French Polynesia :: Australia-Oceania
Introduction
Background:
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In 1966, the French Government began testing nuclear weapons on the uninhabited Mururoa Atoll; following mounting opposition, the tests were moved underground in 1975. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing after a three-year moratorium. The tests were halted in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Geography
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 references:
Oceania
Area:
total:
4,167 sq km
(118 islands and atolls; 67 are inhabited)
land:
3,827 sq km
water:
340 sq km
country comparison to the world: 174
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
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:
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use:
agricultural land:
12.5%
(2011 est.)
arable land:
0.7%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent crops:
6.3%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent pasture:
5.5%
(2011 est.)
forest:
43.7%
(2011 est.)
other:
43.8%
(2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km
(2012)
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
Natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:
sea level rise; extreme weather events (cyclones, storms, and tsunamis producing floods, landslides, erosion, and reef damage); droughts; fresh water scarcity
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
People and Society
Population:
295,121
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Nationality:
noun:
French Polynesian(s)
adjective:
French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Languages:
French (official) 70%, Polynesian (official) 28.2%, other 1.8%
(2012 est.)
Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
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.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
45.5
youth dependency ratio:
32.3
elderly dependency ratio:
13.2
potential support ratio:
7.6
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
33.3 years
male:
33 years
female:
33.5 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Population growth rate:
0.79%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Birth rate:
14 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Death rate:
5.5 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Net migration rate:
-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
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% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
1.01% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
136,000 PAPEETE (capital)
(2018)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
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
total population:
1.05 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total:
4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
5 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
4 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
77.9 years
male:
75.6 years
female:
80.4 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Total fertility rate:
1.83 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Drinking water source:
improved:
total:
100% of population
unimproved:
total:
0% of population
(2017 est.)
Physicians density:
2.13 physicians/1,000 population
(2009)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
total:
96.9% of population
unimproved:
total:
3.1% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk:
high
(2020)
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases:
malaria
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:
56.7%
male:
54.5%
female:
59.7%
(2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
Government
Country name:
conventional long form:
Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form:
French Polynesia
local long form:
Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
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
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
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)
Independence:
none (overseas lands of France)
National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 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
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 Dominique SORAIN (since 10 July 2019)
head of government:
President of French Polynesia Edouard FRITCH (since 12 September 2014)
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; 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 terms
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 in September 2017 (next to be held in September 2020) ++ French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 3 and 17 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
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 - men 246, women 102, percent of women 29.3% ++ French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Tapura Huiractura 2, Tavini Huiraatura 1; composition - men 353, women 224, percent of women 38.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20%
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:
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 alliance ++ People'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]
International organization participation:
ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas lands of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 symbol(s):
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)
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
Economy
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.
GDP real growth rate:
2%
(2015 est.)
-2.7%
(2014 est.)
-2.5%
(2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0%
(2015 est.)
0.3%
(2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$5.49 billion
(2017 est.)
$5.383 billion
(2016 est.)
$6.963 billion
(2015 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$4.795 billion
(2015 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,000
(2015 est.)
$20,100
(2014 est.)
$22,700
(2010)
country comparison to the world: 83
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
2.5%
(2009)
industry:
13%
(2009)
services:
84.5%
(2009)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:
66.9%
(2014 est.)
government consumption:
33.6%
(2014 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
19.4%
(2014 est.)
investment in inventories:
0.1%
(2014 est.)
exports of goods and services:
17.5%
(2014 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-37.5%
(2014 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Labor force:
126,300
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
13%
industry:
19%
services:
68%
(2013 est.)
Unemployment rate:
21.8%
(2012)
11.7%
(2010)
country comparison to the world: 192
Population below poverty line:
19.7%
(2009 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%:
NA
Budget:
revenues:
1.891 billion
(2012)
expenditures:
1.833 billion
(2011)
Taxes and other revenues:
39.4% (of GDP)
(2012)
country comparison to the world: 46
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
1.2% (of GDP)
(2012)
country comparison to the world: 28
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Current account balance:
$207.7 million
(2014 est.)
$158.8 million
(2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Exports:
$1.245 billion
(2014 est.)
$1.168 billion
(2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Exports - partners:
Japan 23.1%, Hong Kong 21.5%, Kyrgyzstan 15.9%, US 15.9%, France 12.4%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
Imports:
$2.235 billion
(2014 est.)
$2.271 billion
(2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
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)
Debt - external:
NA
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
110.2
(2017 est.)
107.84
(2016 est.)
107.84
(2015 est.)
89.85
(2014 est.)
90.56
(2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access:
electrification - total population:
100%
(2020)
Electricity - production:
677.3 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - consumption:
629.9 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
253,000 kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
70% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
19% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
11% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
6,600 bbl/day
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Refined petroleum products - imports:
6,785 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m
(1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
1.03 million Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
63,769
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
21.78
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
305,233
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
104.25
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
one of the most advanced telecom infrastructures for the Pacific island region; 85% mobile broadband coverage; 40% of its mobile connections using 3G and the rest using emerging 4G LTE technology; 100% mobile penetration; uses Uplink systems of the Galileo satellite network; and with the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite in 2019, it will allow speedy access to the Internet for Pacific islands
(2020)
domestic:
fixed-line subscriptions 22 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular density is roughly 104 per 100 persons
(2019)
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: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
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:
total:
211,101
percent of population:
72.7%
(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:
59,790
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
21
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
2
(registered in France)
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
19
(registered in France)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
F-OH
(2016)
Airports:
54
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 86
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
45
(2017)
over 3,047 m:
2
(2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
5
(2017)
914 to 1,523 m:
33
(2017)
under 914 m:
5
(2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
9
(2013)
914 to 1,523 m:
4
(2013)
under 914 m:
5
(2013)
Heliports:
1
(2013)
Roadways:
total:
2,590 km
(1999)
paved:
1,735 km
(1999)
unpaved:
855 km
(1999)
country comparison to the world: 167
Merchant marine:
total:
17
by type:
general cargo 10, other 7
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 145
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Papeete
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
no regular military forces
(2019)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France and France maintains forces in French Polynesia
(2019)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
none
