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Facts about Mangaia will give you a brief insight into the beautiful island, its landscape, fascinating culture and also about its people. Mangaia is traditionally known as 'Auau Enua' which means terraced. Mangaia is the most southerly island of the Cook Islands and the second largest one, after Rarotonga. The geological Facts about Mangaia have it that the island is at least 18 million years old which makes it the oldest island in the Pacific. The island rises 15,600 feet above the ocean floor. It has a central volcanic plateau and it is surrounded by a high ring of cliffs of fossilized coral like many of the southern islands in the Cooks. This ring of cliffs of fossilized coral, known as makatea, is 200 feet high.

Mangaia is a relatively contemporary name given by a visiting Aitutakian approximately two years before Captain Cook arrived here on March 29 1777. Before this, the island was called A'Ua'U that means "akatautika" or "levelled". According to Facts about Mangaia, the village of Oneroa in the west is the capital of Mangaia. Also, there are two more villages -- Tamarua in the south and Ivirua in the northeast. The history of the place has it that there have been five districts including the present villages. If you start from the north, they are Tavaenga, Karanga, Ivirua, Tamarua, Veitatei and Keia.

Before the missionary settlement, Mangaia was ruled by fierce warriors who were in a constant struggle for land and crops. History has it that during a trip to London, Numangatini, the 'king' of Mangaia received a Union Jack from Queen Victoria herself. The flag is still preciously kept at Oneroa.

It is one of the important Facts about Mangaia that vanilla plantation is quite extensive here. A special kind of Taro or Mamio is grown and exported throughout the Pacific and papaya also is exported. Mangaia is famous all over the world for its shell neckbands or "eis". These are made from the shells of the tiny yellow snail, the pupu which can be found only after rain. Today, Mangaia has evolved to become one of the most off-the-beaten-track destinations. Large number of tourists come to visit this island every year as arrangements for accommodation and transportation are conveniently available from Rarotonga.

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