The atolls of the Tuamotu archipelago almost blend into the dark waters around them and are only distinguished in this image by their bright outlines. An atoll is a coral island which either partly or completely surrounds a lagoon. Tuamotu is part of French Polynesia. Lying in the South Pacific Ocean, it is actually the largest chain of atolls in the world, and spans an area around the size of western Europe, though its actual land area is not nearly so big. This image, captured on 19 May, 2010, shows the western end of the archipelago. The largest island on the left is Rangiroa
Photograph: MODIS/Terra/NASA
The Guardian
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