Bora Bora - Atoll island
Topographic orientation
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Overview
Bora Bora embodies a classic atoll with the central volcanic island, the lagoon and the reefs surrounding the lagoon, of coral rubble and sand surrounding the lagoon. The nearest larger island, Samoa, is over 2000 km away to the west in the Pacific.
Bora Bora – an atoll
The atoll of Bora Bora is part of the Society Islands, part of French Polynesia, and lies in the Pacific Ocean at approximately 18° south latitude and 155° west longitude. Surrounded by lagoons and reefs the volcanic island is surrounded by lagoons and reefs (motus) and rises steeply to 727 m. It lies in the south-western Pacific Ocean, is 44 km² in size and has about 9000 inhabitants. The main town is the harbour city of Vaitape.
One can well deduce the special features of the exotic island and the economic basis of its inhabitants from the map legend. A special feature are the overwater bungalows of the luxury hotels built into the lagoon. One of the most popular tourist activities is snorkelling and scuba diving in the coral reefs. The general condition of the coral reefs is better than in many other tropical seas, but the number of large fish and large creatures is still declining. This is probably due to the permanent tourist load.
The word atoll is derived from the Maldivian word "atolhu" and means ring-shaped coral reef, which encloses a lagoon. Bora Bora embodies a classic atoll with the central volcanic island, the lagoon and the reefs surrounding the lagoon, of coral rubble and sand surrounding the lagoon. The tidal channels existing between the reef islands ensure the exchange of water in the lagoon.
Part of French Polynesia
French Polynesia is a French overseas territory with extended autonomy in the Pacific Ocean and includes the Society Islands, which include Bora Bora, the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands and the Marquesas Islands. The total of more than 130 tropical islands are scattered over a sea area of more than 5 million km², but cover only 4167 km² of land area. Of the 268,300 inhabitants, around 187,000 live on Tahiti alone, where the capital Papeete is also located. More than 80% of the population are Polynesians. The islands are partly volcanic and partly coral atolls. Exclusive tourism is of increasing importance, e.g. on Bora Bora or Moorea. Other important economic sectors are fishing, pearl farming and the production of coconut products, vanilla and coffee.
