Its highest point is about 5 metres (17 feet) and like the other Northern Cook Island atolls, Rakahanga is in danger from rising sea levels.

Rakahanga's settlement is on the northwest side of the southern islet and consists of five adjoining villages (which might represent the lineages living in the same village:[4]) Rakahanga has a uniform temperature pattern with daily variations ranging from a minimum of 26 °C/ 79 °F to a maximum about 31 °C/88o F. It is generally dry between May and October and hot and humid between November and April .

By the sixth generation, the community had split into two tribes under separate arikis (chiefs) and a tuha whenua (Land Distributor) was appointed to arbitrate disputes.

[8] The rest of the atoll was reserved for food production, primarily based on the coconut palm, pandanus and puraka, a type of taro.

[6] Every few years the entire community would make the dangerous inter-atoll crossing, allowing the vacated atoll to restore.

When on Manihiki, the tribal groupings lived on separate motus under their ariki in villages called Tauhuna and Tukoa.

One of the last great Spanish voyages of exploration, under the command of Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, came upon the island on 2 March 1606.

A Franciscan friar, Fray Martin de Munilla, was so struck with admiration that he called it the island of beautiful people (gente hermosa).

Russian oceanic explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen visited Rakahanga on 8 August 1820, on ships Vostok and Mirni.

[12] In 1855, a visiting Rarotongan missionary, Maretu, was concerned at the loss of life on the ocean voyages between the atolls, and decided part of the population should live permanently on Rakahanga and the remainder stay on Manihiki.

[13] The schools established on Rakahanga and Manihiki taught the alphabet that missionaries had created for the Rarotongan language, which has two fewer consonant sounds than Rakahangan/Manihikian.

That has fallen into the hands of the native missionaries whose holy office, combined with greater education and experience, makes him the real ruler of the people.

"[14] Heads of households elected representatives called Turimen, who "decide the law, sit as judges and act as policemen", but according to Moss, "The native missionary pulls the wires."

Games and dances were "rigidly repressed by missionary law," and sinners were punished with fines and by being put in stocks for days at a time.

[14] The missionaries had to counter the influence of European traders, who sold alcohol and tobacco along with general merchandise in return for pearl shell, copra and the fine rito mats for which Rakahanga/Manihiki was already famous.

[11] Commander Clarke of HMS Espiegle declared Rakahanga and Manihiki British protectorates on 9 August 1889,[15] almost a year after the islands in the Southern Group.

The British appointed as the Cooks Islands chief administrator a New Zealand MP, Frederick Moss, However, the 'parliament' he formed only had representatives from the Southern Group.

The London Missionary Society's control of Rakahanga ended when both the Northern and Southern Groups were included within New Zealand's boundaries in 1901 with the support of the ariki provided they could approve which NZ laws would apply.

After visiting the atoll in 1904, the Resident Commissioner reported, "On Rakahanga there is evidence of very bad feeling, and many land disputes.

The New Zealand Government slowly improved the infrastructure, for example installing a large concrete water tank in 1912[17] and a Courthouse in 1917.

His daughter Tina Pupuke Browne, leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party, gained the seat following a legal challenge after the 2018 elections.

[21] With EU and New Zealand funding, 100% solar generated power was made available to all residents in 2014, and new roofing, guttering and water tanks have been installed on all occupied houses.

Minor prohibitions were practiced to avoid displeasing the gods, such as dietary restrictions related to protecting species of significance to a tribal group.

They discarded them and came to [Bible study] class wishing to be accepted later as church members so they would be joined to the vine of life.

The missionaries introduced papaya and breadfruit trees, as well as new technologies, including cotton materials and European style boat building techniques.

The large white church with its intricate wood carving remains the dominant building on the atoll, and the majority of the population attend at least one service per week.

An early 20th century visitor claimed that dancing was the peoples' "chief reason for existing," and described them as the most accomplished singers and dancers "in the whole South Pacific".

In the second half of the twentieth century the international copra market declined and the price dropped to almost a quarter, making the Rakahangan industry unviable.

Rito hats, mats and baskets, traditionally woven by women from the ribs of coconut leaves, remain in demand in Rarotongan markets because of their high quality.

Both the Manihiki and Rakahanga communities operate outboard motor boats between the atolls, a trip which takes up to 3 hours depending on conditions.