Moorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km (roughly 9mi) northwest of Tahiti. Its position is 17°32′S 149°50′W / 17.533°S 149.833°W / -17.533; -149.833. Moorea means “yellow lizard” in Tahitian. An older name for the island is Aimeho, sometimes spelled Aimeo or Eimeo (among other spellings misunderstood by early visitors with no knowledge of the language). Early Western colonists and voyagers also referred to Moorea as York Island.

Charles Darwin was inspired for his theory regarding the formation of coral atolls when looking down upon Moorea standing on a peak on Tahiti. He described it as a “picture in a frame,” referring to the barrier reef encircling the island.