Bora Bora is a 30 km² island in the Leeward group in the western part of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (143 miles) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the centre of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 feet).
Bora Bora is a major international tourist destination, famous for its aqua-centric luxury resorts. The major settlement, Vaitape, is on the western side of the main island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and the plentiful coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for copra. According to a 2008 census, Bora Bora has a permanent population of 8,880.
The island was inhabited by Polynesian settlers around the 4th century C.E. The first European sighting was made by Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. James Cook sighted the island in 1770 and landed that same year. The London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and founded a Protestant church in 1890. Bora Bora was an independent kingdom until 1888 when its last queen Teriimaevarua III was forced to abdicate by the French who annexed the island as a colony.
Bora Bora is the fourth studio album by Brazilian rock band Os Paralamas do Sucesso, being released in February 1988. Characterized by a tropical, Caribbean-esque instrumentation, main hits of the album include "O Beco", "Uns Dias" and "Quase um Segundo". It sold more than 20,000 copies in Europe.
Jamaican reggae deejay Peter Metro (credited as Peter Clarke) made a special appearance on this album.
The Kingdom of Bora Bora was established during the early 19th century with the unification of the island of Bora Bora and official recognition by France and Great Britain in 1847 through the Jarnac Convention. It was one of a number of independent Polynesian states in the Society Islands, alongside Tahiti, Huahine and Raiatea in the 19th century, which all shared a similar language and culture and whose rulers were interrelated by marriage. Besides Bora Bora, the Kingdom encompassed the islands of Tupai, Maupiti, Maupihaa, Motu One, and Manuae. The Kingdom was finally annexed to France in 1888 and its last queen Teriimaevarua III was forced to abdicate in 1895.
The history of Bora Bora is marked by the rivalry of two clans: one based near Faanui, consisting of families attached to the marae Farerua, and the other consisting of the families of Nunue and Anau around the marae Vaiotaha, which was long among the most important marae of Polynesia.
Bora Bora is a 2011 Danish drama film written and directed by Hans Fabian Wullenweber.
Bora Bora is a 1968 Italian sexploitation film, directed by Ugo Liberatore. The story is about an estrange married couple, who reconcile their differences in the sensual surroundings of the Tahitian island. The movie was picked up for American distribution by American International Pictures, who removed some scenes (cutting down the running length from 97 to 90 minutes) and replaced the original music of Italian composer Piero Piccioni with a new score by exotica legend Les Baxter, the regular composer of choice for the studio.
Bora Bora can refer to:
L'espérance est une île
Où les bateaux accostent
Pour nous livrer l'amour
Un e-mail ou un fax,
Une lettre à la poste
Nous attendons toujours
On a jeté l'orgueil
Des livres dans l'azur
Evitant les écueils
On s'invente un futur
Bora Bora
L'espérance est une île
Bora Bora
Magie noire et vaudou
Bora Bora
Dans le ciel immobile
Le soleil fait son trou
Dans ce monde sénile
Où vieillir est tabou
L'espérance est une île
Où seuls les grands poètes
Peuvent rester debout
Bravant les interdits
Autant que les tempêtes
Ils sont plus forts que tout
Des cailloux du chaos
Ils ont fait des colliers
Où scintillent les mots
D'où l'espérance est née
L'espérance est une île
Et les îles me plaisent
Où le regard se perd
Au pied d'un pilotis
J'arrimerai ma chaise
Et j'attendrai ma chaise
Et j'attendrai... la mer
Bora Bora
L'espérance est une île
Bora Bora
Magie noire et vaudou
Bora Bora
Dans l'écume indocile
Don't le soleil se joue
Bora Bora
L'espérance est une île
Bora Bora
Gardée pas des gourous
Bora Bora
Dans le ciel immobile
Le soleil fait son trou
Dans ce monde sénile