Isle of Pines (New Caledonia)
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Native name: Île des Pins Kunyié Nickname: l'île la plus proche du paradis | |
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Geography | |
Archipelago | New Caledonia |
Length | 15 km (9.3 mi) |
Width | 13 km (8.1 mi) |
Highest elevation | 262 m (860 ft) |
Highest point | pic Nga |
Administration | |
The Isle of Pines (
The island is around 22°37′S 167°29′E / 22.617°S 167.483°E and measures 15 km (9.3 mi) by 13 km (8.1 mi). It lies southeast of
The inhabitants of the island are mainly native
The island is rich with animal life and is home to unusual creatures such as the crested gecko
The pic Nga is the island's highest point, at 262 metres (860 ft) elevation. River Ouro is the longest river.
History
Melanesian people lived on the island for over 2000 years before the island was first visited by Europeans. Captain
The French took possession of the island in 1853 at which time the native Kunies converted to the Catholic religion. In 1872, the island became a French penal colony, home to 3,000 political deportees from the Paris Commune.
Sights
The ruins of a penal colony can be seen in the village of Ouro in the west of the island. The water tower of Ouro which was built by prisoners in 1874/75 and renovated in 2005 is still used.
At the cemetery Cimetière des Déportés near Ouro is a pyramid-shaped memorial and the graves of 300 deportees who died between 1872 and 1880.
References
External links
- (in English) www.isle-of-pines.com General and tourist information about the Isle of Pines
- Audio interview with Isle of Pines resident about life on the Isle of Pines
- Jane's Isle of Pines Page Archived 2019-11-11 at the Wayback Machine
- Isle of Pines photos
Île des Pins travel guide from Wikivoyage