It is shaped roughly like a Greek final sigma (ς), with a well-protected central bay, surrounded by a ring of relatively high mountains.

Its main town, Ahuréi (or Ha'uréi), lies on the southern shore of that bay, which is called the Baie d'Ahuréi.

Today Rapa is home to the Tahitian Choir, in which a third of the island's population sing traditional songs.

[7] It is believed that the depletion of natural resources on the island resulted in warfare, and the inhabitants lived in up to 14 fortified settlements (pa or pare, a type of fort; compare the Māori pā) on peaks and clifftops.

The first European to visit Rapa Iti was George Vancouver on 22 December 1791;[9] he named the island Oparo.

The cool winters and strong winds prohibit ultra tropical fruits such as coconuts to thrive, as it has dropped to 8.5 °C (47.3 °F) in September.

In addition, the lack of continental influence promotes the vast seasonal lag, as March is the second-warmest month of the year, while September is the second-coldest.

The island is home to the endemic and critically endangered Rapa fruit dove which is threatened by habitat loss, predation by feral cats and hunting.

Other birds include the least concern Murphy's petrel, which nest there in small numbers, and the near threatened bristle-thighed curlew which is a non-breeding visitor while migrating.