Rapa Nui National Park is a
national park and
UNESCO-inscribed
World Heritage Site located on
Easter Island,
Chile. Rapa Nui is the
Polynesian name of Easter Island; its Spanish name is Isla de Pascua. The island is located in the southeastern
Pacific Ocean, at the southeastern extremity of the
Polynesian Triangle. The island was taken over by Chile in 1888. Its fame and World Heritage status arise from the 887 extant stone statues known by the name "
moai", whose creation is attributed to the early
Rapa Nui people who inhabited the island around 300 AD. Much of the island has been declared as Rapa Nui National Park which, on 22 March 1996, UNESCO designated a World Heritage Site under cultural criteria (i), (iii), & (v). The park is under the administrative control of the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF), which provides legal protection to the total area of the island. As Easter Island has insufficient resources for conserving its natural heritage, the
Government of Chile and the National Council of Monuments have provided financial support for the conservation efforts.