page_title: Polynesian Triangle
hierarchical_section_title: Polynesian Triangle
caption_attribution_description: Polynesian triangle stretching from New Zealand in the south to Easter Island in the east and Hawaii in the north. This is a modification of File:French Polynesia (orthographic projection, yellowblue).svg. Numbers: The three corners of the Polynesian Triangle: 1: Hawai‘i, United States; 2: New Zealand; 3: Easter Island, Chile; Other island groups: 4: Samoa; 5: Tahiti, French Polynesia.
context_page_description: The Polynesian Triangle is a region of the Pacific Ocean with three island groups at its corners: Hawaii, Easter Island and New Zealand. It is often used as a simple way to define Polynesia.
  Outside the triangle, there are traces of Polynesian settlement as far north as Necker Island, as far east as Salas y Gómez Island, and as far south as Enderby Island. There was also once Polynesian settlement on Norfolk Island and Kermadec Island. However, by the time the Europeans first arrived, these islands were all uninhabited.
  Today, the most numerous Polynesian peoples are the Māori, Hawaiians, Tongans, Samoans, Niueans and Tahitians. The native languages of this vast triangle are Polynesian languages, which are classified by linguists as part of the Oceanic subgroup of Malayo-Polynesian. They ultimately derive from the proto-Austronesian language spoken in Southeast Asia 5,000 years ago. There are also numerous Polynesian outlier islands outside the triangle in neighboring Melanesia and Micronesia.
context_section_description: The Polynesian Triangle is a region of the Pacific Ocean with three island groups at its corners: Hawaii, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) and New Zealand (Aotearoa). It is often used as a simple way to define Polynesia.
  Outside the triangle, there are traces of Polynesian settlement as far north as Necker Island (Mokumanamana), as far east as Salas y Gómez Island (Motu Motiro Hiva), and as far south as Enderby Island (Motu Maha). There was also once Polynesian settlement on Norfolk Island and Kermadec Island (Rangitahua). However, by the time the Europeans first arrived, these islands were all uninhabited.
  Today, the most numerous Polynesian peoples are the Māori, Hawaiians (Kanaka Maoli), Tongans, Samoans, Niueans and Tahitians. The native languages of this vast triangle are Polynesian languages, which are classified by linguists as part of the Oceanic subgroup of Malayo-Polynesian.  They ultimately derive from the proto-Austronesian language spoken in Southeast Asia 5,000 years ago. There are also numerous Polynesian outlier islands outside the triangle in neighboring Melanesia and Micronesia.
caption: The Polynesian Triangle is a geographical region of the Pacific Ocean with Hawaii (1), New Zealand (Aotearoa) (2) and Easter Island (Rapa Nui) (3) at its corners. At the center is Tahiti (5), with Samoa (4) to the west.
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