The
Tuha'a Pae or
Austral Islands are the southernmost group of islands in
French Polynesia, an
overseas collectivity of
France in the
South Pacific. Geographically, they consist of two separate archipelagos, namely in the northwest the
Tupua'i islands consisting of the
Îles Maria,
Rimatara,
Rurutu, Tupua'i Island proper and
Ra'ivavae, and in the southeast the
Bass Islands composed of the main island of
Rapa Iti and the small
Marotiri (also known as Bass Rocks or Îlots de Bass). Inhabitants of the islands are known for their pandanus fiber weaving skills. The islands of Maria and Marotiri are not suitable for sustained habitation. Several of the islands have uninhabited islets or rocks off their coastlines. Austral Islands' population is about 6,300 on almost . The capital of the Austral Islands administrative subdivision is
Tupua'i.