Society Islands

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Society Islands
Native name: Îles de la Société
Tahiti
Tahiti
Geography
Location Pacific Ocean
Coordinates Coordinates: 17°32′S, 149°50′W
Archipelago Society Islands
Major islands Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine
Area 1590 km²
Highest point Mont Orohena
2241 m
Administration
Flag of France France
Overseas collectivity French Polynesia
Largest city Papeete (131,695 urban)
Demographics
Population 227,807 [1] (as of Aug. 2007 census)
Density 143/km²
Map of Society Islands
Map of Society Islands
One of the islands.
One of the islands.

The Society Islands (French: Îles de la Société or officially Archipel de la Société) are a group of islands in the south Pacific, administratively part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands; however, Cook states in his journal that he called the islands Society "as they lay contiguous to one another"[2].

The islands are divided geographically, politically and administratively into two groups:

The islands became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. They have a population of 227,807 inhabitants (as of August 2007 census).[1] They cover a land area of 1,590 km² (614 sq. miles).

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b (French) Institut Statistique de Polynésie Française (ISPF). Recensement de la population 2007 (PDF). Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
  2. ^ Horwitz, Tony. Oct. 2003, Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before, Bloomsbury, ISBN 0-7475-6455-8

[edit] External links


Flag of French Polynesia Archipelagos of French Polynesia Flag of France

Society Islands (Leeward Islands, Windward Islands) · Tuamotu Islands 
Gambier Islands  · Austral Islands  · Marquesas Islands