This is one of the magical islands that
make up French Polynesia in the South Pacific. Just 18 miles (29 kilometers)
long, this lush little slip of land lies in a protected lagoon edged by white
sandy shores, the best being at Matira Point. Bora Bora boasts the nickname the
“Romantic Island,” a moniker easy to appreciate with its isolated beaches,
intimate hotels, and quiet atmosphere. French Polynesia more commonly known as
"Tahiti" is located in the South Pacific approximately 8 hours by
plane from the city of Los Angeles. It is in the same timezone as Hawaii, and
the same distance south of the equator as Hawaii is north.
History
Queen Teriimaevarua III and her maids
of honor, c. 1899
The island was first inhabited by
Polynesian settlers around the 4th century AD. The first European sighting was
made by Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. James Cook sighted the island in 1770 and
landed that same year. The London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and
founded a Protestant church in 1890. Bora Bora was an independent kingdom until
1888 when its last queen Teriimaevarua III was forced to abdicate by the French
who annexed the island as a colony.
Commune of Bora Bora
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of
the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding islets emerging from the
coral reef, 29.3 km² (11.3 sq mi) in total, and of the atoll of Tupai (11 km2
or 4.2 sq mi), located 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Bora Bora. The atoll of
Tupai has no permanent population apart from some workers in the coconut
plantations.
The surrounding islets include: Motu
Tapu, Motu Ahuna, Tevairoa, Motu Tane, Motu Mute, Motu Tufari, Motu Pitiaau,
Sofitel Motu, Motu Toopua and Toopuaiti.
The commune is in the administrative
subdivision of the Leeward Islands and divided into three districts: Vaitape,
Faanui and Anau.
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