Austral Islands

The Austral Islands are an archipelago in French Polynesia, south of the Society Islands, comprising five main volcanic islands and several smaller islands and atolls.

Rurutu: Rurutu is a raised coral island in the Austral Islands of French Polynesia. Its uplifted limestone cliffs distinguish it from the archipelago’s volcanic islands.
French Polynesia: French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France consisting of island groups in the South Pacific. The Austral Islands form one of its five major archipelagos.
Hotspot volcanism: Hotspot volcanism occurs when a mantle plume produces volcanoes as a tectonic plate moves over it. It formed the volcanic foundations of islands such as Tubuai and Rapa Iti.
Austral Islands languages: Austral Islands languages are the Eastern Polynesian languages traditionally spoken across the archipelago. Local speech varieties express the islands’ distinct communities and histories.
Tuamotu Archipelago: The Tuamotu Archipelago is a chain of coral atolls in French Polynesia. It lies northeast of the Australs and contrasts with their high volcanic islands.
Tubuai: Tubuai is a volcanic island in the Austral Islands of French Polynesia. It is the archipelago’s largest island and administrative center.
Society Islands: The Society Islands are a volcanic archipelago in French Polynesia, including Tahiti and Bora Bora. They lie north of the Austral Islands and provide the nearest major island-group comparison.
Coral reef: A coral reef is a marine structure built chiefly from the calcium-carbonate skeletons of corals. Reef growth and uplift shaped the coastlines and raised islands of the Australs.
Austral Islands traditional architecture: Austral Islands traditional architecture comprises local building forms developed for the archipelago’s climates and materials. House and communal-building traditions reflect island environments and social life.
Gambier Islands: The Gambier Islands are a remote archipelago in southeastern French Polynesia, centered on Mangareva. They form a neighboring southeastern island group with a different historical and geographic profile.

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