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Rapa Nui, commonly known as Easter Island (Isla de Pascua in Spanish), is a remote Chilean island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. It is renowned for its nearly 1,000 monumental stone statues (moai), created by the indigenous Rapa Nui people between the 10th and 16th centuries. The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with much of its area protected within Rapa Nui National Park.
Location: 3,700 km west of Chile, making it one of the most isolated inhabited islands globally.
Size: 163.6 km², with a triangular shape formed by three extinct volcanoes.
Population: ~7,750 (2017 census), with 45% identifying as ethnically Rapa Nui.
2. History & Culture
Settlement: Polynesians arrived around 1200 CE (though earlier estimates suggested 300–800 CE). Oral tradition credits Chief Hotu Matu'a with leading the first settlers.
Moai: The iconic statues, carved from volcanic tuff at Rano Raraku, represent ancestral chiefs. Some weigh up to 80 tons and were transported across the island, possibly using log rollers—contributing to deforestation.
Collapse: By the 16th century, ecological degradation (deforestation, soil erosion) and intertribal conflict led to societal decline. Moai were toppled, and the culture shifted to the birdman cult (centered at Orongo village).
Colonial Impact: European contact (1722) brought diseases and slave raids, reducing the population to 111 by 1877. Chile annexed the island in 1888.
3. Modern Challenges
Autonomy Movements: Some Rapa Nui seek greater selfgovernance and land rights, protesting Chilean control. Clashes have occurred over sacred sites like Rapa Nui National Park.
Tourism: The main economic driver (~70,000 visitors annually), but raises concerns about sustainability and cultural preservation.
Immigration: Over half the population is now Chilean, sparking debates about resource allocation and cultural identity.
4. Key Sites
Rano Raraku: The moai quarry, with unfinished statues.
Ahu Tongariki: Largest ceremonial platform with 15 restored moai.
Orongo: Ceremonial village linked to the birdman cult.
5. Unique Facts
Language: Rapa Nui is a Polynesian language, closely related to Tahitian.
Writing System: The undeciphered rongorongo script is one of the few indigenous writing systems in Oceania.
Climate: Subtropical, with mild temperatures (19–27°C) and frequent winds.