Akuliha is the second-largest archipelago settled by the Malehinese, and the third-largest by island size. Currently it is ruled by independent chieftains, and has only the organized religion that the hāka—deities, spirits, and ancestors—can provide.
The major islands together take up quite a large area; estimates place it at around the size of the Netherlands. Winter sees hurricanes in the south and cold rains from the north; summer still sees rain from the north, but considerably more sunshine. The temperature is on average between 22 and 27ºC—balmy and excellent for the tropical crops the Ngamahi brought with them.