What is the oceanic pole of inaccessibility commonly called?

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The oceanic pole of inaccessibility is commonly called Point Nemo.

Point Nemo is the location in the ocean farthest from any land. It lies in the South Pacific, roughly equidistant from three nearby land points: Ducie Island in the Pitcairn Islands, Motu Nui near Easter Island, and Maher Island off Antarctica. Each is about 2,688 kilometres away, although published coordinates vary slightly with mapping data.

The point was calculated in 1992 by Croatian survey engineer Hrvoje Lukatela. Its name refers both to the Latin word nemo, meaning “nobody,” and Captain Nemo from Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.

Point Nemo is not an island or a permanent marker; it is a mathematical location on open water. The surrounding South Pacific Gyre receives little nutrient-rich runoff, making the region relatively low in marine life. Because it is so remote, astronauts on the International Space Station can sometimes be the nearest humans. The area is also used as a controlled re-entry zone for retired spacecraft.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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