Tubuai Islands

Tubuai Islands

French  Îles Tubuaï,  also called  Austral Islands,  or  Îles Australes 

      southernmost archipelago of French Polynesia in the central South Pacific Ocean. Volcanic in origin, the islands are part of a vast submerged mountain chain, probably a southeasterly extension of the Cook Islands (New Zealand). Scattered over an area some 800 miles (1,300 km) long, they comprise five inhabited islands—Raivavae (6 square miles [16 square km]), Rapa (15 square miles [39 square km]), Rimatara, (3 square miles [8 square km]), Rurutu (11 square miles [29 square km]), and Tubuai (18 square miles [47 square km])—as well as the tiny, uninhabited Marotiri Islands at the southern end of the chain, and Maria Atoll in the north.

      The Tubuai Islands had long been settled by Polynesian peoples by the time of European contact. Four of the islands were sighted by Capt. James Cook (Cook, James)—Rimatara and Rurutu in 1769 and Raivavae and Tubuai eight years later. In 1791 George Vancouver (Vancouver, George) sighted the southernmost inhabited island, Rapa, the broken rim of a former volcano curved around the harbour of Ahurei Bay. The whole group was brought under French control between 1880 and 1889.

      The islands form an administrative subdivision of French Polynesia. The local capital is Mataura, on Tubuai. Other major settlements include Amaru on Raivavae, Ahurei on Rapa, and Moerai on Rurutu. The inhabitants are predominantly Protestant. Polynesian traditions are unusually well preserved in the Tubuais because of the comparative isolation of the islands. Principal resources are fish, coffee, taro, copra, and oranges. Total land area 54 square miles (141 square km). Pop. (2002) 6,386.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Tubuai Islands — noun a chain of small islands in French Polynesia • Syn: ↑Austral Islands • Instance Hypernyms: ↑archipelago • Part Holonyms: ↑French Polynesia, ↑French Oceania …   Useful english dictionary

  • Tubuai Islands — /ˌtubuaɪ ˈaɪləndz/ (say .toohboohuy uyluhndz) plural noun an island group in the southern Pacific in French Polynesia; first European discovery by Captain James Cook in 1777; annexed by France in 1880. 173 km2. Also, Austral Islands …  

  • Tubuaï — Tubuai  Ne doit pas être confondu avec les îles Australes aussi appelées « Îles Tubuai ». Tubuai Tupua i (ty) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tubuai — aus dem All fotografiert Gewässer Pazifischer Ozean Archipel Australinseln …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Tubuai (Austral Islands) — French commune|nomcommune=Tubuai région= Collectivités d outre mer département= French Polynesia arrondissement= canton= insee=98753 cp=98754 maire=Chantal Tahiata mandat= intercomm= longitude= 149.45 latitude= 23.38 alt moy= alt mini= alt… …   Wikipedia

  • Austral Islands — Infobox Islands name = Austral Islands image caption = Flag of the Austral Islands image size = 150px locator native name = Îles Australes native name link = French language nickname = location = Pacific Ocean coordinates = archipelago =… …   Wikipedia

  • Austral Islands — Group of islands (pop., 1996: 6,563), southern French Polynesia. The southernmost part of French Polynesia (austral is Latin for south ), the islands form a chain about 850 mi (1,370 km) long. They were sighted by Capt. James Cook in 1769 and… …   Universalium

  • Music of the Austral Islands — The Austral Islands are part of the territory of French Polynesia. The music of the islands is similar to the music of other Polynesian islands. The largest of the Austral Islands is Tubuai, which is known for its ancient, atonal singing style,… …   Wikipedia

  • List of islands of France — This is a list of islands of metropolitan France and French oversea islands.Ranking of French islands By area All French islands over 100 km², ranked by decreasing area. By population List of the most populated French islands.Islands of… …   Wikipedia

  • Marotiri (Austral Islands) — Southern rock of Marotiri Marotiri or Bass Rocks …   Wikipedia

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