Map - Leeward Islands (Society Islands) (Îles Sous-le-Vent)

The Leeward Islands (Îles Sous-le-vent; Fenua Raro Mata’i, literally "Islands Under-the-Wind") are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. They lie south of the Line Islands (part of Kiribati), east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands (also part of French Polynesia). Their area is 395 km2 and their population is over 33,000.

The westernmost Leeward Islands comprise a three atoll group: Manuae (also known as Scilly Atoll); Motu One atoll (also known as Bellinghausen), the most northerly of the Leeward Islands; and Maupihaa atoll (also known as Mopelia) to the southeast.

The Leeward Islands that lie more to the east are a mainly high island cluster:

Maupiti (Tahitian name: Maurua);

Tupai atoll;

Bora Bora (Tahitian name: Vava'u), which is the best known of the Leeward Islands in the western world because of its World War II-era United States naval base and its tourism industry;

Raiatea (Tahitian names: Hava'i, or Ioretea), the largest island in the group, with Uturoa as the largest city and local capital of the Leeward Islands, and the peak with the highest elevation in the Leeward Islands, Mount Tefatua (just over 1,000 m.);

Taha'a (Tahitian name: Uporu), which lies just north of Uturoa; and

Huahine (Tahitian name: Mata'irea),the easternmost island of the group, which at high tide is divided into two: Huahine Nui ("big Huahine") to the north and Huahine Iti ("small Huahine") to the south.

The archipelago comprises an administrative division (subdivision administrative) of French Polynesia. The capital of the Leeward Islands administrative subdivision is Uturoa. The Leeward Islands (subdivision administrative des Îles Sous-le-vent) are one of French Polynesia's five administrative subdivisions. The administrative subdivision is coextensive with the electoral district of the Leeward Islands, one of French Polynesia's six electoral districts for the Assembly of French Polynesia (see also Politics of French Polynesia).