 NASA picture of Nukutepipi Atoll | |
  Nukutepipi | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 20°41′S143°04′W / 20.683°S 143.067°W /-20.683; -143.067 |
| Archipelago | Tuamotus |
| Area | 1.3 km2 (0.50 sq mi) (lagoon) 2.3 km2 (0.9 sq mi) (above water) |
| Length | 2.7 km (1.68 mi) |
| Administration | |
France | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Administrative subdivision | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier |
| Commune | Hao |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited[1] (2012) |
Nukutepipi, orNuku-te-pipi[2] is anatoll inFrench Polynesia,Pacific Ocean. It is part of theDuke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of theTuamotu group. Nukutepipi's nearest neighbor isAnuanurunga, which is located about 22 km to the WNW.
Nukutepipi is a very small atoll. It is roughly triangular-shaped, measuring approximately 2.7 km in length. Its reef is quite broad, enclosing completely the small lagoon, which has a deep area at its centre. There are two relatively large islands on its reef, one on its eastern side and the other on the northwest.
Nukutepipi Atoll was once inhabited but is currently not. It has a small airfield which was inaugurated in 1982. It is now owned byCirque du Soleil'sGuy Laliberté.[3]
First sighting recorded by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition ofPedro Fernández de Quirós on 4 February 1606. With the other three atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands they were namedCuatro Coronas (Four Crowns in Spanish).[4]
British naval officer and explorerPhilip Carteret visited it on 12 July 1767 who only referred to it in his logs as "the southernmost island".[5]John Turnbull aboard theMargaret named it "Margaret island" on 6 March 1803 after the ship.Lieutenant Ringgold of theWilkes Expedition visited the atoll on 6 January 1841. He identified the correct name of the atoll as "Nukutipipi" by the natives.
On 13 November 2019,Guy Laliberté's investment firmLune Rouge stated "Laliberté is being questioned in respect of cultivation of cannabis for his personal use only at the residence on the island of Nukutepipi".[6]
Administratively the four atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, including the uninhabited ones of Nukutepipi, Anuanuruga, andAnuanuraro, belong to thecommune ofHereheretue, which is associated to theHao commune.
