Vaitape
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Vaitape is the largest city of
Bora Bora Island Bora Bora Island is a island in the Bora Bora Islands Group, within the Society Islands of French Polynesia. It is the main island of the commune of the same name. Together with its surrounding islands of Tapu, Ahuna, Tevairoa, Tane, Mute, ...
in French Polynesia. It has a population of 4,927, about half of the island's population which is about 9,000. It is located about northwest of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. The main language of Vaitape is French, although 20 percent of the population speaks Tahitian.


History

The area was first settled by early Polynesians who arrived on canoes during the 4th century. The early Polynesians built grass huts and hunted fish with spears and sticks. The
Tahitians The Tahitians ( ty, Māohi; french: Tahitiens) are the Polynesian ethnic group indigenous to Tahiti and thirteen other Society Islands in French Polynesia. The numbers may also include the modern population in these islands of mixed Polynesia ...
lost the
Franco-Tahitian War The Franco-Tahitian War (french: Guerre franco-tahitienne) or French–Tahitian War (1844–1847) was a conflict between the Kingdom of the French and the Kingdom of Tahiti and its allies in the South Pacific archipelago of the Society Islands ...
and the Leeward Islands War making
Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...
and all the other islands belong to
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
. During the California Gold Rush, many people left Vaitape in search for gold. By the 1900s the population of the area had grown significantly, and during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
it served as a military supply base, and it had an oil depot, an airstrip, and a seaplane base.


Geography

Vaitape is located on the western side of the main island of Bora Bora. It has a view of the western part of the Bora Bora lagoon. It is about east of Sydney, Australia. It also has a view of Bora Bora's tallest mountain, Mount Otemanu. It is surrounded with islets marking the end of the Bora Bora lagoon. The city is located about above
mean sea level There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics. Each mean serves to summarize a given group of data, often to better understand the overall value (magnitude and sign) of a given data set. For a data set, the '' ari ...
. Mount Pahia is another major mountain close to Vaitape.


Climate

Bora Bora has a
tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...
. Temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the year, with hot days and warm nights. The dry season lasts from June to October yet precipitation is still observed throughout this period. Most rainfall occurs during the summer months (November to April) and is accompanied by high humidity, although clear days are not unknown in mid-January.


Transportation

Bora Bora Airport Bora Bora Airport , also known as Motu Mute Airport, is an airport serving the island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia. It is located on the islet of Motu Mute. The airport was opened in 1943, during World War II. Commercial service became avail ...
is an airport outside Vaitape on Motu Mute on the northern part of Bora Bora. Small boats leave the mainland and go across the Bora Bora Lagoon. Several ferries leave Bora Bora and sail to Tahiti and
Moorea Moorea ( or ; Tahitian: ), also spelled Moorea, is a volcanic island in French Polynesia. It is one of the Windward Islands, a group that is part of the Society Islands, northwest of Tahiti. The name comes from the Tahitian word , meaning ...
. Some of these ferries are the Aremeti ferry and the Moorea ferry.
Uturoa Uturoa is a commune located in Raiatea, the largest island of the Îles Sous le Vent (Leeward Islands) in French Polynesia. It is situated in between the administrative subdivision of Leeward Islands and the main port of the island of Raiatea ...
has a few ferries coming into Vaitape.


Air

Bora Bora Airport serves the island of Bora Bora. The airport serves as a stopover en route for other destinations in French Polynesia. Although the airport is regularly used by private jets bringing guests to the island,
Air Tahiti Air Tahiti is a French airline company which operates in French Polynesia, France. Its main hub is Faa'a International Airport. It is the largest private employer in French Polynesia. Company history Early Seaplane Operations The company w ...
is the only regular airline available to the general public. If residents want to make an international flight, they would have to take Air Tahiti to
Faa'a International Airport Faa'a International Airport (french: Aéroport international de Tahiti-Faaa), also known as Tahiti International Airport , is the international airport of French Polynesia, located in the commune of Faaa, on the island of Tahiti. It is situated ...
, which is located in
Faaa Faaā (also Faaa or Faaʻā; ) is a commune in the suburbs of Papeete in French Polynesia, an overseas country of France in the Pacific Ocean. Faaā is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands,< ...
, Tahiti, and is the only airport in French Polynesia that serves international flights.


Sea

Bora Bora is one of the main stops for cruise ships departing from Papeete. Smaller boats can be rented for tours to discover Bora Bora's islets and go snorkelling among the coral reef. Small ferries transport passengers from the airport to Vaitape and luxury hotels around the island. A ferry departs several times a week from Vaitape for the islands of
Tahaa Taha’a (sometimes spelled as "Tahaa") is an island located among the western group, the Leeward Islands, of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The islands of Taha’a and neighboring ...
and
Raiatea Raiatea or Ra'iatea ( Tahitian: ''Ra‘iātea'') is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the "centre" of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the ...
.


Road

Bora Bora's main road runs through Vaitape. The maximum speed limit is 60km/h in limited stretches of the island. There is no freeway in Bora Bora.


Economy

There are a few supermarkets located in the city which sell common items such as fish, fruit, vegetables, bread, canned foods, general grocery items but also tools, toys, light furniture and white goods. Fruits include mangoes, breadfruits, pineapples, papayas and various sorts of bananas.


References

{{coord, 16, 30, 23, S, 151, 44, 58, W, display=title, type:city_scale:20000_source:GNS-enwiki Populated places in the Society Islands Bora Bora 4th-century establishments