[2] Rimatara is a circular volcanic plateau surrounded by a reef with a height of 8 to 10 m (26 to 33 ft).

The main villages are Amaru (the capital), Anapoto and Mutuaura.

Rimatara was one of the last Polynesian islands to receive European visitors.

Captain Samuel Pinder Henry discovered the island in 1811.

France established a protectorate in 1889[3] and annexed Rimatara in 1901.