About Easter Island :
Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from the nearest population center, (Tahiti and Chile), making it one of the most isolated places on Earth. A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific - it is best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, that dot the coastline. The early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of The World). With his three ships, "Eagles", "Thienhoven" and the "African Galley", the Dutch Admiral, Jacob Roggeveen (1659 - 1729), went in search of the "Southern Continent" in August 1721. Until his southerly travels were prevented by ice floes, he managed to make the latitude of 60o. With this, he turned his ships west towards the Juan Fernandez Islands thinking that there might be an opportunity to found a settlement. On April 6th, 1722, his course brought him to a lonely island. As it was Easter, he baptized the island "Easter Island". Another account suggests that Roggeveen was in search of Davis or David's Island. Reported in latitude 27o by an English buccaneer named Davis, in 1687. He claimed that it was five hundred miles from the coast of Chile, low and sandy and some 12 leagues to the west of it was seen "a long tract of pretty high land". This description in no way applies to Easter Island, as sometimes suggested, but is possibly a description of Crescent Island. The latitude of Easter Island is 27o 8'S, Crescent Island is 23o 20'S. Roggeveen concluded this was not the island he was looking for2. Today, Easter Island is home to 2,000 islanders. They have Chilean citizenship, and many Rapanui have moved there for educational and professional purposes. Polynesian culture thrives, enmeshed with a modern lifestyle. The standing moai, re-erected by archaeologists, demonstrate the Rapanui's reconciliation with their past. Tourism is an important part of the island's culture, and sociologists and travelers report that the Rapanui are some of the friendliest people in the world. If you travel to Easter Island (you don't have to go in a canoe -- the island has its own airport that you can fly into via special flights from Chile), you can even stay with a Rapanui host family for an authentic experience
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