Map of French Polynesia
French Polynesia is a country in Oceania with its capital at Papeete, home to about 282,465 people across 4,167 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns, 2 mountain summits and 6 ports recorded for French Polynesia in YearMaps.
- Population
- 282,465
- Area
- 4,167 km²
- Capital
- Papeete
- Continent
- Oceania
Interactive Map of French Polynesia
Centred on Papeete at 17.5334° S, 149.5667° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About French Polynesia
French Polynesia ( POL-ih-NEE-zhə; French: Polynésie française [pɔlinezi fʁɑ̃sɛːz] ; Tahitian: Pōrīnetia farāni) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole overseas country; it is classified as a non-self-governing territory by the United Nations. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) in the South Pacific Ocean. French Polynesia is associated with the European Union as an overseas country and territory (OCT). The total land area of French Polynesia is 3,521 square kilometres (1,359 sq mi), with a population of 282,596 as of September 2025 of which at least 205,000 live in the Society Islands and the remaining population lives in the rest of the archipelago.
French Polynesia is divided into five island groups: the Austral Islands; the Gambier Islands; the Marquesas Islands; the Society Islands (comprising the Leeward and Windward Islands); and the Tuamotus. Among its 121 islands and atolls, 75 were inhabited at the 2017 census. Tahiti, which is in the Society Islands group, is the most populous island, home to nearly 69% of the population of French Polynesia as of 2017. Papeete, located on Tahiti, is the capital of French Polynesia. Although not an integral part of its territory, Clipperton Island was administered from French Polynesia until 2007.
Hundreds of years after the Great Polynesian Migration, European explorers began traveling through the region, visiting the islands of French Polynesia on several occasions. Traders and whaling ships also visited. In 1842, the French took over the islands and established a French protectorate that they called Établissements français d'Océanie (EFO; French Establishments/Settlements of Oceania).
In 1946, the EFO became an overseas territory under the constitution of the French Fourth Republic, and Polynesians were granted the right to vote through citizenship. In 1957, the territory was renamed French Polynesia. In 1983, it became a member of the Pacific Community, a regional development organization. Since 28 March 2003, French Polynesia has been an overseas collectivity of the French Republic under the constitutional revision of article 74, and later gained, with law 2004-192 of 27 February 2004, an administrative autonomy, two symbolic manifestations of which are the title of the President of French Polynesia and its additional designation as an overseas country.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: French Polynesia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of French Polynesia
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. 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. 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 territory in 2004. Pro-independence politicians won a surprise majority in local elections that same year, but in subsequent elections, they have been relegated to a vocal minority. In 2013, French Polynesia was relisted on the UN List of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
- 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.
- Highest point
- Mont Orohena 2,241 m.
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 2,525 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.); arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 7.5% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 0.5% (2023 est.); forest: 43.1% (2023 est.); other: 48.3% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Occasional cyclonic storms in January.
- Geographic 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.
- Languages
- French (official) 73.5%, Tahitian 20.1%, Marquesan 2.6%, Austral languages 1.2%, Paumotu 1%, other 1.6% (2017 est.)
- Religions
- Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%.
- Ethnic groups
- Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%.
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
French Polynesia in Numbers
- Population
- 282,465
- GDP
- US$6.3 billion
- GDP per person
- US$22,440
- Life expectancy
- 84.2 years
- Population growth
- 0.23% a year
- Population density
- 80 per km²
- Urban population
- 61.8%
- Surface area
- 3,521 km²
- Forest cover
- 42.5%
- Arable land
- 0.7%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 72.7%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
French Polynesia in Depth
History
Anthropologists and historians believe the Great Polynesian Migration commenced around 1500 BC as Austronesian peoples went on a journey using celestial navigation to find islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The first islands of French Polynesia to be settled were the Marquesas Islands in about 200 BC. The Polynesians later ventured southwest and discovered the Society Islands around AD 300.
European encounters began in 1521 when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, sailing at the service of the Spanish Crown, sighted Puka-Puka in the Tuāmotu-Gambier Archipelago.
Geography
The islands of French Polynesia make up a total land area of 3,521 square kilometres (1,359 sq mi), scattered over more than 2,000 km (1,200 miles) of ocean. There are 121 islands in French Polynesia and many more islets or motus around atolls. The highest point is Mount Orohena on Tahiti.
It is made up of five archipelagos. The largest and most populated island is Tahiti, in the Society Islands.
Aside from Tahiti, some other important atolls, islands, and island groups in French Polynesia are: Ahē, Bora Bora, Hiva ʻOa, Huahine, Maiʻao, Maupiti, Mehetiʻa, Moʻorea, Nuku Hiva, Raʻiātea, Tahaʻa, Tetiʻaroa, Tubuai and Tūpai.
Economy and infrastructure
The legal tender of French Polynesia is the CFP franc which has a fixed exchange rate with the euro. The nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of French Polynesia in 2019 was 6.02 billion U.S. dollars at market exchange rates, the seventh-largest economy in Oceania after Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Guam. The GDP per capita was US$21,673 in 2019 (at market exchange rates, not at PPP), lower than in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Guam, New Caledonia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Cook Islands, but higher than in all other independent insular states and dependent territories of Oceania.
Demographics
Total population was 278,786 according to the 18 August 2022 census, 68.7% of whom lived on the island of Tahiti alone. The urban area of Papeete, the capital city, has 136,771 inhabitants (2017 census).
At the 2017 census, 89.0% of people living in French Polynesia had been born there (up from 87.3% in 2007); 8.1% had been born in Metropolitan France (down from 9.3% in 2007); 1.2% were born elsewhere in overseas France (down from 1.4% in 2007); and 1.7% were from foreign countries (down from 2.0% in 2007). The population of natives of Metropolitan France living in French Polynesia has declined in relative terms since the 1980s, but in absolute terms their population peaked at the 2007 census, when 24,265 lived in French Polynesia (not counting their children born there).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: French Polynesia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
French Polynesia: Key Facts
| Currency | CFP Franc |
|---|---|
| Official language | French |
| Head of government | Édouard Fritch |
| Calling code | +689 |
| Internet domain | .pf |
| Highest point | Mont Orohena |
| Established | 1842 |
Facts from Wikidata Q30971 (CC0).
Visiting French Polynesia
French Polynesia (French: Polynésie française) is a collection of over 100 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, halfway between California and Australia. It is an overseas country (pays d'outre-mer), the only French territory with this status.
French Polynesia is and has been the dream destination of travellers for many decades; you don't get much more beautiful—or expensive—than this.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: French Polynesia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in French Polynesia
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papeete | 131,695 | — | Admin-0 region capital |
Highest Mountains in French Polynesia
2 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mont Orohena | 2,241 m | 7,352 ft | Oceania |
| 2 | Mont Ooumu | 1,185 m | 3,888 ft | Oceania |
Mont Orohena
Mountain · 2,241 m
Mont Orohena is a mountain rising to 2,241 metres (7,352 ft) in French Polynesia and France, in the Oceania region. The summit stands on the border between them. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Mont Orohena is a mountain located in the South Pacific, on the island of Tahiti. With an elevation of 2,241 metres (7,352 ft) above sea level, it is the highest point of French Polynesia and Tahiti. Mont Orohena is an extinct shield volcano and ranks 7th in the world for topographic isolation.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mont Orohena (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 2,241 m (7,352 ft)
- Global rank
- #380 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Oceania (#16)
- Subregion
- Polynesia
- Countries
- French Polynesia, France
- Coordinates
- -17.6171°, -149.4835°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Mont Orohena ranks #380 by elevation, below Takuan (2,243 m) and above Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m).
- Ranges:
- Southern Alps (Oceania), Australian Alps (Oceania)
- Settlements below:
- Papeete (13 km)
More about Mont Orohena
Mont Orohena: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 2,241 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q512465 (CC0).
Ports in French Polynesia
6 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Port Rikitea | 42.1 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
| 2 | Vaitape | 38.4 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
| 3 | Baie Taiohae | 38.4 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | point_of_interest |
| 4 | Papeete | 38.4 m | Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | medium vessels |
| 5 | Uturoa | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | point_of_interest |
| 6 | Atuona | 31.1 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | point_of_interest |
Largest Islands of French Polynesia
11 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Archipel Des Tuamotu | 710,109 km² | Island group |
| 2 | îLes de la SociéTé | 115,956 km² | Island group |
| 3 | îLes Gambier | 50,299 km² | Island group |
| 4 | îLes Marquesas | 33,055 km² | Island group |
| 5 | Tahiti | 1,038 km² | Island group |
| 6 | Hiva Oa | 342 km² | Island group |
| 7 | Nuku Hiva | 337 km² | Island group |
| 8 | Raiatea | 175 km² | Island group |
| 9 | Moorea | 120 km² | Island |
| 10 | Ua Pou | 117 km² | Island |
More Maps in Oceania
French Polynesia: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of French Polynesia?
- The capital of French Polynesia is Papeete.
- What is the population of French Polynesia?
- French Polynesia has a population of about 282,465, the #186 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is French Polynesia?
- French Polynesia covers 4,167 km², ranking #175 by area, with about 68 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is French Polynesia in?
- French Polynesia is in Oceania.
- What is the largest city in French Polynesia?
- Papeete is the largest city in French Polynesia, with a metropolitan population of about 131,695.
- What is the highest mountain in French Polynesia?
- The highest summit recorded for French Polynesia in YearMaps is Mont Orohena at 2,241 m (7,352 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.