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This article is about the Society Islands in French Polynesia. For the western Caribbean island group see Leeward Islands. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are also sometimes called the Leeward Islands.

Leeward Islands Native name: Îles Sous-le-vent
Bora Bora
Geography
Location	Pacific Ocean
Coordinates	Coordinates: 17°32′S, 149°50′W
Archipelago	Society Islands
Major islands	Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Tahaa
Area	395 km²
Highest point	Mount Otemanu 727 m
Administration
France
Overseas collectivity	French Polynesia
Largest city	Uturoa (8,735 urban)
Demographics
Population	33,184[1] (as of Aug. 2007 census)
Density	84/km²

The Leeward Islands (French: Îles Sous-le-vent; Tahitian: Fenua Raro Mata’i, literally "Islands Under-the-Wind") are part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. The archipelago comprises an administrative division (French: subdivision administrative) of French Polynesia. The capital of the Leeward Islands administrative subdivision is Uturoa.

The first European to encounter the archipelago was James Cook on the 12th of April 1769 during the British expedition to observe the transit of Venus. On this first voyage (he subsequently revisited the islands twice) he named the Leeward group of islands Society in honor of the Royal Society. The islands were annnexed by France and became a colony in 1888 (eight years after the Windward Islands) after much troubles which lasted till 1897.

The islands are mountainous, and are good examples of volcanic rock. They are formed of trachyte, dolerite and basalt. There are raised coral beds high up the mountains, and lava occurs in a variety of forms, even in solid flows. All active volcanic agency has so long ceased that the craters have been almost entirely obliterated by erosion.

Flora includes breadfruit, pandanus, and coconut palms. The limited terrestrial fauna includes feral pigs, rats, and small lizards. There are several species of freshwater fish inhabiting the small streams on the islands, but the fringing coral reefs around the islands exhibit a dazzling array of fish and other salt water-dwelling species. The major products are copra, sugar, rum, mother-of-pearl, and vanilla. Tourism is extremely important to the economy.

Administratively, the Leeward Islands form the administrative subdivion of the Leeward Islands (subdivision administrative des Îles Sous-le-vent), one of French Polynesia's five administrative subdivisions. Geographically, the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands is identical with the electoral district of the Leeward Islands (circonscription des Îles Sous-le-vent), one of French Polynesia's 6 electoral districts (circonsriptions électorales) for the Assembly of French Polynesia (see also Politics of French Polynesia).

• Raiatea (largest island of the group); altenative tahitian names : Hava'i, Ioretea
• Huahine which at high tide is divided into two islands, Huahine Nui ("big Huahine") to the north and Huahine Iti ("small Huahine") to the south; altenative tahitian name : Mata'irea
• Tahaa; altenative tahitian name : Uporu
• Bora Bora; altenative tahitian name : Vava'u
• Tupai
• Maupiti; altenative tahitian name : Maurua
• Manuae (aka Scilly Atoll)
• Maupihaa (aka Mopelia)
• Motu One (aka Bellinghausen)

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

• Satellite image

Archipelagos of French Polynesia

Society Islands (Leeward Islands, Winward Islands) · Tuamotu Islands  Gambier Islands  · Austral Islands  · Marquesas Islands

v • d • e Society Islands of French Polynesia
	Windward Islands:  Maiao • Mehetia • Moorea • Tahiti • Tetiaroa
	Leeward Islands:  Bora Bora • Huahine • Manuae • Maupihaa • Maupiti • Motu One • Raiatea • Tahaa • Tupai
Archipelagos of French Polynesia:  Australs • Gambiers • Marquesas • Societies • Tuamotus

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