2021 Edition

Background

French Polynesia consists of five archipelagos - the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the Society Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. The Marquesas were first settled around 200 B.C. and the Society Islands around A.D. 300. Raiatea in the Society Islands became a center for religion and culture. Exploration of the other islands emanated from Raiatea and by 1000, there were small permanent settlements in all the island groups. Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see the islands of French Polynesia in 1520, and successive European voyagers traveled through them over the next two centuries. In 1767, British explorer Samuel WALLIS was the first European to visit Tahiti, followed by French navigator Louis Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE in 1768, and British explorer James COOK in 1769. King POMARE I united Tahiti and surrounding islands into the Kingdom of Tahiti in 1788. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1797 and Pomare I’s successor converted in the 1810s, along with most Tahitians. In the 1830s, Queen POMARE IV refused to allow French Catholic missionaries to operate, leading France to declare a protectorate over Tahiti and fight the French-Tahitian War of the 1840s in an attempt to annex the islands. POMARE IV requested British assistance to fight France, and while the UK did not provide material support, it did diplomatically pressure France to simply maintain its protectorate status.In 1880, King POMARE V ceded Tahiti and its possessions to France, changing its status into a colony. France then claimed the Gambier Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago and by 1901 had incorporated all five island groups into its establishments in Oceania. A Tahitian nationalist movement formed in 1940, leading France to grant French citizenship to the islanders in 1946 and change it to an overseas territory. In 1957, the islands’ name was changed to French Polynesia and the following year, 64% of voters chose to stay part of France when they approved a new constitution. Uninhabited Mururoa Atoll was established as a French nuclear test site in 1962 and tests were conducted between 1966 and 1992 (underground beginning in 1975). France also conducted tests at Fangataufa Atoll, including its last nuclear test in 1996.France granted French Polynesia partial internal autonomy in 1977 and expanded autonomy in 1984. French Polynesia was converted into an overseas collectivity in 2003 and renamed an overseas country inside the Republic in 2004. Proindependence politicians won a surprise majority in local elections that same year but in subsequent elections have been relegated to a vocal minority. In 2013, French Polynesia was relisted on the UN List of Non-Self Governing Territories.

Area

land

3,827 sq km

total

4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls; 67 are inhabited)

water

340 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Coastline

2,525 km

Elevation

highest point

Mont Orohena 2,241 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 140 00 W

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

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

12.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 6.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.5% (2018 est.)

forest

43.7% (2018 est.)

other

43.8% (2018 est.)

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

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

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Age structure

0-14 years

21.69% (male 32,920/female 31,100)

15-24 years

14.72% (male 22,640/female 20,793)

25-54 years

44.24% (male 66,921/female 63,636)

55-64 years

10.31% (male 15,610/female 14,823)

65 years and over

9.04% (male 12,854/female 13,824) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

13.69 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

5.51 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.2

potential support ratio

7.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.5

youth dependency ratio

32.3

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

3.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

5.37 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.46 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

French (official) 73.5%, Tahitian 20.1%, Marquesan 2.6%, Austral languages 1.2%, Paumotu 1%, other 1.6% (2017 est.)

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.63 years (2021 est.)

male

75.86 years

total population

78.19 years

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major urban areas - population

136,000 PAPEETE (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

33.5 years (2020 est.)

male

33 years

total

33.3 years

Nationality

adjective

French Polynesian

noun

French Polynesian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Physicians density

2.13 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

297,154 (July 2021 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

Population growth rate

0.75% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 96.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.1% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.93 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

59.7% (2012 est.)

male

54.5%

total

56.7%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

62.1% of total population (2021)

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)

Capital

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

geographic coordinates

17 32 S, 149 34 W

name

Papeete (located on Tahiti)

time difference

UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see France

Constitution

amendments

French constitution amendment procedures apply

history

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

conventional long form

Overseas Lands of French Polynesia

conventional short form

French Polynesia

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

former

Establishments in Oceania, French Establishments in Oceania

local long form

Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form

Polynesie Francaise

Dependency status

overseas country of France; note - overseas territory of France from 1946-2003; overseas collectivity of France since 2003, though it is often referred to as an overseas country due to its degree of autonomy

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas lands of France)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers approved by the Assembly from a list of its members submitted by the president

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Dominique SORAIN (since 10 July 2019)

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)

head of government

President of French Polynesia Edouard FRITCH (since 12 September 2014)

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

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

Government - note

under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister

Government type

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

Independence

none (overseas lands of France)

International organization participation

ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO

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

Legal system

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblée de la Polynésie française (57 seats; elections held in 2 rounds; in the second round, 38 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by a closed-list proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes gets an additional 19 seats; members serve 5-year terms; French Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate via an electoral college by absolute majority vote for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for 5-year termsFrench Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate via an electoral college by absolute majority vote for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for 5-year terms

election results

Assembly of French Polynesia - percent of vote by party - Tapura Huiraatira 45.1%, Popular Rally 29.3%, Tavini Huiraatira 25.6%; seats by party - Tapura Huiraatira 38, Popular Rally 11, Tavini Huiraatira 8; composition - men 27, women 30, percent of women 52.6%French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; composition - NAFrench National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Tapura Huiractura 2, Tavini Huiraatura 1; composition - NA

elections

Assembly of French Polynesia - last held on 22 April 2018 and 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023)French Senate - last held on 28 September 2020 (next to be held on 30 September 2023)French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 3 and 17 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

National anthem

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)

name

"Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui)

note

note: adopted 1993; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)

National holiday

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is Internal Autonomy Day, 29 June (1880)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

A Tia Porinetia [Teva ROHFRITSCH]Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN (includes The New Star [Philip SCHYLE], This Country is Yours [Nicole BOUTEAU])New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]Our Home alliancePeople's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]Tapura Huiraatira [Edouard FRITICH]Tavini Huiraatira [James CHANCELOR]Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, fruit, roots/tubers nes, pineapples, cassava, sugar cane, eggs, tropical fruit, tomatoes

Budget

expenditures

1.833 billion (2011)

revenues

1.891 billion (2012)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.2% (of GDP) (2012)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2013

$158.8 million (2013 est.)

Current account balance 2014

$207.7 million (2014 est.)

Debt - external

NA

Economic overview

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply.After growing at an average yearly rate of 4.2% from 1997-2007, the economic and financial crisis in 2008 marked French Polynesia’s entry into recession. However, since 2014, French Polynesia has shown signs of recovery. Business turnover reached 1.8% year-on-year in September 2016, tourism increased 1.8% in 2015, and GDP grew 2.0% in 2015.French Polynesia’s tourism-dominated service sector accounted for 85% of total value added for the economy in 2012. Tourism employs 17% of the workforce. Pearl farming is the second biggest industry, accounting for 54% of exports in 2015; however, the output has decreased to 12.5 tons – the lowest level since 2008. A small manufacturing sector predominantly processes commodities from French Polynesia’s primary sector - 8% of total economy in 2012 - including agriculture and fishing.France has agreed to finance infrastructure, marine businesses, and cultural and ecological sites at roughly $80 million per year between 2015 and 2020. Japan, the US, and China are French Polynesia’s three largest trade partners.

Exchange rates

currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

90.56 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

89.85 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

107.84 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

107.84 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

110.2 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2013

$1.168 billion (2013 est.)

Exports 2014

$1.245 billion (2014 est.)

Exports - commodities

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

Exports - partners

Japan 23.1%, Hong Kong 21.5%, Kyrgyzstan 15.9%, US 15.9%, France 12.4% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

17.5% (2014 est.)

government consumption

33.6% (2014 est.)

household consumption

66.9% (2014 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.5% (2014 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.4% (2014 est.)

investment in inventories

0.1% (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.5% (2009)

industry

13% (2009)

services

84.5% (2009)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.795 billion (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2013

$2.271 billion (2013 est.)

Imports 2014

$2.235 billion (2014 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners

France 27.9%, South Korea 12.1%, US 10.1%, China 7.3%, NZ 6.7%, Singapore 4.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2014

0.3% (2014 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

0% (2015 est.)

Labor force

126,300 (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

13%

industry

19%

services

68% (2013 est.)

Population below poverty line

19.7% (2009 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$6.963 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016

$5.383 billion (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$5.49 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2010

-2.5% (2010 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2014

-2.7% (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2015

2% (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2010

$22,700 (2010)

Real GDP per capita 2014

$20,100 (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2015

$17,000 (2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

39.4% (of GDP) (2012)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2010

11.7% (2010)

Unemployment rate 2012

21.8% (2012)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

59.7% (2012 est.)

male

54.5%

total

56.7%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

629.9 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

70% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

253,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

677.3 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

6,600 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,785 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

21.53 (2018 est.)

total

59,790 (2018)

Broadcast media

French public overseas broadcaster Reseau Outre-Mer provides 2 TV channels and 1 radio station; 1 government-owned TV station; a small number of privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.pf

Internet users

percent of population

72.7% (2019 est.)

total

204,800 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line subscriptions 22 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular density is roughly 104 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

French Polynesia has one of the most advanced telecom infrastructures in the Pacific islands; high penetration of mobile broadband coverage; almost half of mobile connections on 3G, growing subscribership to 4G LTE; universal mobile penetration; host of uplink systems for the Galileo satellite network, creating hub for communications in the region and vastly improving international connectivity; submarine cable connections increase international bandwidth; additional domestic submarine cable will connect remote islands (2020)

international

country code - 689; landing points for the NATITUA, Manatua, and Honotua submarine cables to other French Polynesian Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

32.51 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

60,123 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

104.3 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

302,673 (2018)

Airports

total

54 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

33

over 3,047 m

2

total

45

under 914 m

5 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

4

total

9

under 914 m

5 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

F-OH

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 14, other 10 (2021)

total

24

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

19 (registered in France)

number of registered air carriers

2 (registered in France) (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Papeete

Roadways

paved

1,735 km (1999)

total

2,590 km (1999)

unpaved

855 km (1999)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France; France maintains forces in French Polynesia

Military and security forces

no regular military forces

Disputes - international

none

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.77 megatons (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Environment - current issues

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

Land use

agricultural land

12.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 6.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 5.5% (2018 est.)

forest

43.7% (2018 est.)

other

43.8% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.65% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

62.1% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

147,000 tons (2013 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

57,330 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

39% (2013 est.)