Bora Bora
- ISS006-E-39822
- 19 March 2003
- 18:30 UTC
Bora Bora, located 15 km northwest from Tahaa (see panoramic image) and 16 km south from Tupai, consists of a mountainous central island of volcanic origins surrounded by a deep lagoon. The central island — whose steep mountains and ridges are clearly defined by shadows in this image — rises to a height of 727 m at Mount Otemanu. Surrounding the central island is a wide barrier-island reef complex consisting of broad reefs in the west and low coral islands in the east. The total land area is 22 km².
With the exception of Toopua, all of the major islets of Bora Bora are located around the outer reef rim or upon the shallow back reef flats. Toopua, like the main island, is situated within the deeper waters of the central lagoon. The entire east and north sides of the atoll are lined by a long series of narrow motu: Motu Taurere, Motu Piti Aau, Motu Totari, Motu Ome and Motu Oute. The west side contains the main passage in to the lagoon — the Passe Teavanui
