WhereIsAtlas · Geography

Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

The remote Pacific island of the moai statues — one of the most isolated inhabited places on Earth

Active — Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is a remote island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, about 3,500 km west of continental Chile. It is famous for its giant moai statues and is one of the most isolated inhabited places on Earth, culturally part of Polynesia.

Easter Island, known locally as Rapa Nui, is an island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, about 3,512 kilometers west of continental Chile and roughly 2,075 kilometers east of Pitcairn Island. Its coordinates are 27.1127°S, 109.3497°W.

Despite its proximity to South America, Easter Island is culturally part of Polynesia. It is a special territory of Chile. The island is famous worldwide for its moai — the enormous stone statues carved by the Rapa Nui people — which have made it one of the most intriguing archaeological sites on Earth.

The island's isolation and its mysterious statues have long fascinated travelers and researchers. The moai, and the story of the Rapa Nui civilization that built them, are the subject of enduring study and debate, making Easter Island a symbol of both human achievement and the challenges of living on a remote island.

Quick facts

Location
Southeastern Pacific (~3,512 km west of Chile)
Local name
Rapa Nui
Coordinates
27.1127°S, 109.3497°W
Culture
Polynesian (a territory of Chile)
Famous for
The giant moai statues
Status
One of the most isolated inhabited places on Earth

Sources

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