Raiatea
| Native name: Ra'iātea | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 16°49′S 151°27′W / 16.817°S 151.450°WCoordinates: 16°49′S 151°27′W / 16.817°S 151.450°W |
| Archipelago | Society Islands |
| Major islands | Raiatea |
| Area | 167.7 km2 (64.7 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,017 m (3,337 ft) |
| Highest point | Mount Tefatua |
| Administration | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Largest settlement | 'Uturoa (pop. 3,778) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 12,545 |
| Pop. density | 72 /km2 (186 /sq mi) |
Ra'iātea, is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the 'centre' of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to Hawai'i, Aotearoa and other parts of East Polynesia started at Ra'iātea. A traditional name for the island is believed to be Havai'i.
Situated on the south east coast is the historical Taputapuātea which was established by 1000AD.
The main township on Ra'iātea is 'Uturoa, the administrative centre for the Leeward Islands (French Îles Sous-le-vent). There are also colleges which serve as the main educational location for secondary schools for students from the regional islands of Pora Pora, Taha'a, Huahine and Maupiti.
The proper spelling of the name in the Tahitian language is Ra'iātea, meaning bright sky; Ulieta is an obsolete transcription commonly used in the 19th century. The extinct Ulieta bird originated from this island, along with other unknown species, there is only one drawing of it in the world which is in the Natural History Museum London.
The islands of Ra'iātea and Taha'a are enclosed by a single coral reef, and may once have been a single island. Ra'iātea is both the largest and most populated island in the Leeward Islands, with a land area of 167.7 km2 (64.7 sq mi) and a total population of 12,024 inhabitants at the August 2007 census. The population density is 72 inhabitants per km². The largest commune of Ra'iātea is 'Uturoa on the north side of Ra'iātea and has a population of nearly 10,000.
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