TAHITI, ta/he-te or t5-116/0, or OTAHEITE. The largest of the Society Islands (q.v.). situated in latitude 17° 45' S., longitude 149° 20' W. Area, 402 square miles (Map: World, Western Hemisphere, L 6). The island consists of two un equal and nearly circular portions connected by a narrow isthmus. These are the remnants of old volcanoes, and rise in a succession of concentric terraces to the summits, the higher of which has an altitude of 7663 feet. The mountains are, however, very much eroded by numerous streams, which have cut large valleys and deep gorges down the slopes, leaving in many places isolated crags which make the scenery very ro mantic. The climate is warm, but equable, the temperature ranging from 60° to 90°. The rain fall is abundant, and the whole island is covered with a luxuriant vegetation. The central peaks are surrounded by a low strip of eoastland con sisting of volcanic detritus, which, mixed with coral sands from the surrounding reefs, makes an extremely fertile soil. Nevertheless agricul ture is in a backward state, and only a few square miles of land are under cultivation. The
population, in 1900, was 10,750. The chief town is PapOiti, the capital of the French establish ments in the Eastern Pacific, with a cathedral, arsenal, hospital, and a population, in 1900, of 4282, about one-half of whom were French. For history and political and economic conditions, see SOCIETY ISLANDS.
The Tahitians are typical Polynesians of the brown race. Many of them could lie called hand some, and their general disposition is one of gayety with an undercurrent of cruelty and de ceit, though their bad characteristics have, doubt less, been exaggerated. A remarkable institution of the Society Islanders was the Areois (q.v.), a society for the cultivation of poetry, the dance, and the drama combined with the indulgence of the sexual passion. Consult: Lutteroth, 0-Ta"iti (Paris, 1343) ; Vineendon, Iles Taft (ib., 1344) ; Busehmann, Apereu de in langue des Iles Mar quises et dr hi langur taItienne (Berlin, 1343).