Nengonengo

Nengonengo stretches 13 kilometers in length with a bell-shaped configuration, encompassing a 67-square-kilometer lagoon accessible through a narrow northern pass that allows limited vessel navigation.

First encountered by European explorer Samuel Wallis in 1767 who named it Prince William Henry, this remote atoll remained largely unexplored until detailed nautical surveys were conducted in 1952.

Pearl farming operations established by local entrepreneurs represent the primary human activity on this sparsely populated atoll, contributing to French Polynesia's renowned cultured pearl industry through sustainable aquaculture practices.

Access requires careful navigation through shallow passages with tidal restrictions, while a small airstrip constructed in 1993 provides essential logistical connections for residents and commercial pearl farming operations.

Rising from oceanic depths of 4,400 meters as part of an ancient volcanic seamount, Nengonengo represents one of the most geologically dramatic coral formations in the Tuamotu chain.