French Polynesia
Country Guide

Explore French Polynesia

French Polynesia with its capital Papeete is located in Oceania (Oceania, five archipelagoes (Archipel des Tuamotu). It covers some 4,168 square kilometers (slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut) with a population of 287,881. French and Tahitian are the languages spoken by people in French Polynesia. Thiscountry has no land-based border with any other country.

French Polynesia is a set of islands that is an overseas country attached to France. Located in the South Pacific Ocean, it is halfway between California and Australia. Summer is from November through April, with a warmer and more humid climate and winter is from May through October, when the climate is slightly cooler and drier. When you step out of the airplane, you'll immediately notice that the air is warm and humid. Be aware that everything is very expensive in French Polynesia. Even budget accommodation is tough on the budget, as is food, even groceries. So if you visit, take lots of money, you will need it.

Popular Destinations in French Polynesia

Administrative regions of French Polynesia

• Iles Australes
• Iles Marquises
• Iles Sous-le-Vent
• Iles Tuamotu-Gambier
• Iles du Vent

About the country

The topography is mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs. The average density of population is about 69 per km². The climate in French Polynesia can be described as tropical, but moderate. Potential natural disasters are occasional cyclonic storms in January.

To reach someone French Polynesia dial +689 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".pf". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local . The sign for the locally used currency Franc is XPF.

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.

The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa Atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were halted in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 175)	4,167	sq km
Land (World Rank: 175)	3,827	sq km
Water (World Rank: 126)	340	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 154)	5.50	%
Comparative	slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Coastline
2525
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 115)	2,241	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 183)	12.50	%
Arable (World Rank: 205)	0.70	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 51)	6.30	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 154)	5.50	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 173)	10	sq km
Map reference
Oceania
Environment
Issues	- and reef damage) - and tsunamis producing floods - droughts - erosion - extreme weather events (cyclones - fresh water scarcity - landslides - sea level rise - storms
Hazzards	occasional cyclonic storms in January
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
Climate
tropical, but moderate
Terrain
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

---

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 180)	287,881
Deathrate (World Rank: 185)	0.52	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 130)	1.48	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 122)	0.88	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 99)	-0.08	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 137)	1.88	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 94)	31.70
Female (World Rank: 102)	32.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 180)	33,340
0 14 female (World Rank: 180)	31,481
15 24 male (World Rank: 179)	23,533
15 24 female (World Rank: 181)	21,745
25 54 male (World Rank: 179)	65,464
25 54 female (World Rank: 180)	62,254
55 64 male (World Rank: 177)	13,947
55 64 female (World Rank: 178)	13,178
65 x male (World Rank: 175)	11,090
65 x female (World Rank: 177)	11,849
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 176)	0.46	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 70)	77	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 80)	80	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 66)	75	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 36)	3.17
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 40)	98.50	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 8)	100.00	%

---

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 158)	626,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 168)	582,200,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 103)	71.10	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 88)	18.90	%
Source renew (World Rank: 66)	10.80	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 164)	7,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 152)	6,636	bbl / day
Carbon footprint
1100000

---

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 172)	5,490,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 135)	2.00	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 98)	17,000	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 160)	2.50	%
Source industry (World Rank: 191)	13.00	%
Source service (World Rank: 19)	84.50	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 178)	126,300
In poverty (World Rank: 107)	19.70	%
Products
Industries	- agricultural processing - handicrafts - pearls - phosphates - tourism
Agriculture	- beef - coconuts - coffee - dairy products - fish - fruits - poultry - vanilla - vegetables
Exports	- coconut products - cultured pearls - mother-of-pearl - shark meat - vanilla
Imports	- equipment - foodstuffs - fuels - machinery

---

Nation

Budget
Surplus (World Rank: 21)	1	% of GDP
National symbol
Tahitian gardenia flower
National colours
white
Adjective
French Polynesian
Noun
French Polynesian(s)
Background
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa Atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were halted in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
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

---

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 141)	94,957
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 58)	33.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 168)	77.00
Internet
Users (World Rank: 169)	195,275
Population (World Rank: 80)	68.40	%

---

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 45)	45.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 138)	9.00
Heliports (World Rank: 113)	1.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 171)	2,590
Paved length (World Rank: 129)	1,735
Unpaved length (World Rank: 123)	855

---