What is the largest settlement on Bora Bora?

Vaitape is the largest city of island Bora Bora in French Polynesia. It has a population of 4,927, about half of the island's population which is about 9,000. It is located about 130 mi (210 km) northwest of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. The main language of Vaitape is French, although 20 percent of the population speaks Tahitian.

The area was first settled by early Polynesians who arrived on canoes during the 4th century. The early Polynesians built grass huts and hunted fish with spears and sticks. The Tahitians lost the French Tahitian War making Tahiti and all the other islands belong to France. During the California Gold Rush, many people left Vaitape in search for gold. By the 1900s the population of the area had grown significantly, and during World War II it served as a military supply base, and it had an oil depot, an airstrip, and a seaplane base.