588 inhabitants in the 1996 census. It has a Catholic church, an elementary school and an airport. The main activity is Pearl farming. Climate The climate is tropical, typical of this southern region. The average temperature is 24 °C. The warmest month is March, at 26 °C, and the coldest month is October, at 21 °C.10 Average rainfall is 1,707 millimeters per year. The rainiest month is December, with 326 millimeters of rain, and the driest month, August, with 36 millimeters. Administration The commune of Makemo consists of the atolls of Makemo, Haraiki, Marutea Nord, Katiu, Tuanake, Hiti, Tepoto Sud, Raroia, Takume, Taenga and Nihiru. Demography In 2017, the total population of Makemo was 825 persons grouped mainly in the village of Pouheva; its evolution is as follows: Pouheva, located near the Arikitamiro Pass (passe d'Arikitamiro), is the main village of the atoll. It has about 600 inhabitants. Religion Most of the population of the Atoll is affiliated with Christianity, as a result of the activity of both Catholic and Protestant missionary groups. The Catholic Church has a main religious building in the area called St. Joseph's Church (Église de Saint-Joseph) which ecclesiastically depends on the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Papeete based on the island of Tahiti. Economy Tourism, especially with the development of diving near the two passes, is the main economic sector of the island, along with pearl farming (authorized on only 50 ha of the lagoon), sea cucumber harvesting (in the southern part, below the line linking motu Tahiti Toreu to motu Piupiu) and copra farming. The administrative activities of the commune, which includes eleven surrounding atolls, also develop and provide work. The landing of the Natitua submarine cable and its commissioning in December 2018 allows Makemo to be connected to Tahiti and to the global high-speed Internet. A small domestic airfield with a 1,500-meter runway was built in 1976. It serves, on average, about 500 flights and 10,000 passengers per year, of which 30% are transit Passengers. References External links Atoll list (in French) Atolls of the Tuamotus Communes of French Polynesia