena (ten in Spanish).[1] Later on it was sighted by Samuel Wallis in HMS Dolphin 1767. It was also sighted by Spanish navigator Domingo de Boenechea on November 6, 1772 on ship Aguila. He named this island San Cristóbal.

Administration

Meheti'a is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Taiarapu-Est and of its easternmost commune associée Tautira. The island is uninhabited and doesn't have much vegetation but has a small coral reef on the underwater slopes.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Corney, Bolton Granvill The quest and occupation of Tahiti by emissaries of Spain during the years 1772-1776, London, 1913, Vol I, p.XXX


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