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Leeward Islands (Society Islands)

Leeward Islands
Native name: Îles Sous-le-vent  (French)
Fenua Raro Mata’i  (Tahitian)
Bora-Bora.png
Leeward Islands (Society Islands) topographic map-fr.svg
Geography
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates Coordinates: 17°32′S 149°50′W / 17.533°S 149.833°W / -17.533; -149.833
Archipelago Society Islands
Total islands 9
Major islands Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Tahaa
Area 395 km2 (153 sq mi)
Highest elevation 1,017 m (3,337 ft)
Highest point Tefatua
Administration
France
Overseas collectivity French Polynesia
Largest settlement Uturoa (pop. 8,735 urban)
Demographics
Population 33,184 (Aug. 2007 census)
Pop. density 84 /km2 (218 /sq mi)

The Leeward Islands (French: Îles Sous-le-vent; Tahitian: Fenua Raro Mata’i, literally "Islands Under-the-Wind") are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. They lie south of the Line Islands (part of Kiribati), east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands (also part of French Polynesia). Their area is 395 km² with a population of over 33,000. The islands to the west comprise a three atoll group: Manuae (a.k.a. Scilly Atoll), Motu One atoll (a.k.a. Bellinghausen), lying most northerly of the Leeward Islands, and to the southeast Maupihaa atoll (a.k.a. Mopelia). More to the east lies a mainly high island cluster consisting of Maupiti (Tahitian name: Maurua), Tupai atoll, Bora Bora (Tahitian name: Vava'u), the most known of the Leeward Islands in the western world due to its World War II United States naval base and subsequent tourism industry, Tahaa (Tahitian name: Uporu), lying just north of the largest island of the group, Raiatea (Tahitian names: Hava'i, Ioretea) which possesses the largest city and local capital of the Leeward Islands, namely Uturoa, as well as the highest elevation, the just over 1,000 m mount Tefatua, and finally the easternmost island of the group, Huahine (Tahitian name: Mata'irea) which at high tide is divided into two: Huahine Nui ("big Huahine") to the north and Huahine Iti ("small Huahine") to the south.


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