Easter Island, Spanish Isla de Pascua, also called Rapa Nui, Chilean dependency in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the easternmost outpost of the Polynesian island world. It is famous for its giant stone statues.
Can you move to Easter Island? Easter Island is a beautiful island. However, it is not the easiest place to make a living. Everything revolves around tourism. People make a living by working in shops, restaurants, selling their crafts, or as guides to tourists.
Then, Why are there no trees on Easter Island? When it rains on the island, also known as Rapa Nui, the water rapidly drains through the porous volcanic soil, leaving the grass dry again. That’s one reason why the island at the end of the world has stayed almost entirely bare, with no trees or shrubs.
What’s the language spoken on Easter Island? The remote Easter Island, which is located in the Pacific Ocean, belongs to Chile and is part of Polynesia but its remoteness allowed Rapa Nui, the island’s native language, to develop on its own.
FAQ
What is on the Rapa Nui flag?
It is a white flag featuring in center a reimiro (a wooden pectoral ornament once worn by the people of Rapa Nui) painted in red (mana), a symbol of power, with two anthropomorphic figures at its edges, representing the Ariki (‘chiefs, nobles’).
Can you buy a house on Easter Island? Decades ago, the property was acquired by the government, and then traded between private owners. By law, only Rapanui can own land on Easter Island. But the law is not strictly enforced.
Does Easter Island have a hospital? Easter Island has a hospital that offers basic care to residents and tourists. The hospital of Hanga Roa is considered a low complexity center, so it does not have all medical specialties.
Was there cannibalism on Easter Island? With no trees to anchor the soil, fertile land eroded away resulting in poor crop yields, while a lack of wood meant islanders couldn’t build canoes to access fish or move statues. This led to internecine warfare and, ultimately, cannibalism.
Are there snakes on Easter Island?
There are no known species of snakes on the island. Among the domestic animals which were introduced to the island by missionaries in the 19th century are sheep and goats. Notably, the horse population is enormous (approximately 6,000 specimens) and even outnumbers people.
What really happened to Easter Island? Around 1200 A.D., their growing numbers and an obsession with building moai led to increased pressure on the environment. By the end of the 17th century, the Rapanui had deforested the island, triggering war, famine and cultural collapse.
Was there ever trees on Easter Island?
Easter Island was covered with palm trees for over 30,000 years, but is treeless today. There is good evidence that the trees largely disappeared between 1200 and 1650.
What are the statues on Easter Island called? The islanders call them « moai, » and they have puzzled ethnographers, archaeologists, and visitors to the island since the first European explorers arrived here in 1722. In their isolation, why did the early Easter Islanders undertake this colossal statue-building effort?
What is the main source of income for the people of Easter Island?
Tourism is the main source of income for the island, with its economy dependent on 89% of income from services, 6% from industry, and 5% from agriculture. Easter Island’s electricity system is currently 100% dependent on diesel generation.
Are there any snakes on Easter Island?
There are no known species of snakes on the island. Among the domestic animals which were introduced to the island by missionaries in the 19th century are sheep and goats. Notably, the horse population is enormous (approximately 6,000 specimens) and even outnumbers people.
Is Easter Island a volcano? Easter Island is a volcanic island located a few hundred kilometers east of the planet’s fastest oceanic spreading center.
Is Easter Island spiritual? For years, friends have raved that Easter Island is the most spiritual place they have ever visited. This speck of land in the eastern Pacific, known to locals as Rapa Nui, had been on my wish list for years.
Does Easter Island have Internet?
You won’t always have Internet
In 2016, the Chilean government implemented its WiFi ChileGob program on the island, a public service project that provides free WiFi in public places.
Who owns Easter Island? Chile annexed Easter Island in 1888. In 1966, the Rapa Nui were granted Chilean citizenship. In 2007 the island gained the constitutional status of « special territory » (Spanish: territorio especial).
Does Easter Island have electricity?
Easter Island’s electricity system is currently 100% dependent on diesel generation. There is 5.6 MW of installed capacity and total electricity generation was 14,082 MWh in 2018. The average demand is 1.3 MW and peak demand is 2 MW.
What is the best time of year to visit Easter Island? The shoulder seasons between April and June and October and December are the best times to visit Easter Island. The warm climate of the Southern Hemisphere combined with the light crowds during these months makes them an ideal time to discover the many highlights of the island.
How close is Easter Island to the equator?
How far is Easter-Island from the equator and on what hemisphere is it? Easter-Island is 1,873.90 mi (3,015.74 km) south of the equator, so it is located in the southern hemisphere.
What is life like on Easter Island today? Easter Island Today
It has a subtropical climate (sunny and dry) and temperate weather. Easter Island boasts no natural harbor, but ships can anchor off Hanga Roa on the west coast; it is the island’s largest village, with a population of roughly 3,300. In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage site.
