Fangataufa
Fangataufa (or Fangatafoa) is a small, low, narrow, coral atoll in the eastern side of the Tuamotu Archipelago. It was formerly known as Cockburn Island. Along with its neighboring atoll, Moruroa, it has been the site of nuclear bomb tests, with 14 of them that took place on Fangataufa. Geography. The island is approx. long and wide. It has a lagoon area of and a land area of . It is located south of Moruroa atoll, east of Tematangi, southwest of the Gambier Islands and southeast of Tahiti. Access to the lagoon is through a pass lying SW of the  northernmost point of the atoll; the channel has a width of about and a dredged depth of . A quay, in of water, is situated in the NE part of the lagoon; another quay, long in of water, and landing ramps, were constructed in its E part. The access channel is marked, on each side, by two beacons. There is an abandoned airfield, built to accommodate medium size transport aircraft, on the NE coast of the atoll. It is reported that the pass of Fangataufa is obstructed by a chain boom. This boom can be moved by agreement with the local  military authority. History. The first recorded European to arrive at Fangataufa Atoll was Frederick William Beechey in 1826. The atoll was inhabited well into the 20th century. Fangataufa was the place of France's nuclear tests between September 24, 1966 and January 27, 1996. In total, 14 nuclear tests occurred on the island, in various periods. First period was from September 24, 1966 to August 2, 1970. In this period, Fangataufa was the site of France's first two-stage thermonuclear test, code named Canopus, detonated on August 24, 1968. The nuclear explosion had a yield of 2.6 megatons. The  atoll was also the location of the 1970 914-kiloton Licorne ('Unicorn') test and two other atmospheric nuclear tests as well as several underground nuclear tests. In total, 4 nuclear tests took place. After August 2, 1970, no new nuclear testings occurred on Fangataufa until two nuclear tests took place in June 5 and November 30, 1975, respectively. Between 26 November 1975 and November 30, 1988, there were no any nuclear tests on Fangataufa, with all of them taking place on nearby atoll, Muruoa. After the nuclear test on November 30, 1988, nuclear tests on Fangataufa were renewed. There were  7 more tests that took place until January 27, 1996, when France's last nuclear test took place on Fangataufa. Today, Fangataufa serves as a wildlife sanctuary for various species of birds. It is permanently uninhabited, and is classified as a Common Military Zone. The zone includes the lagoon areas enclosed by the atoll and by baselines linking the closest points emerging from the reef on both sides of the channel. Entry is prohibited without authorization. In February 2021, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research INSERM published a report entitled "Nuclear tests and health - Consequences in French  Polynesia". The objective of this study was to establish an assessment of the available international scientific knowledge on the health consequences of the atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by France in French Polynesia, on the general population and former civilian and military workers. Administration. Administratively Fangataufa Atoll is part of the commune of Tureia, which includes the atolls of Tureia, Moruroa, Tematangi and Vanavana.