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Tahiti (; (:taˌiti)) is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia; this overseas collectivity of the French Republic is sometimes referred to as an overseas country.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Les statuts de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et de la Polynésie )〕 The island is located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the central Southern Pacific Ocean, and is divided into two parts: The bigger, northwestern part ''Tahiti Nui'' and the smaller, southeastern part ''Tahiti Iti''. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs. The population is 183,645 inhabitants (2012 census),〔 making it the most populous island of French Polynesia and accounting for 68.5% of its total population.〔(''Chart of the Island Otaheite, by Lieut. J. Cook 1769'' ). National Maritime Museum. nmm.ac.uk〕 Tahiti is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The capital of the collectivity, Pape'ete, is located on the northwest coast with the only international airport in the region, Fa'a'ā International Airport, situated from the town centre. Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between 300 and 800 CE. They represent about 70% of the island's population with the rest made up of Europeans, Chinese and those of mixed heritage. The island was part of the Kingdom of Tahiti until its annexation by France in 1880, when it was proclaimed a colony of France. It was not until 1946 that the indigenous Tahitians were legally authorised to be French citizens. French is the only official language although the Tahitian language (''Reo Tahiti'') is widely spoken. ==Geography== Tahiti is the highest and largest island in French Polynesia lying close to Moorea island. It is located south of Hawaii, from Chile and from Australia. The island is across at its widest point and covers an area of . The highest peak is Mont Orohena (Mou'a 'Orohena) (). Mount Roonui, or Mount Ronui (Mou'a Rōnui) in the southeast rises to . The island consists of two roughly round portions centred on volcanic mountains and connected by a short isthmus named after the small town of Taravao, situated there. The northwestern portion is known as ''Tahiti Nui'' ("big Tahiti"), while the much smaller southeastern portion is known as ''Tahiti Iti'' ("small Tahiti") or ''Tai'arapū''. ''Tahiti Nui'' is heavily populated along the coast, especially around the capital, Papeete. The interior of ''Tahiti Nui'' is almost entirely uninhabited.〔(Population Densité de population ). Atlas démographique 2007. ispf.pf〕 ''Tahiti Iti'' has remained isolated, as its southeastern half (''Te Pari'') is accessible only to those travelling by boat or on foot. The rest of the island is encircled by a main road which cuts between the mountains and the sea. A scenic and winding interior road climbs past dairy farms and citrus groves with panoramic views. Tahiti's landscape features lush rainforests and many streams, including the Papenoo River on the north side. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tahiti」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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