Gambier Islands

The Gambier Islands are an archipelago located in French Polynesia.

They sit at the southeast end of the Tuamotu archipelago. This group is unique because it is made of two different types of landforms. Most of the islands are part of the Mangareva Islands. These are high islands formed from volcanic activity. They are the remnants of an ancient caldera, which is a large crater formed by a volcano. The other part of the group is the Temoe atoll. This is an uninhabited coral atoll located 45 km southeast of the Mangareva Islands.

The geology of the islands is driven by a tectonic process. The islands formed from a hot spot under the Pacific Plate. This plate moves northwest at a rate of 12.5 cm per year. The entire group sits on an underwater rise. This rise sinks quickly in the south and east. Because of this, the 65 km long fringing reef only rises above the water on three sides. The central volcanic island has partially subsided, or sunk, over time. This leaves the ancient crater rim visible as islands of igneous rock. These islands sit inside a large lagoon.

The islands have different environments based on their shape. The high volcanic islands are covered in lush tropical vegetation. However, the windward side of Mt. Duff is mostly dry grassland. Mt. Duff is the highest point in the Gambiers and sits on the south coast of Mangareva. The coral islands have poor soil fertility. Because the soil is weak, only coconut trees thrive there. These trees are used for small-scale copra production. While the land has few animals, the underwater world is species-rich. The lagoon is a paradise for divers due to the many coral fish.

Human history in the archipelago began long ago. Scientists believe settlement likely originated in the Society Islands around 1000 A.D.

Early Mangarevan society was a strictly stratified tribal society. This means people were divided into different social classes. These tribes often engaged in inter-clan warfare and faced food shortages. By the early 19th century, the islands were under the influence of the Pomaré royal dynasty of Tahiti. In 1797, the British captain James Wilson discovered the islands for Europe. He named them after James Gambier, who supported his expedition.

In 1834, Catholic missionaries Honoré Laval and François Caret arrived. They established the first Catholic mission in Polynesia. Initially, King Maputeoa of Mangareva resisted their influence. However, he eventually submitted and was baptized in 1836. The missionaries implemented an extensive development program. They taught the inhabitants to read and write. They also replaced traditional idols with stone buildings. They built over one hundred structures, including churches and convents. The cathedral of St. Michael in Mangareva could hold more than 2,000 people.

The population of the islands faced many challenges in the late 1800s. At one point, the population was over 2,000 people. However, it dropped to only 500 by the end of the 19th century. This decline was caused by infectious diseases and emigration. Additionally, many laborers were sent to Tahiti to build the cathedral of Papeete in 1856. This recruitment of labor caused food shortages on the smaller islands. The islands were eventually annexed by France in 1881. Today, the main town is Rikitea, located on Mangareva.

Modern life in the Gambier Islands is supported by the ocean. The archipelago is known for pearl farming in its lagoons. The waters are relatively cool, which helps produce high-quality pearls. There are currently 129 pearl farms in the area. This industry, along with the exploitation of mother-of-pearl, has helped the population grow again. As of the 2017 census, the population was 1,431 people. Most residents live in the Mangareva Islands. Travelers can reach this remote group via the Totegegie Airport.