Islands of Society ( fr. Îles de la Société , hides. Tōtaiete mā ) - a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean , which is part of French Polynesia . Most of the people of French Polynesia live in the Society Islands.
| Society Islands | |
|---|---|
| fr Îles de la Société , conceals. Tōtaiete mā | |
 | |
| Specifications | |
| Number of islands | 14 |
| Largest island | Tahiti |
| total area | 1593 km² |
| Highest point | 2241 m |
| Population | 227,807 people (2007) |
| Population density | 143.01 person / km² |
| Location | |
| Water area | Pacific Ocean |
| A country |
|
Content
Geography
The Society Islands are a tropical archipelago of volcanic origin, which is located in the west of French Polynesia. Area - 1593 km ² .
The islands of the Society are divided into two groups - Windward and Downwind :
| No | Island or reef | Land area km² | Lagoon area, km² | Population, people (2007) | Density, person / km² | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windward islands | ||||||
| one | Maiao | 9 | - | 299 | 33.22 | |
| 2 | Mehetia | 2.3 | - | uninhabited | - | |
| 3 | Moorea | 133.5 | - | 16,191 | 121.28 | |
| four | Tahiti | 1042 | - | 178 133 | 170.95 | |
| five | Tetiaroa | 6 | - | uninhabited | - | |
| Leeward islands | ||||||
| 6 | Bora bora | 38 | - | 8927 | 234.92 | |
| 7 | Manuahe | four | - | uninhabited | - | |
| eight | Maupiti | eleven | - | 1231 | 111.91 | |
| 9 | Maupihaa | 2.6 | - | uninhabited | - | |
| ten | Motu one | 3 | - | uninhabited | - | |
| eleven | Raiatea | 168 | 70 | 12 024 | 71.57 | |
| 12 | Tahaa | 88 | - | 5003 | 56,85 | |
| 13 | Tupai | eleven | - | uninhabited | - | |
| 14 | Huahine | 74.8 | - | 5999 | 80.20 | |
| Total | 1593.20 | 70 | 227 807 | 142,99 | ||
History
The first European to see the islands of the Society was the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeven , who sailed near Bora Bora and Maupiti on June 6, 1722 . Roggeven mistaken for the islands of the archipelago of Tonga , which Jacob Lemer visited in 1616 .
In 1767, a British expedition led by Samuel Wallis discovered the islands of Mehetia ( June 17 ), Tahiti ( June 18 ), Moorea ( July 27 ), Maupihaa ( July 29 ) and Motu-One ( July 29 ). Wallis made a five-week stop in Tahiti.
The first expedition of James Cook visited Tahiti in 1769 to observe the passage of Venus. Cook discovered Huahine , Raiatea , Tahaa , Tupai , and Tetiaroa . Initially, Cook called the islands of the Society ( Eng. Society Islands ) only the Leeward Islands , in honor of the Royal Society of London , which financed the expedition. Later, the name was used for the entire archipelago. In 1788-1880 the Polynesian state of Tahiti existed on the islands, which then (1842-1880) was a French protectorate, and after 1880 it was a colony of France.
Administrative division
The archipelago includes two administrative divisions: the Windward and the Leeward Islands , which are divided into 20 communes (13 - the Windward and 7 - the Leeward Islands).
| No | Commune | Square, km² | Population, [1] people (2007) | Density, person / km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windward islands | ||||
| one | Arua | 18.3 | 9,458 | 516.83 |
| 2 | Faaa | 34 | 29 851 | 877.97 |
| 3 | Hitia O Te Ra | 218 | 8,683 | 39.83 |
| four | Maina | 52 | 14 369 | 276.33 |
| five | Moorea-Maiao | 142.5 | 16 490 | 115.72 |
| 6 | Paya | 65 | 12,084 | 185.91 |
| 7 | Papara | 93 | 10,615 | 114.14 |
| eight | Papeete (capital) | nineteen | 26,017 | 1369.32 |
| 9 | Pirae | 35 | 14,475 | 413.57 |
| ten | Punaauia | 76 | 25 441 | 334.75 |
| eleven | Taiarapu Est | 216 | 11,549 | 53.47 |
| 12 | Taiarapu-Ouest | 104 | 7 002 | 67.33 |
| 13 | Teva And Utah | 120 | 8,589 | 71,58 |
| Leeward islands | ||||
| 14 | Bora bora | 49 | 8,927 | 182.18 |
| 15 | Huahine | 74.8 | 5,999 | 80.20 |
| sixteen | Maupiti | 20.6 | 1,231 | 59.76 |
| 17 | Tahaa | 88 | 5,003 | 56,85 |
| 18 | Taputapuateae | 88.5 | 4,614 | 52.14 |
| nineteen | Tumaraa | 63.5 | 3,632 | 57.20 |
| 20 | Uturoa (capital) | sixteen | 3,778 | 236.13 |
| Total | 1593.2 | 227 807 | 142,99 | |
Population
According to the 2007 census, the number of inhabitants on the islands is 227,807 people (194,623 people - the windward and 33,184 people - the Leeward Islands ). The main island of the islands of the Society is Tahiti , where 70% of the total population live and where the capital of French Polynesia is located, Papeete . The main population is concentrated in the coastal regions, in the mountainous centers of the islands the population is very rare.
Economy
Economically, the Society Islands are the most important of the five archipelagoes of this overseas community of France.
See also
- List of Islands of French Polynesia
Notes
- ↑ (fr.) Institut Statistique de Polynésie Française (ISPF). Recensement de la population 2007 (PDF). The date of circulation is December 2, 2007. Archived December 3, 2007.