French Polynesia
| Use attributes for filter ! | |
| Capital | Pape'ete |
|---|---|
| Continent | Oceania |
| Points of interest | Bora Bora |
| Maupiti | |
| Opunohu Bay | |
| Otemanu | |
| Currencies | CFP franc, French Polynesian franc |
| Official language | French |
| Date of Reg. | |
| Date of Upd. | |
| ID | 789884 |
About French Polynesia
French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, comprises more than 100 islands in the South Pacific, stretching for more than 2,000km. Divided into the Austral, Gambier, Marquesas, Society and Tuamotu archipelagos, they're known for their coral-fringed lagoons and over-the-water bungalow hotels. Island features include white- and black-sand beaches, mountains, rugged backcountry and towering waterfalls.
Paris Mayor Hidalgo trains sights on SUVs after e-scooter rental ban
... Opposition council-members in Paris City Hall scent blood over a two-week trip taken by Anne Hidalgo to New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the South Pacific in October...
Why are whales throwing seaweed on their heads?
... " Dr Meynecke examined kelping in whales off the coasts of Alaska, mainland USA, Canada, Australia and French Polynesia...
Australian sailor and his dog survive two months at sea
... Sydney resident Tim Shaddock, 51, and his dog Bella left Mexico for French Polynesia in April, but their boat was damaged by a storm several weeks later...
Joshua Reynolds: Portrait of Mai (Omai) saved by US and UK funds
... Known as " Omai" in England, Mai was from Raiatea, an island now part of French Polynesia, who travelled from Tahiti to England with Captain James Cook...
Tonga: How an Internet blackout left many desperate for money
... " Desperate for supplies" For now, local Tongans are relying heavily on international shipments of foreign aid flooding into the country, not only from governments, but by Tongan communities based as far away as Tahiti in French Polynesia and American Samoa...
Giant pristine coral reef discovered off Tahiti
...Marine explorers have discovered a " pristine" 3km (2-mile) coral reef at depths of 30m (100ft) off the coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia...
Extinction risk: A million species, so what is saved?
......
Cirque du Soleil founder detained for growing cannabis on private island
... Billionaire Guy Laliberté turned himself in to police in French Polynesia...
Giant pristine coral reef discovered off Tahiti
Marine explorers have discovered a " pristine" 3km (2-mile) Coral Reef at depths of 30m (100ft) off the coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia .
It is one of the largest discovered at that depth, says the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which led The Mission .
Dr Julian Barbiere, from Unesco, said there were probably many more of these ecosystems " we just don't know about".
" We should be working to map them and to protect them, " He Said .
Twilight zoneUnesco director general Audrey Azoulay said the " remarkable" discovery extended our knowledge of " what lies beneath".
The Reef was found in November, during a diving expedition to a depth known as The Ocean 's " twilight zone" - part of a
French underwater photographer Alexis Rosenfeld said it had been " magical to witness giant, beautiful rose corals stretching as far as The Eye can see".
" It was like a work of art, " he added.
Coral reefs are among The Ocean 's most threatened ecosystems - Vulnerable to pollution, rising sea temperatures and The Change in chemistry caused by carbon-dioxide emissions dissolving in the water.
Prof Murray Roberts, a leading marine scientist from the University of Edinburgh said The Discovery brought home how much we still have to learn about The Ocean .
" We still associate corals with the shallowest tropical seas but here we find a huge previously unknown Coral Reef system.
" As shallow waters warm faster than the deeper waters we may find these deeper reef systems are refuges for corals in The Future . We need to get Out There to map these special places, understand their ecological role and make sure we protect them for The Future . "
There is currently " no evidence" this reef had been damaged by those pressures and, Dr Barbiere said, its unusual depth was one reason it remained in such a " very good state".
" Generally we find them at shallower depths, " he told Bbc News , because The Algae that lives within the bodies of corals needs light.
" But here we're in a part of The Ocean that is [further] from land, So There is less sediment that ends up in The Ocean here. "
The Discovery provided an important insight into ocean biodiversity, Dr Barbiere said.
" We know that about 25% of marine species can be found in coral reefs, " He Said .
" So The Next stage is to find what species live around this type of reef. "
The Coming months will see further investigation.
Another of The Specialist divers, Dr Laetitia Hedouin, from France's National Centre of Scientific Research, said: " We would expect a reef such as this to take around 25 years to grow and develop like this.
" We think that deeper reefs may be better protected from Global Warming .
" So The Discovery of this reef in such a pristine condition is Good News and can inspire future conservation. "
Follow Victoria .
Source of news: bbc.com
