 Map of Haʻapai | |
 | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 20°0′S174°40′W / 20.000°S 174.667°W /-20.000; -174.667 |
| Archipelago | Tonga Islands |
| Total islands | 51 |
| Major islands | 17 |
| Area | 109.30 km2 (42.20 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,046 m (3432 ft) |
| Highest point | Kao |
| Administration | |
Tonga | |
| Largest settlement | Pangai,Lifuka Island |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 5,419[1] (2021) |
| Pop. density | 60.53/km2 (156.77/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Tongan (majority), European, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders |
Haʻapai is a group of islands,islets,reefs, andshoals in the central part ofTonga. It has a combined land area of 109.30 square kilometres (42.20 sq mi). TheTongatapu island group lies to its south, and theVavaʻu group lies to its north. Seventeen of the Haʻapai islands are inhabited. Their combined population is 5,419. The highest point in the Ha‘apai group, and in all of Tonga, is onKao, which rises almost 1,050 metres (3,440 ft) above sea level.
The administrative capital village ofHaʻapai District isPangai, which is located onLifuka.
Haʻapai comprises 51 islands that lie directly west of theTonga Trench. They constitute a chain of bothvolcanic and coral islands, including Kao, the highest point in the kingdom, which stands 1,046 metres (3,432 ft) high. Farther to the east are thecoral islands, which are inhabited. The Haʻapai archipelago lies 204 kilometres (127 mi) north ofTongatapu and 130 kilometres (81 mi) south ofVavaʻu. Seventeen of the islands are inhabited, including the main islands of Lifuka and Foa. The two main villages in the archipelago are Pangai on Lifuka (where Salote Pilolevu Airport is located) andHaʻano. A total of 6125 people live on the Ha'apai islands (Census 2016[2]).
All of the larger islands of Haʻapai are in the eastern Lifuka group. The two largest islands areLifuka andFoa which in 2016 had recorded populations of 2,205 and 1,392 people respectively. The next largest areNomuka andHaʻano, which have four villages, with a combined population of 910. To the south of these islands isʻUiha, which has two villages with a combined population of 695. ʻUiha is also the site of ancient burial grounds and an ancient monument.
The large islands ofTofua (an active volcano) andKao (a dormant volcano) are in the far west. The islands of theKotu group, locally known asLulunga, are in the southwest of the archipelago. The islands of theNomuka group, locally known as ʻOtu Muʻomuʻa, are farther south. TheHunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano is located in the southwest of Haʻapai.
Humpback whales migrate to the area during their “wintering” seasons.[3]
Traces of ancient settlements of theLapita culture, dating from around 1500 BC, have been found at sites within the Haʻapai island group.
The first European to visit Haʻapai wasAbel Tasman, in 1643. CaptainJames Cook made several stops on some of the islands in the group in 1774 and 1777. He gave them the name of the Friendly Islands in 1777.
On 18 May 1777, when Cook arrived on one of the islands, accompanied byOmai, they were greeted by Fatafehi Paulaho, the Tu'i Tonga (meaning 'King of the Isles'), who was the most venerated of any chief on the islands.[4]
On 28 April 1789, the Haʻapai island group was one of the sites involved in the famousMutiny on the Bounty: CaptainWilliam Bligh visited the volcanic island of Tofua shortly after his crew set him adrift following their mutiny.
In 1806,William Mariner arrived on one of the islands, aboard thePort-au-Prince. The crew of this ship was killed by Tongan warriors. Mariner survived, and lived for four years on one of the islands before he was found by a passing English ship and was able to return to England.
In 1840, theUS Exploring Expedition visited one of the islands and met withGeorge (Taufa'ahau), the chief of Ha'apai.[5]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 10,792 | — |
| 1986 | 8,919 | −17.4% |
| 1996 | 8,138 | −8.8% |
| 2006 | 7,570 | −7.0% |
| 2011 | 6,616 | −12.6% |
| 2016 | 6,125 | −7.4% |
| 2021 | 5,419 | −11.5% |
| Sources:[6][7][1] | ||
Ha'apai travel guide from Wikivoyage19°45′S174°22′W / 19.750°S 174.367°W /-19.750; -174.367
| International | |
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| Geographic | |
