Skip to content
Archipelago

    Motu One

    7°52′S 140°23′W

    Motu One (Marquesan for "Sand Island"; French: Îlot de Sable) is the name of a small sandbank with no vegetation, located on the western edge of a coral reef; the only atoll in the Marquesas Islands.

    oblique aerial photo of Motu One, northern Marquesas Islands, from NNE
    oblique aerial photo of Motu One, northern Marquesas Islands, from NNE

    Peter Minton / CC BY 2.0

    Terrain

    7°52′S 140°23′W

    Terrain exaggerated for relief. Drag to look around.

    Overview

    Motu One (Marquesan for "Sand Island"; French: Îlot de Sable) is the name of a small sandbank with no vegetation, located on the western edge of a coral reef; the only atoll in the Marquesas Islands. The reef is approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) in diameter, and the islet has a surface area of less than one hectare, rising only a few feet above sea level and changing shape regularly as the action of the currents deposits and removes sand. Motu One is the northernmost of the Marquesas Islands, located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of Eiao and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northeast of Hatutu. It is a calcareous coral reef on a volcanic plug - the only island in the group not made of exposed volcanic material. Motu One is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Nuku-Hiva, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Marquesas.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    Nearest islands

    Also in Marquesas Islands

    • Nuku Hiva

      339 km²▲ 1,224 m

      Major islands

    • Hiva Oa

      308 km²▲ 1,266 m

      Major islands

    • Ua Pou

      105 km²▲ 1,230 m

      Major islands

    • Ua Huka

      85.7 km²▲ 887 m

      Major islands

    • Tahuata

      69.3 km²▲ 966 m

      Major islands

    • Fatu-Hiva

      84.3 km²▲ 1,115 m

      Minor islands

    • Eiao

      37 km²▲ 574 m

      Minor islands

    • Mohotani

      12.7 km²▲ 503 m

      Minor islands

    Also in Polynesia

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Samoa

      2,842 km²

      Minor islands

    • Rangiroa

      1,446 km²▲ 12 m

      Minor islands

    • Fakarava

      1,112 km²

      Minor islands

    • Tonga

      749 km²

      Minor islands

    • Hao

      720 km²▲ 3 m

      Minor islands

    • Apataki

      706 km²

      Minor islands

    • Makemo

      603 km²

      Minor islands

    Also in Leeward Islands

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Samoa

      2,842 km²

      Minor islands

    • Rangiroa

      1,446 km²▲ 12 m

      Minor islands

    • Fakarava

      1,112 km²

      Minor islands

    • Tonga

      749 km²

      Minor islands

    • Hao

      720 km²▲ 3 m

      Minor islands

    • Apataki

      706 km²

      Minor islands

    • Makemo

      603 km²

      Minor islands

    Also in Society Islands

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Samoa

      2,842 km²

      Minor islands

    • Rangiroa

      1,446 km²▲ 12 m

      Minor islands

    • Fakarava

      1,112 km²

      Minor islands

    • Tahiti

      1,044 km²▲ 2,241 m

      Minor islands

    • Tonga

      749 km²

      Minor islands

    • Hao

      720 km²▲ 3 m

      Minor islands

    • Apataki

      706 km²

      Minor islands

    Also in Pacific Islands

    • New Guinea

      774,566 km²▲ 4,884 m

      Major islands

    • Japan

      377,974 km²

      Major islands

    • New Zealand

      268,021 km²

      Major islands

    • Honshu

      227,970 km²▲ 3,776 m

      Major islands

    • Luzon

      104,935 km²▲ 2,928 m

      Major islands

    • Mindanao

      93,885 km²▲ 2,954 m

      Major islands

    • Hokkaido

      77,983 km²▲ 2,291 m

      Minor islands

    • Sakhalin

      74,571 km²▲ 1,609 m

      Minor islands

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Talus
    • Wikidata
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs