Tahuata. There are no animals that are dangerous to humans. The nono fly, a type of black fly which occurs in the interior, is extremely unpleasant. Population In 2012, the population of Hiva Oa was 2,190, of which 1,845 lived in the commune of Acounda and 345 in the village of Puama'u. The inhabitants speak the southern Marquesan language, related to other Polynesian languages, and French. Religion The majority of the island's population professes Christianity as a result of the activity of both Catholic missionaries and various Protestant groups. The Catholic Church controls 6 religious buildings on the island, including the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Église de l'Immaculée Conception) in Atuona (the island's capital), the Church of Saint Anne (Église de Sainte-Anne) in Hanaiapa, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes (Église de Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes) in Hanapaaoa, the Church of Saint Joseph (Église de Saint-Joseph) in Nahoe, the Church of the Sacred Heart (Église du Sacré-Cœur) in Puamau, and the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Église de Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur) in Taaoaoa. According to the mythology of the ancient local religion, the gods created the Marquesas as their home. Therefore, all the islands have names related to the construction of a house: Hiva Oa means long ridge. Economy Subsistence agriculture, a combination of fishing, pig and chicken farming, and the cultivation of staple crops such as breadfruit, coconut, yam, taro, sweet potatoes and bananas, remains the basis of the island's economy. Part of the copra is grown for export. Tourism has so far existed only to a small extent, but is economically important, as otherwise there are few jobs on the island. The currency is the CFP franc, which is pegged to the euro. Infrastructure The settlements are only partially connected by paved roads. As the existing ones are also steep and winding, the preferred means of transport between the villages is still by boat. The west and the mountainous interior of the island are largely undeveloped. The airfield, with a 1,250 m paved runway (ICAO code: NTMN, IATA code: HIX), is located on the Tepuna plateau, northeast of Atuona, and is connected to the village by a winding road. Atuona has a fairly modern infrastructure, with a hospital, a medical and dental office, a post office (with satellite phone), a bank (with ATM), a national Gendarmerie station, a courthouse, schools with preschool (école maternelle et primaire)