Marotiri (Austral Islands)
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Marotiri is a group of four uninhabited volcanic rocks protruding from the sea (and several submerged rocks), forming the southeastern end of the Austral Islands of French Polynesia. Marotiri is located at . The closest island is Rapa Iti, 75 km further northwest, but separated from it by an ocean depth of 4000 meters. The rocks are part of the municipality of Rapa.
The climate is wet temperate. The rocks are almost devoid of vegetation. They are important as a seabird rookery. The waters around the rocks abound in fish.
The rocks emerge from a submarine platform 100 meters deep and 5 km in diameter. They lie at a distance between 1.5 and 3 km from one another. The total land area is 43,100 m² , which is broken down as follows by the individual rocks:
| Rock | Area (m²) |
|---|---|
| Northern Rock | 5,800 |
| Central Rock | 1,800 |
| Southern Rock | 22,400 |
| Western Rock | 13,100 |
| Marotiri | 43,100 |
The southern rock is the largest, and with a height of 105 meters the highest.
Marotiri is also known as Bass Rocks (Îlots de Bass in French) for its European discoverer, George Bass[1].
[edit] References
- ^ Bowden, Keith Macrae. Bass, George (1771 - 1803). Australian Dictionary of Biography, online edition. Melbourne University Press. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
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