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Somewhat smaller than Tahiti, 'Raiatea' is the second largest of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. The proper spelling of the name, rarely used though, in the Tahitian language is 'Ra’iatea', meaning: bright sky; 'Ulieta' is an obsolete transcription commonly used in the 19th century. The chief town on Raiatea is Uturoa, administrative center for the Leeward Islands (French ''Îles sous le Vent''). The islands of Raiatea and Tahaa are both enclosed by the same coral reef, and may once have been a single island.
Administratively speaking, the island of Raiatea is divided in three communes (municipalities):

★ Uturoa

★ Taputapuatea

★ Tumaraa
These three communes are inside the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands.