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Portrait and Geography 

French Polynesia is a " French Overseas Territory ", located in the middle of the South Pacific and composed of over 150 islands and islets. 

Some of these islands are of volcanic origin:   

-         The Society Islands , divided in two groups:

• The Windward islands:  Tahiti, Moorea, Maiao, Tetiaroa, Mehetia
•  The Leeward Islands:  Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora, Maupiti, Tupai, Mopelia, Scilly, Bellinghausen

-         The Marquesas islands:  Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Tahuata, Fatu Hyva 

Other islands are made only of coral:   

-         The Tuamotu Islands:  Rangiroa, Tikehau, Manihi, Fakarava (biosphere protected by UNESCO)

-         The Gambier Islands, administratively linked to the Tuamotu Islands

-         The Tubuai Islands (also called Austral Islands) 

The Pacific Ocean floor is made of a chain of underwater volcanos oriented North-South near Easter Island. It is 30 to 100 millions years old and it is drifting West at the rate of about 10 cm a year. 

The islands of French Polynesia are the overwater summits of old underwater  volcanos (down to 4,000 meters deep). 

Volcanic islands are constantly sinking, they owe their survival to coral growing on the surface. 

The islands' relief vary with each archipelago:   

-         Tahiti is the largest island, it is a mountainous island with deep valley and luscious vegetation

-         Moorea has two magnificent bays:   Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay

-         Bora-Bora constituted by an ancient 3 or 4 millions years old volcano surrounded by a lagoon

-         Huahine constituted by two volcanic islands linked by a bridge:  Huanine Nui and Huanine Iti

-         Raiatea-Tahaa:  second largest island in French Polynesia

-        Rangiroa:  the world's largest atoll

-         The Marquesas:  volcanic lands with high mounatins, the largest island is Hiva Oa

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