Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands are a group of islands in the pacific ocean. They are a part of French Polynesia. The islands are located south of the Equator, about 1.600 km northeast of Tahiti. The total land area is 1274 km². In 2012, 9264 people lived on the Marquesas Islands. The Marquesas consist of fourteen bigger islands and a number of smaller ones. They are commonly split into two groups: A northern one with the main islands Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou and Ua Huka, and a southern one, made of Hiva Oa, Tahuata and Fatu Hiva. The islands are of volcanic origin; there are high mountains and deep valleys on many islands. The climate is hot, with an average temperature of 28 degrees centigrade, and a lot of rainfall. Tropical rainforest grows on many islands,