Rarotonga is a very popular tourist destination with many resorts, hotels and motels. The chief town, Avarua, on the north coast, is the capital of the Cook Islands. The volcanic island of Rarotonga stands over 14,750 feet (4,500 meters) above the ocean floor. It is 32 km (20 miles) in circumference and has an area of 67.19 km (26 square miles). At a depth of 4,000 m (13,000 ft) the volcano is nearly 50 km (31 miles) in diameter. Te Manga, at 658 m (2,140 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak on the island. The island is surrounded by
Picard Island Island, which is now permanently occupied by 12 scientists. Picard Island Picard Island (also known as West Island) is an island in the Seychelles. It is the third largest island of the Aldabra Atoll in the Aldabra Group of islands, 1150 kilometers southwest of the country's capital, Victoria. The island covers an area of 9.29 km². This island forms the northwestern edge of the Aldabra atoll. It is separated from Grand Terre (South) Island in the south by the Passe Femme channel, which contains several small islands, and from Polymnieli Island in the west by Grand Passe. The atoll's only