See Also

Tahiti

Tahiti is the largest island Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water.... 

 of French Polynesia French Polynesia

French Polynesia is a French [i] "overseas collectivity" with the particular designation of "ov ... 

, located in the archipelago Archipelago

An archipelago is a landform [i] which consists of a chain or cluster of island [i]s. ... 

 of Society Islands Society Islands

The Society Islands are a group of island [i]s in the south Pacific [i], administratively part of French Polynesia [i] ... 

 in the southern Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water [i]. ... 

 at . The island had a population of 169,674 inhabitants according to the 2002 census. The capital is Papeete Papeete

Papeete is the capital [i] of French Polynesia [i], an overseas territory of France [i] in the Pacific Ocean [i] ... 

, on the northwest coast. Tahiti has also been historically known as Otaheite. Tahiti is some 45 km long at the widest point and covers 1,048 km? , with the highest elevation being at 2,241 m above sea level Sea level

Mean sea level is the average height of the sea [i], with reference to a suitable reference surface. ... 

 . The island consists of two roughly round portions centered on volcanic Volcano

A volcano is a geological landform [i] on the surface of the Earth [i] where magma [i] from th ... 

 mountains, connected by a short isthmus Isthmus

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that is bordered on two sides by water and connects two larger land... 

 named after the small town of Taravao, which sits there.

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Timeline

1767   Samuel Wallis, an English England

England is the largest and most populous constituent country [i] of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

 sea captain, sighted Tahiti and is considered the first Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

an to reach the island.

1769   James Cook James Cook

Captain [i] James Cook, FRS [i], RN [i] was an English [i] explorer, navigator [i] ... 

 arrives in Tahiti on the ship HM Bark ''Endeavour'' HM Bark Endeavour

HMB Endeavour was a small 18th century British [i] sailing ship, famous for ... 

, preparing to observe the solar eclipse Solar eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon [i] passes between Earth [i] and the Sun [i], thereby totally or pa ... 

 of the planet Venus Venus

Venus is the second-closest planet [i] to the Sun [i], orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. ... 

, which took place on June 3rd. After the voyage, the data was found to be inaccurate in determining the distance between the Sun Sun

|+ The Sun   |+ |- ... 

 and Earth Earth

Earth is the third planet [i] in the solar system [i] in terms of distance from the Sun [i], and the fi ... 

.

1880   France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

 annexes Tahiti.



Encyclopedia




Tahiti is the largest island Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water.... 

 of French Polynesia French Polynesia

French Polynesia is a French [i] "overseas collectivity" with the particular designation of "ov... 

, located in the archipelago Archipelago

An archipelago is a landform [i] which consists of a chain or cluster of island [i]s.... 

 of Society Islands Society Islands

The Society Islands are a group of island [i]s in the south Pacific [i], administratively part of French Polynesia [i] ... 

 in the southern Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water [i]. ... 

 at . The island had a population of 169,674 inhabitants according to the 2002 census. The capital is Papeete Papeete

Papeete is the capital [i] of French Polynesia [i], an overseas territory of France [i] in the Pacific Ocean [i] ... 

, on the northwest coast. Tahiti has also been historically known as Otaheite.

Tahiti is some 45 km long at the widest point and covers 1,048 km² , with the highest elevation being at 2,241 m above sea level Sea level

Mean sea level is the average height of the sea [i], with reference to a suitable reference surface. ... 

 . The island consists of two roughly round portions centered on volcanic Volcano

A volcano is a geological landform [i] on the surface of the Earth [i] where magma [i] from th ... 

 mountains, connected by a short isthmus Isthmus

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that is bordered on two sides by water and connects two larger land... 

 named after the small town of Taravao, which sits there. The northwestern part is known as Tahiti Nui , and the southeastern part, much smaller, is known as Tahiti Iti or Taiarapu. Whereas Tahiti Nui is quite heavily populated and benefits from rather good infrastructure such as roads and highways, Tahiti Iti has remained quite isolated, its southeastern half being accessible only by boat or hiking.

The vegetation is lush rain forest Rainforest

A rainforest, or a wet forest, is a forest [i]ed biome [i] with high annual rain [i]fall. ... 

. The wet season is November through April.

The island is served by Faa'a International Airport.

History

Tahiti was estimated to have settled by Polynesians between AD 300 and 800 coming from Tonga and Samoa, although some estimates place the date earlier.

The fertile island soil combined with fishing Fishing

Fishing is the activity of hunting [i] for fish [i]. ... 

 provided ample food for the population with ease. The perceived relaxed and contented nature of the local people and the characterization of the island as a paradise much impressed early European visitors, planting the seed for a romanticization by the West Western world

The term Western World or "the West" can have multiple meanings depending on its context.... 

 that endures to this day.

Although the islands were first spotted by a Spanish Spain

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a Europe [i]an parliamentary monarchy [i].... 

 ship in 1606, Spain made no effort to trade with or colonize the island. Samuel Wallis, an English England

England is the largest and most populous constituent country [i] of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

 sea captain, sighted Tahiti on June 18, 1767, and is considered the first Europe Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continent [i]s of the Earth [i]. ... 

an visitor to the island.

Wallis was followed in April 1768 by the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville Louis Antoine de Bougainville

Louis Antoine de Bougainville, Comte de Bougainville was a French navigator and military commander.... 

 who was completing the first French circumnavigation. Bougainville made Tahiti famous in Europe when he published the account of his travel in Voyage autour du Monde. He described the island as an earthly paradise where men and women live happily in innocence, away from the corruption of civilization. His account of the island powerfully illustrated the concept of the noble savage Noble savage

In the 18th century [i] culture of "Primitivism [i]" the noble savage, uncorrupted by the influences of ... 

, and influenced the utopian Utopia

Utopia, in its most common and general positive meaning, refers to an imaginary, ideal civilizatio... 

 thoughts of philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Geneva [i]-born philosopher [i] of the Enlightenment [i]... 

 before the advent of the French Revolution French Revolution

The French Revolution was a pivotal period in the history of French, Europe [i]an and Western [i] ... 

.

In 1774 Captain James Cook James Cook

Captain [i] James Cook, FRS [i], RN [i] was an English [i] explorer, navigator [i]... 

 visited the island, and estimated the population at that time to be some 200,000. This was probably too high; another estimate from the same period was 121,500. After Cook's visit, European ships landed on the island with ever greater frequency. The best-known of these ships was HMS Bounty Mutiny on the Bounty

The Mutiny on the Bounty was a mutiny [i] aboard a British [i] Royal Navy [i] ... 

, whose crew mutinied shortly after leaving Tahiti in 1789. The European influence caused significant disruption to the traditional society, by bringing prostitution Prostitution

Prostitution is the sale of sexual [i] services for money [i] or other kind of return. ... 

, venereal disease Sexually transmitted disease

Sexually transmitted diseases also known as sexually transmissible diseases, sexually transmi... 

s, and alcohol Alcoholic beverage

An alcoholic beverage is a drink [i] containing ethanol [i]. ... 

 to the island. Introduced diseases including typhus Typhus

This is about the disease Typhus.... 

 and smallpox Smallpox

Smallpox was a highly contagious viral disease [i] unique to humans.... 

 killed so many Tahitians that by 1797, the island's population was only about 16,000. Later it was to drop as low as 6,000.

In 1842, a European crisis involving Morocco Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco is a country in North Africa [i]. ... 

 escalated between France and Great Britain when Admiral Dupetit-Thouars, acting independently of the French government, was able to convince Tahiti's Queen Pomare IV to accept a French protectorate. George Pritchard, a Birmingham-born missionary and acting British Consul, had been away at the time of the agreement. However he returned to work towards indoctrinating the locals against the Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church is the Christian [i] Church [i] ... 

 French. In November 1843, Dupetit-Thouars landed sailors on the island, formally annexing it to France. He then proceeded to throw Pritchard into prison, subsequently sending him unceremoniously back to Britain.

News of the events in Tahiti had reached Europe in early 1844. The French statesman François Guizot François Guizot

Franois Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French [i] historian [i], orator [i] and statesman [i]. ... 

, supported by King Louis-Philippe of France Louis-Philippe of France

Louis-Philippe of France reigned as the "Orlanist [i]" king of the French [i] fr... 

, had strongly disclaimed the annexation of the island. However, war between the French and the Tahitians continued until 1847. The island remained a French protectorate until June 29, 1880, when King Pomare V  was forced to cede the sovereignty of Tahiti and its dependencies to France. He was given the titular position of Officer of the Orders of the Legion of Honour Légion d'honneur

The Lgion d'honneur is a French [i] order [i] established by Napolon Bonaparte [i] ... 

 and Agricultural Merit of France. In 1946, Tahiti and the whole of French Polynesia became a Territoire d'outre-mer . In 2003, this status was changed to that of Collectivité d'outre-mer .

French painter Paul Gauguin Paul Gauguin

Eugne Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading Post-Impressionist [i] artist [i]. ... 

 lived on Tahiti in the 1890s 1890s

The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve [i] Decade," because William Henry Perkin [i]'s aniline dye [i]... 

 and painted many Tahitian subjects. Papeari has a small Gauguin museum.

Modern Tahiti

Tahitians are French citizens with full civil and political rights. The Tahitian language and the French language French language

French is the third-largest of the Romance languages [i] in terms of number of native speakers, after Spanish [i] ... 

 are both in use.

Tahiti is part of French Polynesia . Tahiti's main city, Papeete is the capital. French Polynesia is now a semi-autonomous territory of France with its own assembly, President, budget and laws. France's influence is limited to providing subsidies, education and security. The current President of French Polynesia, Oscar Temaru, is advocating full independence from France, however, only about 20% of the population is currently in favor of full independence.

During a press conference on June 26, 2006 during the second France-Oceania Summit, French President Jacques Chirac Jacques Chirac

Jacques Ren Chirac is a French [i] politician and the current President of the French Republic [i]... 

 said he did not think the majority of Tahitians wanted independence. He said he would keep an open door to a possible referendum in the future.

Elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia French Polynesia

French Polynesia is a French [i] "overseas collectivity" with the particular designation of "ov... 

, the Territorial Assembly of French Polynesia, were held on May 23, 2004 .
In a surprise result, Oscar Temaru's pro-independence progressive coalition formed a Government with a one seat majority in the 57 seat parliament, defeating the conservative party led by Gaston Flosse . On October 8, 2004, the Gaston Flosse led opposition party succeeded in passing a censure motion against the Government, provoking a political crisis. A major topic of controversy is whether the national government of France should use its exceptional power to call for new elections in a local government, in case of a grave political crisis.

Tahiti hosts a French university, Université de la Polynésie Française . It is a small growing university, with around 2,000 students and about 60 researchers.

Tourism Tourism

Tourism is the act of travel [i] for predominantly recreation [i]al or leisure [i] purposes, and also re ... 

 is a significant industry, mostly to the islands of Bora Bora Bora Bora

Bora Bora is an island [i] in the Leeward [i] group of the Society Islands [i] of French Polynesia [i] ... 

 and Moorea. In July, the Heiva festival in Papeete celebrates Polynesian culture and the commemoration of the storming of the Bastille Bastille

The Bastille was a prison [i] in Paris [i], known formally as Bastille Saint-AntoineNumber 232, Ru... 

 in France.

Black pearl farming is also a substantial source of revenues, most of the pearls being exported to Japan, Europe and the US.

See also


The use of Tahiti [i] postage stamp [i]s on mail [i] first became valid on 25 October 1862, usin ... 


  • Tahitian language

External links

  • [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/fp.html CIA Factbook entry]