|
|
|
|
French Polynesia has a own flag, on which nothing refers to France. French Polynesia consists of five great archipelagos, the Marquesas Islands, Austral Islands, Gambier Islands, Tuamotus Islands, and the Society Islands. The Society Islands consist of two group of islands; the Windwards and the Leewards, under which Bora Bora. Look at this map. On this map whole French Polynesia is represented. |
 |
Bora Bora lies about 260 kilometer northwest of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. Look at the map.
Bora Bora is everyone's idea of a South Pacific island. The island is extremely beautiful. From far you can see the dramatic basalt peaks soar 700 meters above the lagoon.
There are slopes and valleys blossomed with trees, plants and flowers. The hibiscus is often seen at the island.
Bora Bora has a population of 4.500. The most important villages at Bora Bora are Nunue and Faanui.
|
Bora Bora is more than 7 million years old. Bora Bora is made up of a 10 kilometer long island, a few smaller high islands in the lagoon, and a long ring of islands on the barrier reef. One island bears the airport. From there people are taken by boat to the main island. |
 Bora Bora from the west, in front the island Toopua. |
|
The Pofai Bay (on the right in the picture) marks the center of the islands collapsed crater with Toopua and Toopuaiti as its eroded west wall. Mount Pahia's gray basalt mass rises 649 meters in the air, and Mount Otemanu rises with its sheer cliffs 727 meters in the air.
Through the barrier reef is only one entry, it is the Te Ava Nui Pass. There are many dolphins. They race the boats which enter the lagoon. |
 Map of Bora Bora. |
During World War Two the American set up a refueling and regrouping base on Bora Bora. There are still remains from that time. The old American warf is still there and on several places on the island are guns placed. They were to defend the island against a suprise Japanese attack that never materialized. The American built an airfield and a 32 kilometer long road around the island. Also they left behind 130 half-caste babies when they left the island at the end of the war.
The inhabitants of Bora Bora particularly live of tourism. Almost a quater of all hotelrooms in French Polynesia is to find on Bora Bora!
While Polynesian history of the islands goes back at least 1.700 years, the European period only began in the 16th century when the Magellan expedition sailed past the Tuamotus and Mendana visited the Marquesas. These are the first discoveries of French Polynesia.
In 1722 Bora Bora was discovered by the Dutchmen Roggeveen, he did not land. The first man who landed was James Cook in 1777. The island was not often visited by other seafarers.
In 1797 the first Britisch missionaries come to Bora Bora. The arrival of the French missonaries in 1834 caused problems between both groups.
In 1842 France made, at request of the French missonaries, a protectorate of the islands to restorate the order.
|
From 1880 the islands become a colony. In 1895 Bora Bora is annexed, as one of the latest islands. The French Polynesian islands are announced as Établissements Français de l’Oceánie (EFO) from 1885 till 1958. In 1945 all Polynesian become the French citizenship In 1958, at a referendum, the majority of the inhabitants of the islands speaks out for incorporation from their territory as overseas territory from the Republic of France. |
|
|
A short summary: Native period: before 1842 French Protectorate: 1842-1895 French Colony: 1895-1958 Overseas territory of the Republic of France: after 1958 |
|