Society Islands

So·ci·e·ty Islands

S0527000 (sə-sī′ĭ-tē) An island group of French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean east of Samoa. The group is made up of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands. Long inhabited by Polynesian peoples and first visited by Europeans in the early 1600s, the islands were claimed for France by Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1768 and named by Capt. James Cook in 1769. They became a French protectorate in 1843 and a part of the overseas territory of French Polynesia in 1946.

Society Islands

pl n (Placename) a group of islands in the S Pacific: administratively part of French Polynesia; consists of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands; became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. Pop: 214 445 (2002). Area: 1595 sq km (616 sq miles)

Soci′ety Is′lands

n.pl. a group of islands in the S Pacific: a part of French Polynesia; largest island, Tahiti. 142,270; 650 sq. mi. (1683 sq. km). Cap.: Papeete.

Thesaurus

Noun

Society Islands - an island group of French Polynesia in the South Pacific to the east of SamoaFrench Oceania, French Polynesia - a French overseas possession in the South PacificTahiti - an island in the south Pacific; the most important island in French Polynesia; made famous by Robert Louis Stevenson and Paul Gauguin

Translations

Society Islands

Society Islands,

island group (2002 pop. 214,445), South Pacific, a part of French PolynesiaFrench Polynesia,
officially Overseas Lands of French Polynesia, internally self-governing dependency (2015 est. pop. 278,000) of France, consisting of 118 islands in the South Pacific. The capital is Papeete, on Tahiti.
..... Click the link for more information. . The group comprises the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands (total land area c.650 sq mi/1,680 sq km), two clusters of volcanic and coral islands lying in a 450-mi (724-km) chain. Only eight of the islands are inhabited. The Windward Islands include TahitiTahiti
, island (2002 pop. 169.674), South Pacific, in the Windward group of the Society Islands, French Polynesia. The capital is Papeete. Tahiti is the largest (402 sq mi/1,041 sq km) and most important of the French Pacific islands.
..... Click the link for more information. , MooreaMoorea
, volcanic island (2002 pop. 14,226), c.50 sq mi (130 sq km), South Pacific, second largest of the Windward group of the Society Islands, French Polynesia. The island is mountainous, with Mt. Tohivea (3,975 ft/1,212 m) the highest peak.
..... Click the link for more information. , Mehetia, and Tetiaroa; the Leeward Islands include Rai'ateaRai'atea
, volcanic island, 92 sq mi (238 sq km), South Pacific, largest and most important of the Leeward group of the Society Islands, French Polynesia. The island is mountainous, with Mt. Toomaru (3,389 ft/1,033 m) the highest peak.
..... Click the link for more information. (largest island of the Leeward group), Huahine, Bora-BoraBora-Bora
, volcanic island, 15 sq mi (39 sq km), South Pacific, in the Leeward group of the Society Islands, French Polynesia. It is a mountainous island, with Mt. Otemanu (2,379 ft/725 m) the highest peak.
..... Click the link for more information. , Maupiti, Tahaa, Maiao, Maupihaa, Tupai, Manuae, and Motu One. The islands are mountainous, and there are breadfruit, pandanus, and coconut trees; the limited fauna includes wild pigs, rats, and small lizards. The major products are copra, sugar, rum, mother-of-pearl, and vanilla. Tourism is extremely important to the economy.

The Society Islands were visited in 1767 by the English navigator Samuel Wallis, who claimed them for Great Britain. A year later, however, the French navigator Louis Antoine de BougainvilleBougainville, Louis Antoine de
, 1729–1811, French navigator. He accompanied Montcalm to Canada as aide-de-camp, and he later (c.1764) established a colony on the Falkland Islands but had to surrender the settlement to Spain (1766).
..... Click the link for more information. established a French claim. They were named the Society Islands in 1769 by Capt. James CookCook, James,
1728–79, English explorer and navigator. The son of a Yorkshire agricultural laborer, he had little formal education. After an apprenticeship to a firm of shipowners at Whitby, he joined (1755) the royal navy and surveyed the St.
..... Click the link for more information. . The group became a protectorate of France in 1843 and a colony in 1880. In 1946, French Polynesia, including the Society Islands, became an overseas territory of France.

Society Islands

an archipelago situated in the South Pacific, in Polynesia; a possession of France. Area, 1,600 sq km. Population, approximately 100,000 (1970). The capital is Papeete.

The Society Islands consist of two groups, the Windward Group in the east and the Leeward Group in the west. Surrounded by coral reefs, most of the islands are of volcanic origin. Elevations rise to 2,241 m on Tahiti, the largest island. The climate is tropical and maritime, average monthly temperatures ranging from 20° to 26° C. Annual precipitation varies from 1,500 to 2,500 mm.

The Society Islands have wet tropical rain forests. There are plantations of coconut palms, bananas, citrus fruits, vanilla, pineapples, coffee, sugarcane, and cotton. Pearls and mother-of-pearl shells are gathered, and there is a fishing industry. The islands, discovered in 1767 by the Englishman S. Wallis, were named in honor of the Royal Society of London.

Society Islands

So·ci·e·ty Islands

Society Islands

Soci′ety Is′lands

Society Islands

Society Islands,

Society Islands

Society Islands

Words related to Society Islands

noun an island group of French Polynesia in the South Pacific to the east of Samoa

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