1525 COOK ISLANDS (Roratonga) - Te Rua Manga

With a population of 10,572, Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, an island country in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. Captain John Dibbs, master of the colonial brig Endeavour, is credited as the European discoverer on 25 August 1823, while transporting the missionary Rev. John Williams. The chief town, Avarua, on the north coast, is the capital of the Cook Islands. It is a very popular tourist destination with many resorts, hotels and motels. It is 32km in circumference, and is surrounded by a lagoon. The interior of the island is dominated by eroded volcanic peaks cloaked in dense vegetation.

Te Manga, at 658m above sea level, is the highest peak on the island (on the postcard, in background). A very interesting rock formation is Te Rua Manga (on the postcard), a prominent needle-shaped rock (known besides as The Needle) visible from the air and some coastal areas. While there are higher peaks on the island, this is the most recognizable because of its summit spire and one of the most popular due to its easy accessibility from the Cross Island Track.

About the stamp
The stamp is part of the series Worldwide Fund for Nature - Spotless Crake, about which I wrote here.

References
Rarotonga - Wikipedia
Te Rua Manga - summitpost.org

Sender: Tina
Sent from Avarua (Rarotonga / Cook Islands), on 28.01.2015
Photo: Noel Bartley