NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Marquesas Islands names

The Marquesas Islands were the first of the island groups discovered by European explorers in the Pacific. Over the centuries, these Polynesian islands have been variously known by a number of names. National motto: Mauâ€˜uâ€˜u haâ€˜e iti Official languages French, Tahitian Political status Dependent territory, administrative division of French Polynesia Capital Tai o Hae Largest City Tai o Hae Area 1,274 kmÂ² ( 492 sq. ... This article is about the continent. ... Contents: Top - 0â€“9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Diogo de Azambuja (15th century Portuguese explorer of the African coast) PÃªro de Alenquer (15th century Portuguese explorer... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ... Polynesia is generally defined as the islands within the triangle Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesos = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ...

The islands are known in Marquesan variously as Te Henua Kenana or Te Henua ‘Enana in North Marquesan and Te Fenua ‘Enata in South Marquesan. Marquesan is a collection of East-Central Polynesian dialects, of the Marquesic group, spoken in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. ... North Marquesan is the Marquesic, East Central Polynesian language spoken in the northern Marquesas Islands. ... South Marquesan is the Marquesic, East Central Polynsian language spoken in the southern Marquesas Islands, as well as on Ua Huka in the northern Marquesas. ...

The name "Islas de la Marquesa de Mendoza" was given them by the first European visitor, the Spanish explorer and navigator, Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, in honor of the wife of the Viceroy of Perú, upon his discovery thereof, in 1595. She was the patron of the voyage. For the WWW browsers of the same name, see Netscape Navigator and Mozilla. ... Ãlvaro de MendaÃ±a de Neira or Neyra (1541 - November 1595) was a Spanish navigator. ... Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru (in Spanish, Virreinato del Perú) contained most of Spanish-ruled South America until the creation of the separate viceroyalties of New Granada (now Colombia, Ecuador, Panamá and Venezuela, the last-named previously in the Viceroyalty of New Spain) in 1717 and Río... Events January 30 - William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is performed for the first time. ...

The islands are divided roughly into two groups, along geographical, linguistic, and cultural lines, into the Northern Marquesas and Southern Marquesas, each comprising an approximately equal number of islands and shoals. Marquesan is a collection of East-Central Polynesian dialects, of the Marquesic group, spoken in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. ... Pre-European Marquesan Culture The Marquesas Islands were colonized by sea-faring Polynesian as early as 300 A.D., most likely from the area of Samoa. ...

While there is no native Marquesan name to differentiate between the northern and southern groups, they have been differentiated as such, at least by American navigators, historically, by the names "Washington Islands" to refer to the northern Marquesas, and "Mendaña Islands" to refer to the southern Marquesas.

Following is a list of the islands, giving first their most widely-accepted Marquesan names, followed by variants:

Categories: French Polynesia | Marquesas Islands Map of the far northwestern Marquesas Islands (modified from a screenshot of a map from MSMaps) EÃ¯ao is the largest of the extreme northwestern Marquesas Islands. ... Map of the far northwestern Marquesas Islands (modified from a screenshot of a map from MSMaps) Hatutu (also called Hatutaâ€˜a) is a small island approximately 3 km (2 mi. ... Map of the far northwestern Marquesas Islands (modified from a screenshot of a map from MSMaps) Motu One (Marquesan for Sand Island, in French the islands are called ÃŽlots du Sable) is the name of two small sandy islands on the western edge of a coral reef. ... Motu Iti (sometimes also called Hatu Iti) is one of the northern Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. ... Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. ... Ua Pu (also known as Ua Pou) is the third largest of the Marquesas Islands, located about 50 km (30 mi. ... Motu ‘Oa (Long Rock) is a small island, 1 km (.6 mi. ... Fatu Huku is a small island in the Marquesas Islands, nearly halfway between Hiva ‘Oa and Nuku Hiva. ... Hiva `Oa is the second largest island in the Marquesas Islands, and the largest island of the southern group. ... Hanakee is the name of a small rocky islet lying off the southern coast of Hiva Oa, separating Atuona Bay from Taâ€˜a Oa. ... Map of Tahuata (modified from a screenshot of a map from MSMaps) Tahuata is the smallest of the inhabited Marquesas Islands. ... Moho Tani (sometimes also called Motane) is a small island southeast of Hiva ‘Oa in the southern Marquesas Islands. ... Fatu Hiva is one of the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. ... Motu Nao is the Marquesan name for a small rock island in the southeastern Marquesas Islands, approximately 22 km (14 miles) northeast of Fatu Hiva. ...