A volcanic archipelago in French Polynesia, among the most remote island groups on Earth.
Geography
The Marquesas comprise twelve volcanic islands, six of which are inhabited. Unlike most Polynesian islands they lack protective coral reefs, so cliffs plunge directly into deep ocean. Mount Oave on Ua Pou reaches 1,230 m.
Culture
The Marquesan language belongs to the Marquesic branch of Polynesian. Traditional tattooing, wood carving, and stone tiki sculpture remain active artistic traditions. Hiva Oa was the final home of French painter Paul Gauguin.
Geography
The islands lie roughly 1,500 km northeast of Tahiti, isolating them from broader French Polynesian commerce. Nuku Hiva is the largest and the administrative center.
Find more islands by letter
Marquesas starts with M and ends with S. Browse other islands along the same letter.
Islands that contain a letter from "Marquesas":