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Tahitian Pearl Farms: Rangiroa (Ra'iroa) Black Pearls

The island of Rangiroa (Ra'iroa or "huge sky") in the Tuamotu archipelago island chain is one of the primary locations for the Tahitian pearl industry. Rangiroa is famous for its Tahitian black pearl farms and pearl cultivation. Rangiroa island is one of the larger reef lagoons within Tuamotu's 78 atolls, and is one of the four largest reef lagoons in the world. These atoll lagoons are surrounded by chains of low islets called motu that are linked by sand-bars or sand-spits.

The interior reef lagoon is called the Moana tea or "Peaceful Ocean," while the ocean that surrounds the reef is called Moana uri, or "Wild Ocean." The main village of Avatoru is located on Rangiroa's northern-most tip, on the Fara motu. The second village of Tiputa is located 12km to the east. Other villages are: Fenuaroa, Otepiti, Tevaro, and Bird Island (shown in satellite image, below).

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