The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated 6.5 kilometres (4.0 miles) east of Vanua Levu, across the Somosomo Strait.

It belongs to the Vanua Levu Group of islands and is part of Fiji's Cakaudrove Province within the Northern Division.

The island is between 10 and 14 kilometres (6 and 9 miles) wide and 42 km (26 mi) long,[4] representing the top of a dormant, elongated shield volcano which erupted from a northeast–southwest trending rift on the ocean floor.

This entirely natural streambed chute plummets for about 50 metres down the lush hillside and is a favourite haunt for local children and brave tourists.

The Rainbow Reef, on the western side of the narrow Somosomo Strait between Taveuni and Vanua Levu, is known as one of the world's premier soft coral dive areas and the soft coral capital of the world [7] The horseshoe-shaped Vuna Lagoon, near the southern end of the island, is much appreciated by divers for the opportunity to see larger pelagic and schooling fish species on the exposed southern side of the reef, whereas the sheltered western parts provide pristine soft and hard coral gardens.

This is often an example that causes havoc to GIS software, in which a polygon geometry around the perimeter of the island is incorrectly rendered and wraps around the globe.

The potential to be nominated as a World Heritage Site contributes to the island's national significance, as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

As the traditional fiefdom of the Tui Cakau, one of Fiji's highest-ranked chiefs, Somosomo is regarded as the capital of the Tovata Confederacy, while Naqara, an Indo-Fijian settlement, is the island's commercial centre.

[10] Other settlements include Bouma, Deleni, Gacaavulu, Kanacea, Korovou, Lavena, Matei, Naselesele, Navakawau, Salialevu, Soqulu, Vuna, Wairiki, and Welagi.

[11] A 2011 study identified coastal erosion, flooding and water availability and supply as the most significant impacts of climate change on some of the villages on Taveuni.

Historically, Vuna was considered the paramount village on Taveuni when the Tui Cakau (Ratu Yavala) resided there, but tribal warfare eventually established the supremacy of Somosomo.

In the late 1860s, the Tongan warlord Enele Ma'afu, who had conquered the Lau Islands, was defeated by the Tui Cakau's army in a skirmish at Somosomo.

Several islands that sided with Ma'afu were sold by the Tui Cakau at that time to European settlers as punishment, and their inhabitants were moved to Taveuni.

In July 1862, Ma’afu went for a visit to Tonga with Tui Bua to seek resolution about his campaign in Fiji with the Tongan Parliament.

Historians saw this anger as confirmation that Ma’afu was not part of the Wainiqolo plot to conquer Tui Cakau while he was away in Tonga.

The unprovoked attack by Wainiqolo was regarded by the Tui Cakau as cancelling his obligation to respect the right of Ma’afu to islands which had been formerly part of Cakaudrove chiefdom.

In 1876, a 2.4 metres (7.9 feet) horse tramway was constructed on the Selia Levu estate to transport sugar cane to a mill.

The lizard poses a threat because it has no natural enemies, can reach a high population density, eats the taro plant and because it carries Salmonella bacteria which can be transferred to humans if bitten.

[16] In 2013, an eradication program coordinated by the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji saw a bounty placed on both adult and juvenile American iguanas as well as their eggs.

In recent times farmers have mainly shifted to growing taro, kava and other speciality crops like vanilla, along with tropical fruit and coffee.

Livestock such as sheep, cattle and poultry are also raised, but animal husbandry lags behind crop production in terms of economic importance.

Perhaps the best-known Taveuni resident internationally was Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau (1918–1993), Fiji's last Governor-General and first President, who was also Tui Cakau.

The Ganilau family is a branch of the Ai Sokula clan, to which the present Tui Cakau and former Cabinet Minister Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu also belongs.

Another notable Taveunian is Fiji's former First Lady, Adi Salaseini Kavunono, wife of President Ratu Josefa Iloilo (2000–2009).

In late 2005, he attempted to handle the problem of Fijian security guards, whom some accused of being mercenaries, operating illegally on the island of Bougainville.