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Archipelago

    Pacific OceanFrance

    23°00′S 150°00′W

    Austral Islands

    Îles Australes

    Part of Polynesia and Austral Islands

    The Austral Islands (French: Îles Australes, officially Archipel des Australes; Tahitian: Tuha'a Pae) are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic in the South Pacific.

    Photograph of the island of Tubuai (French Polynesia) taken from a speedboat near from motu Mitiha.
    Photograph of the island of Tubuai (French Polynesia) taken from a speedboat near from motu Mitiha.

    Jérémie Silvestro (If you can improve this photo development, ask me the RAW.) / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Chart

    69 landforms

    Overview

    The Austral Islands (French: Îles Australes, officially Archipel des Australes; Tahitian: Tuha'a Pae) are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic in the South Pacific. Geographically, they consist of two separate archipelagos, namely in the northwest the Tupua'i islands (French: Îles Tubuaï) consisting of the Îles Maria, Rimatara, Rūrutu, Tupua'i Island proper and Ra'ivāvae, and in the southeast the Bass Islands (French: Îles basses) composed of the main island of Rapa Iti and the small Marotiri (also known as Bass Rocks or Îlots de Bass). Inhabitants of the islands are known for their pandanus fiber weaving skills. The islands of Maria and Marotiri are not suitable for sustained habitation. Several of the islands have uninhabited islets or rocks off their coastlines. Austral Islands' population is 6,965 on almost 150 km2 (58 sq mi). The capital of the Austral Islands administrative subdivision is Tupua'i.

    From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Census, cataloged

    • Major islands5
    • Minor islands2
    • Islets34
    • Rocks & skerries28

    Major islands

    5
    • Tubuai

      Tubuai

      Area
      45.1 km²
      High point
      422 m

      Tupuaʻi (French: Tubuai [tubwaj]) is the main island of the Austral Island group, located 640 km (400 mi) south of Tahiti. In addition to Tubuai, the group of islands include Rimatara, Rurutu, Raivavae, Rapa and the uninhabited Îles Maria.

    • Rapa Iti

      Rapa Iti

      Area
      37.9 km²
      High point
      650 m

      Rapa, also called Rapa Iti ("Little Rapa"), is the largest and only inhabited island of the Bass Islands in French Polynesia. An older name for the island is Oparo. 6 sq mi). As of the 2022 census, Rapa had a population of 451. The island's highest point is at 650 metres (2,130 ft) elevation at Mont Perahu.

    • Rurutu

      Rurutu

      Area
      33.2 km²
      High point
      398 m

      Rūrutu is the northernmost island in the Austral archipelago of French Polynesia, and the name of a commune consisting solely of that island. It is situated 572 km (355 mi) south of Tahiti. 6 sq mi). 3 km wide. Its highest point (Manureva) is 389 m (1,276 ft). At the 2022 census it had a population of 2,163.

    • Raivavae

      Raivavae

      Area
      14.9 km²
      High point
      437 m

      Raivavae is one of the Austral Islands in French Polynesia. Its total land area including offshore islets is 17.9 km2 (6.9 sq mi). At the 2022 census, it had a population of 900. The island is of volcanic origin, and rises to 437 metres (1,434 ft) elevation at Mont Hiro.

    • Rimatara

      Rimatara

      Area
      8.3 km²
      High point
      70 m

      Rimatara is the westernmost inhabited island in the Austral Islands of French Polynesia. It is located 550 km (340 mi) south of Tahiti and 150 km (93 mi) west of Rurutu. 50 sq mi). Its highest point is 106 m (348 ft). Its population was 893 at the 2022 census.

    Minor islands

    2

    • Mano Rahi

      Area
      0.25 km²
      High point
      10 m

    • Haha

      Area
      0.16 km²
      High point
      18 m

    Islets

    34

    Rocks & skerries

    28
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    • Teivitaora<0.1 ha

    Figures

    Comparative heights

    Sea level200 m400 m600 m800 m650 mRapa Iti437 mRaivavae422 mTubuai398 mRurutu70 mRimatara28 mAturapa22 mÎle Tapui19 mUra18 mHaha18 mMano Iti17 mMotu Toena15 mRuahota Rahi13 mMotu Roa10 mMano Rahi
    High points by island, metres above sea level.

    Islands by area

    0.0000010.000010.00010.0010.010.1110100Tubuai: 45.1 km²TubuaiRapa Iti: 37.9 km²Rapa ItiRurutu: 33.2 km²RurutuRaivavae: 14.9 km²RaivavaeRimatara: 8.3 km²RimataraMano Rahi: 0.25 km²Mano RahiHaha: 0.16 km²HahaMotu Toena: 0.09 km²Motu ToenaMotu Roa: 0.07 km²Motu RoaMano Iti: 0.04 km²Mano ItiRuahota Rahi: 0.02 km²Ruahota RahiArae: 0.02 km²AraeRuahune: 0.02 km²RuahuneUnnamed island: 0.02 km²Unnamed islandAturapa: 0.02 km²AturapaUra: 0.02 km²UraMotu Tuitui: 0.02 km²Motu TuituiRarapai: 0.01 km²RarapaiUnnamed island: 0.01 km²Unnamed islandMotu Rautaro: 0.01 km²Motu RautaroMotu One: 0.01 km²Motu OneRuahota Iti: 1 haRuahota ItiÎle Tapui: 0.9 haÎle TapuiRama: 0.6 haRamaIlot Plat: 0.4 haIlot PlatUnnamed island: 0.4 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.3 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.2 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed islandTunga Tonga: 0.1 haTunga TongaUnnamed island: 0.1 haUnnamed island
    km², log scale
    Tubuai45.1 km²
    Rapa Iti37.9 km²
    Rurutu33.2 km²
    Raivavae14.9 km²
    Rimatara8.3 km²
    Mano Rahi0.25 km²
    Haha0.16 km²
    Motu Toena0.09 km²
    Motu Roa0.07 km²
    Mano Iti0.04 km²
    Ruahota Rahi0.02 km²
    Arae0.02 km²
    Ruahune0.02 km²
    Unnamed island0.02 km²
    Aturapa0.02 km²
    Ura0.02 km²
    Motu Tuitui0.02 km²
    Rarapai0.01 km²
    Unnamed island0.01 km²
    Motu Rautaro0.01 km²
    Motu One0.01 km²
    Ruahota Iti1 ha
    Île Tapui0.9 ha
    Rama0.6 ha
    Ilot Plat0.4 ha
    Unnamed island0.4 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.3 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.2 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Tunga Tonga0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Teivitaora<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha
    Unnamed island<0.1 ha

    Sources

    Facts

    • Geometry, areas and high points: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Copernicus GLO-30, via Talus.
    • Wikidata
    • Talus
    • Wikipedia

    Photographs