The native Polynesian name for Easter Island, used by its indigenous people and increasingly in official contexts.
Geography
Rapa Nui is the indigenous name for Easter Island and refers both to the land and its people. The triangular island is formed by three extinct volcanoes, with Maunga Terevaka the highest at 507 m.
Culture
The Rapa Nui language is an Eastern Polynesian tongue closely related to Mangarevan and Hawaiian. About 4,000 speakers remain, with UNESCO classifying it as severely endangered. Traditional festivals such as Tapati Rapa Nui preserve ceremonial customs.
Governance
Chile administered the island as a province from 1888 and granted Rapa Nui special status in 2007. A 2018 law restricts the duration of stays by non-residents to protect the cultural and ecological heritage.
Find more islands by letter
Rapa Nui starts with R and ends with I. Browse other islands along the same letter.
Islands that contain a letter from "Rapa Nui":