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  Tahiti, the largest island of the Society islands | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pacific Ocean |
| Coordinates | 17°40′S 149°25′W / 17.667°S 149.417°W |
| Archipelago | Society Islands |
| Major islands | Tahiti |
| Area | 1,044 km2 (403 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 2,241 m (7352 ft) |
| Highest point | Mont Orohena |
| Administration | |
France | |
| Overseas collectivity | French Polynesia |
| Capital city | Papeʻete |
| Largest settlement | Papeʻete (pop. 136,777) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 189,517[1] (August 2017 census) |
| Pop. density | 181/km2 (469/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Tahitians |
Tahiti (English: /təˈhiːti/; Tahitian [taˈhiti];[2] French pronunciation: [ta.iˈti]) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Australia.[3][4] Divided into two parts, Tahiti Nui (bigger, northwestern part) and Tahiti Iti (smaller, southeastern part), the island was formed from volcanic activity; it is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs. Its population was 189,517 in 2017,[1] making it by far the most populous island in French Polynesia and accounting for 68.7% of its total population; the 2022 Census recorded a population of 191,779.
Tahiti is the economic, cultural, and political centre of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity and an overseas country of the French Republic. The capital of French Polynesia, Papeʻete, is located on the northwest coast of Tahiti. The only international airport in the region, Faʻaʻā International Airport, is on Tahiti near Papeʻete. Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between 300 and 800 AD. They represent about 70% of the island's population, with the rest made up of Europeans, Chinese and those of mixed heritage. The island was part of the Kingdom of Tahiti until its annexation by France in 1880, when it was proclaimed a colony of France, and the inhabitants became French citizens. French is the sole official language, although the Tahitian language (Reo Tahiti) is also widely spoken.
Tahiti was called Otaheite in earlier European documents: this is a rendering of Tah. ʻo Tahiti, which is typically pronounced [ʔotaˈhɛiti].
- ^ a b "Décret n° 2017-1681 du 13 décembre 2017 authentifiant les résultats du recensement de la population 2017 de Polynésie française" (PDF). Journal officiel de la République française. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ Pronunciation of "Tahiti" Archived 5 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine in Tahitian.
- ^ "Tahiti Vs Moorea: Can You Spot the Difference Between These Two French Polynesian Islands? - Turtle Fiji". 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "University of French Polynesia – Mānoa International Exchange". Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.