Tubuai

Tubuai, also called Tupuai or Tupua'i, is the largest island of the Austral Islands, a southern group of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. It lies roughly 640 kilometers southeast of Tahiti. The island covers rugged volcanic terrain with a central highland plateau and a surrounding coral reef, with several sheltered bays and valleys and lush tropical vegetation.

Administratively, Tubuai is a commune within the Australes (Îles Australes) of French Polynesia. The island’s main population center serves as the administrative seat of the commune. The community is predominantly Polynesian, with French influence; local languages include the Tubuian language alongside Tahitian and French.

Economy is based on subsistence agriculture and fishing, with crops such as coconuts, breadfruit, and vanilla, and on small-scale tourism and crafts. The island is served by an airstrip and a harbor, linking it with Tahiti and other Austral Islands.

History: Tubuai has been inhabited since before European contact. Early Polynesian voyagers established settlements and marae (sacred precincts). Europeans first documented the island in the 18th century; it later became part of French Polynesia during the colonial era. The island retains historic religious sites and traditional cultural practices that continue today.

Notable features include several marae ruins and a relatively well-preserved traditional Polynesian heritage, as well as colonial-era architecture in the main settlement.