Map of French Polynesia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


Background:


top of page


Location: Oceania, five archipelagoes (Archipel des Tuamotu, Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands) in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between South America and Australia

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 4,167 km² (118 islands and atolls; 67 are inhabited)
Land: 3,827 km²
Water: 340 km²
Comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 2,525 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical, but moderate

Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation
Highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 12.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 6.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 5.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 43.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 43.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January

Geography
Note: includes five archipelagoes: four volcanic (Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands) and one coral (Archipel des Tuamotu); the Tuamotu Archipelago forms the largest group of atolls in the world -- 78 in total, 48 inhabited; Makatea in the Tuamotu Archipelago is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean -- the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru


top of page


Population
Distribution: the majority of the population lives in the Society Islands, one of five archipelagos that includes the most populous island - Tahiti - with approximately 70% of the nation's population
Total: 303,540
Male: 155,138
Female: 148,402 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.66% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: French Polynesian(s)
Adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Languages: French (official) 73.5%, Tahitian 20.1%, Marquesan 2.6%, Austral languages 1.2%, Paumotu 1%, other 1.6% (2017 est.)
Major-language samples: Gheos World Guide une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.3% (male 31,659/female 30,006)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 107,162/female 101,228)
65 years and over: 11% (2024 est.) (male 16,317/female 17,168)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.6
Youth dependency ratio: 31.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 14
Potential support ratio: 7.1 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 35.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 35 years
Female: 35.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.66% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the majority of the population lives in the Society Islands, one of five archipelagos that includes the most populous island - Tahiti - with approximately 70% of the nation's population

Urbanization
Urban population: 62.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 136,000 PAPEETE (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: sea level rise; extreme weather events (cyclones, storms, and tsunamis producing floods, landslides, erosion, and reef damage); droughts; fresh water scarcity

Air pollutants
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.77 megatons (2016 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 76.6 years
Female: 81.3 years

Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: NA

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 97% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 3% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 37.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 33.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 42% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
Conventional short form: French Polynesia
Local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynésie française
Local short form: Polynesie Francaise
Former: Establishments in Oceania, French Establishments in Oceania
Etymology: the term 'Polynesia' is an 18th-century construct composed of two Greek words, 'poly' (many) and 'nesoi' (islands), and refers to the more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean

Government type: parliamentary democracy (Assembly of French Polynesia); an overseas collectivity of France

Capital
Name: Papeete (located on Tahiti)
Geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W
Time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name means 'water basket' and refers to the fact that the islanders originally used calabashes enclosed in baskets to fetch water at a spring in the area

Administrative divisions: 5 administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives, singular - subdivision administrative): Iles Australes (Austral Islands), Iles du Vent (Windward Islands), Iles Marquises (Marquesas Islands), Iles Sous-le-Vent (Leeward Islands), Iles Tuamotu-Gambier
Note: the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands together make up the Society Islands (Iles de la Societe)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas land of France)

National holiday: Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)
Note: the local holiday is Internal Autonomy Day, 29 June (1880)

Constitution
History: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Amendments: French constitution amendment procedures apply

Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see France

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Eric SPITZ (since 23 September 2022)
Head of government: President of French Polynesia Moetai BROTHERSON (since 12 May 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers approved by the Assembly from a list of its members submitted by the president
Elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; French Polynesia president indirectly elected by Assembly of French Polynesia for a 5-year term (no term limits)

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblée de la Polynésie française (57 seats; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Assembly of French Polynesia - last held on 16 and 30 April 2023 (next to be held in 2,028); French Senate - last held on 24 September 2023 (next to be held on 30 September 2,026); French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held in 2,027)
Elections results: Assembly of French Polynesia - percent of vote by party - People's Servant Party 66.7%; List of the People 26.3%, I Love Polynesia 5.3%, Rally of Mahoi People 1.8%; seats by party - People's Servant People 38; List of the People 15, I Love Polynesia 3, Rally of the Mahoi People 1, composition - men 29, women 28, percentage women 49.1%; French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; composition - NA; French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Servant Party 3; composition - NA
Note 1: elections held in two rounds; in the second round, 38 members are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by a closed-list proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes gets an additional 19 seats
Note 2: French Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly for 5-year terms

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel (composition NA)
Note: appeals beyond the French Polynesia Court of Appeal are heard by the Court of Cassation (in Paris)
Judge selection and term of office: judges assigned from France normally for 3 years
Subordinate courts: Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders: I Love Polynesia (A here la Porinetia) , List of the People (Tapura Huiraatira) , People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) , Rally of the Maohi People (Amuitahiraʻa o te Nunaʻa Maohi) (formerly known as Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira))

International organization participation: ITUC (NGOs), PIF, SPC, UPU, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas lands of France)
From the us embassy: none (overseas lands of France)

Flag description: two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half; a Polynesian canoe rides on the wave pattern; the canoe has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups; red and white are traditional Polynesian colors
Note: identical to the red-white-red flag of Tahiti, the largest and most populous of the islands in French Polynesia, but which has no emblem in the white band; the flag of France is used for official occasions

National symbols: outrigger canoe, Tahitian gardenia (Gardenia taitensis) flower; national colors: red, white

National anthem
Name: 'Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui' (Long Live Tahiti Nui)
Lyrics/music: Maeva BOUGES, Irmine TEHEI, Angele TEROROTUA, Johanna NOUVEAU, Patrick AMARU, Louis MAMATUI, and Jean-Pierre CELESTIN (the compositional group created both the lyrics and music)
Note: adopted 1993; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of France, 'La Marseillaise' is official (see France)

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 mixed)
Note: excerpted from the France entry
Selected world heritage site locales:


top of page


Economy overview: small, territorial-island tourism-based economy; large French financing; lower EU import duties; Pacific Islands Forum member; fairly resilient from COVID-19; oil-dependent infrastructure

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $5.65 billion (2021 est.); $5.52 billion (2020 est.); $5.94 billion (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 4.47% (2022 est.); 2.09% (2021 est.); -7.05% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $18,600 (2021 est.); $18,300 (2020 est.); $19,800 (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 71.5% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 31.7% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 21.1% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -46.1% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.3% (2019 est.)
Industry: 10.7% (2019 est.)
Services: 76.2% (2019 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: coconuts, fruits, root vegetables, pineapples, eggs, cassava, sugarcane, tropical fruits, watermelons, tomatoes (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2014 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 137,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 11.72% (2023 est.); 11.91% (2022 est.); 12.49% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 37.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 33.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 42% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0% (2015 est.); 0.3% (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $411.963 million (2016 est.); $291.182 million (2015 est.); $264.32 million (2014 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $162 million (2021 est.); $94.4 million (2020 est.); $184 million (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: France 18%, US 18%, Hong Kong 18%, Japan 13%, Netherlands 9% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: pearls, fish, aircraft parts, coconut oil, electrical power accessories (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $1.66 billion (2021 est.); $1.75 billion (2020 est.); $2.24 billion (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: France 30%, China 13%, US 9%, South Korea 6%, NZ 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicine, beef, plastic products (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 280,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 653.978 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 42.663 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 67.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 6.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 25.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Imports: (2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 929,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 929,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: (2019)


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 139,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 328,000 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) (registered in France)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 19 (registered in France)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: F-OH

Airports: 54 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,590 km
Paved: 1,735 km
Unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs