It is part of the Duke of Gloucester Islands, a subgroup of the Tuamotu group.

Anuanurunga's nearest neighbor is Nukutepipi, which is located about 22 km (14 mi) to the ESE.

First sighting recorded by Europeans was by the Spanish expedition of Pedro Fernández de Quirós on 4 February 1606.

With the other three atolls of the Duke of Gloucester Islands they were named Cuatro Coronas (Four Crowns in Spanish).

[3] British naval officer and explorer Philip Carteret visited it in 1767.