Gambier Islands

French Polynesia / Tuamotu-Gambier / Rikitea /
 island, atoll, archipelago
The Gambier Islands are a group of fourteen small, mountainous islands in the Tuamotu archipelago island group of French Polynesia.

The islands are of volcanic origin, and are not atolls, though a reef does encircle the entire group in an atoll-like fashion. At some point in the far distant future, the islands will eventually erode, creating a classic atoll. The enclosing coral reef is broken by only three passages to the open sea.

The Gambiers served as a logistical staging base for French nuclear testing activity in nearby Mururoa. During this time, the French military dragged a chain through some of the coral reef beds to cut a wider and deeper channel for deep draft vessels.

www.pacificislandtravel.com/fr_polynesia/about_destin/g...
www.moxon.net/french_polynesia/gambier_islands_south-ea...
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambier_Islands
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   23°9'14"S   134°58'51"W
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