Easter Island
Polynesian island and special territory of Chile / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. The capital city is Hanga Roa.
Quick Facts Rapa NuiIsla de Pascua, Country ...
Easter Island
Rapa Nui Isla de Pascua | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 27°7′S 109°22′W | |
Country | Chile |
Region | Valparaíso |
Province | Isla de Pascua |
Commune | Isla de Pascua |
Seat | Hanga Roa |
Government | |
• Type | Municipality |
• Body | Municipal council |
• Provincial Governor | Laura Alarcón Rapu (IND) |
• Alcalde | Pedro Edmunds Paoa (PRO) |
Area | |
• Total | 163.6 km2 (63.2 sq mi) |
Highest elevation | 507 m (1,663 ft) |
Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Population (2017 census) | |
• Total | 7,750[2] |
Time zone | UTC−6 (CLT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CLST) |
Country Code | +56 |
Currency | Peso (CLP) |
Language | Spanish, Rapa Nui |
Website | Municipality of Isla de Pascua |
NGA UFI=-905269 |
Close
Quick Facts UNESCO World Heritage Site, Criteria ...
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
---|---|
Criteria | Cultural: i, iii, v |
Reference | 715 |
Inscription | 1995 (19th Session) |
Area | 6,666 ha |
Close
It is famous for its 887 huge statues called Moai, made by the early Rapa Nui people. Easter Island also has a huge crater called Rano Kau at the edge of the island. In the crater there is a natural lake, one of only three bodies of fresh water on the island.
Easter Island a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of the island is protected in the Rapa Nui National Park.
The introduction of diseases carried by European colonizers and slave raiding devastated the population in the 1800s. Introduced animals, first rats and then sheep, were largely responsible for the island's loss of native flora.