ラロトンガ島(とう)はクック諸島(しょとう)の主島(しゅとう)で、南(みなみ)太平洋(たいへいよう)に位置(いち)します。この島(しま)は約(やく)30kmのほぼ円形(えんけい)で、最(もっと)も高(たか)い山(やま)はテ・マンガ山(やま)(標高(ひょうこう)652m)です。クック諸島(しょとう)の首都(しゅと)であるアバルアは、この島(しま)の北部(ほくぶ)海岸(かいがん)に位置(いち)し、ラロトンガ国際空港(こくさいくうこう)もあります。19世紀(せいき)に存在(そんざい)したラロトンガ王国(おうこく)は、この島(しま)にちなんで名付(なづ)けられ、首都(しゅと)はアバルアにありました。南東(なんとう)部(ぶ)にあるムリビーチは、浅瀬(あさせ)のラグーンが広(ひろ)がり、シュノーケリングも楽(たの)しめる美(うつく)しいビーチとして知(し)られています。Rarotonga is the main island of the Cook Islands, located in the South Pacific. The island is roughly circular, with a circumference of approximately 30 km, and its highest peak is Mount Te Manga.
The capital of the Cook Islands, Avarua, is situated on the northern coast of this island, which also hosts the Rarotonga International Airport. The Kingdom of Rarotonga, which existed in the 19th century, was named after this island, and its capital was in Avarua.
Muri Beach, located on the southeast coast, is known as a beautiful beach with shallow lagoons where snorkeling can be enjoyed.
ラロトンガ島(とう)はクック諸島(しょとう)の主島(しゅとう)で、南(みなみ)太平洋(たいへいよう)に位置(いち)します。この島(しま)は約(やく)30kmのほぼ円形(えんけい)で、最(もっと)も高(たか)い山(やま)はテ・マンガ山(やま)(標高(ひょうこう)652m)です。クック諸島(しょとう)の首都(しゅと)であるアバルアは、この島(しま)の北部(ほくぶ)海岸(かいがん)に位置(いち)し、ラロトンガ国際空港(こくさいくうこう)もあります。19世紀(せいき)に存在(そんざい)したラロトンガ王国(おうこく)は、この島(しま)にちなんで名付(なづ)けられ、首都(しゅと)はアバルアにありました。南東(なんとう)部(ぶ)にあるムリビーチは、浅瀬(あさせ)のラグーンが広(ひろ)がり、シュノーケリングも楽(たの)しめる美(うつく)しいビーチとして知(し)られています。Rarotonga is the main island of the Cook Islands, located in the South Pacific. The island is roughly circular, with a circumference of approximately 30 km, and its highest peak is Mount Te Manga.
The capital of the Cook Islands, Avarua, is situated on the northern coast of this island, which also hosts the Rarotonga International Airport. The Kingdom of Rarotonga, which existed in the 19th century, was named after this island, and its capital was in Avarua.
Muri Beach, located on the southeast coast, is known as a beautiful beach with shallow lagoons where snorkeling can be enjoyed.
The Kingdom of Rarotonga was an independent kingdom established in the Cook Islands in 1858. Its name was derived from the island of Rarotonga. It became a British protectorate in 1888 and was renamed the Cook Islands Federation in 1893.
At the time of its founding, the Ariki (chiefs) in the Southern Cook Islands had converted to Christianity and worked with missionaries to draft a law code, striving for non-violent conflict resolution, which led to political stability. However, in 1881, the British government resolved that the Cook Islands needed protection and dispatched a British Consul.
As a British protectorate, the British government declared the entire Cook Islands a protectorate and worked with the Ariki of the Southern Cook Islands to establish an administrative legal system. In 1890, the Ariki established the first government, and in 1893, they named it the Cook Islands Federation.
Despite this, the British government was passive in governing Rarotonga, facing pressure for annexation from New Zealand and European residents. Ultimately, the Cook Islands were unconditionally annexed by New Zealand in 1900, and the Ariki lost their power.