Easter Island is a small piece of land with a lot of questions. For example, how did people get there? How did he get his appearance? And many others. Easter Island has a lot of names. The well-known name was given by the Dutch when they entered its land. Locals call Rapa Nui, or Te-Pitot-o-te-henua, which means “big oar” and “navel of the Universe”.
Geography
It appeared as a result of the strongest volcanic eruption. And on it there are at least 70 pieces. If you look at the appearance of Easter Island from above, it resembles a triangle, which is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The land (165.5 km²) is divided into three uneven zones. Most refers to the National Park. Further ownership of the National Forestry Corporation. The local population uses only twenty km². This is the most remote island, the distance to nearby land is more than 2 thousand km, there is no large vegetation (only rare grass) and water bodies (water after rain is collected in old volcanic craters).
Population
The population of Easter Island does not exceed two thousand people. Among them you can meet red-skinned, white and black people. The main activities are fishing and sheep breeding.
Climate
This piece of land is in the subtropics, and therefore the summer there lasts all year round. Unlike other islands, there are no prolonged rains, but there are magnificent beaches.
TownThe only residential city on Easter Island is Hanga Roa. It is there that tourist life begins and ends. It has an airport, an Internet center, and hotels.
Riddles
This land hides many secrets, almost everywhere there are caves, stone platforms, alleys in the form of gutters that go far into the ocean, signs on stones. But many researchers are tormented and not left alone by the most important mystery - statues. These idols (moai) are made of stone and have a variety of heights, ranging from 3 to 21 meters. Their weight ranges from ten to twenty tons, and this is not the limit, there are colossi of forty and ninety tons. So glory came to Easter Island, the statues made it famous throughout the world. After all, it is completely incomprehensible who and how squeezed them out? Or they were brought by water, but then why are they? Why such a strange appearance, and what does it mean? Their appearance is really "wonderful." Each has a large head with a huge extended chin, long ears and no legs. Some statues have a headdress in the form of a cap of red stone. Raised pointed nose and mockery on thin lips. Maybe the Moai personify the tribe living here? Some giants have a necklace carved from stone, others have a tattoo made by a chisel. One giant has a whole face in small holes. What do these differences mean? But all the statues have one feature - their eyes are fixed on the sky.
How to get there
There are two routes to Easter Island:
- by plane, but tickets are not very cheap;
- the most popular is on a yacht. Tours cover the most interesting places.