Easter Island Chile (Hanga Roa)

Easter Island (officially Isla de Pacua) is located in the South Pacific Ocean, about 2200 mi (3500 km) west of mainland Chile (South America). The island is of great archaeological importance and is famous worldwide with its nearly 600 large-head moai statues ("moai") gazing over the ocean. They vary in height from 10 to 40 ft (3 to 12 m) and are carved from volcanic rock.

Discovered by the Dutch in 1722, Easter Island was first named Paaseiland (translated as "Easter Island") and was taken over by Chile in 1888.

The island has a total area of 163,6 km2 (63,2 mi2) and population around 6,600. The nearest inhabited land is Pitcairn Island, at approx 2075 km (1290 mi) to the west. The nearest town is Rikitea (on Mangareva Island, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia, population around 500) located approx 2606 km (1620 mi) to the west.

Islanders are referred to as pascuense (in Spanish). However, it's common to refer to the members of the indigenous community as "Rapa Nui".

Besides tourism (including by cruise ship passengers), the island's other businesses are commercial fishing and farming.

Easter Island is served by the Mataveri Airport. LAN Airlines (domestic airline) offers regular and direct flights to Santiago Chile, Papeete (Tahiti, French Polynesia) and Lima (Peru).

There is a marine shipping service to Valparaiso port (Santiago, Chile).

Hanga Roa is the island's port town with population around 3,500 (~90% of the total population). The town features the Avenida Atamu Tekena avenue, lined up with many guesthouses, hostels and luxury hotels (total capacity around 600 beds), stores restaurants, internet cafes. The town also features a museum, a Roman Catholic church, a multi-use stadium, Estadio de Hanga Roa, which is the home ground of the Easter Island football team.

Wood was scarce on the island during the 18th-19th centuries, but several highly detailed and distinctive carvings found their way to world-famous museums.

In 1995, Easter Island was designated a UNESCO Site, with much of its territory protected within Rapa Nui National Park.

Easter Island Chile cruise terminal