Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society
Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific
Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (143 miles) northwest of
Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the centre of the
island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia
and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 feet).
Bora Bora is a major international tourist
destination, famous for its aqua-centric luxury resorts. The major settlement,
Vaitape, is on the western side of the main island, opposite the main channel
into the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what can be
obtained from the sea and the plentiful coconut trees, which were historically
of economic importance for copra. According to a 2008 census, Bora Bora has a
permanent population of 8,880.
