It is located in the far southeast of the archipelago, about 72 km (45 mi) southwest from Marutea Sud.

Maria's closest neighbour is the small atoll of Matureivavao of the Acteon Group, 56 km (35 mi) to the northwest.

Maria Atoll is oval in shape and bound by a continuous reef.

This atoll is mostly called "Maria Est" in order to avoid confusion with another small atoll called Maria (Nororotu) in the Tubuai (Austral Islands) division of French Polynesia.

The first recorded European who arrived at Maria Est was Jacques-Antoine Moerenhout [fr] in 1829.