French Polynesia

I

Introduction

French Polynesia, overseas territory of France, located in the South Pacific Ocean, 3,000 km (2,000 mi) south of Hawaii and halfway between New Zealand to the west and South America to the east. The capital is Papeete, which is located on Tahiti, the largest island in the territory.

II

Land and Resources

French Polynesia consists of 35 volcanic islands and more than 180 low-lying coral atolls (ring-shaped islands with central lagoons) with a combined land area of 3,660 sq km (1,413 sq mi). The islands are part of a much larger area known as an “exclusive economic zone” that covers 5 million sq km (2 million sq mi) of land and ocean. The French government has control over fishing, scientific research, and environmental protection in that area.

The islands of French Polynesia are divided into five archipelagos: the Society Islands (which include Tahiti), the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Marquesas Islands, the Gambier Islands, and the Austral Islands. The Tuamotu Archipelago consists entirely of coral atolls and accounts for more than half of the territory’s islands. The other groups contain a few atolls but are primarily volcanic islands. Mount Orohena on Tahiti is the highest peak in French Polynesia, with an elevation of 2,241 m (7,352 ft).

The vegetation of the high-elevation volcanic islands differs from that of the low-lying coral atolls. The high islands have rich soils and support a variety of plant species. Atolls have poor soils and less vegetation. Rain collected in catchment systems is the only source of fresh water on the atolls. Coconut palms thrive throughout the territory, and the liquid from coconuts is a life-sustaining drink. Wildlife on the islands is limited to birds, insects, and lizards. On some of the high islands residents maintain livestock, including pigs and chickens. Marine life is abundant in the surrounding waters and provides an important food source.

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French Polynesia has a tropical but moderate climate, with an average temperature of 27º C (81º F). There are two distinct seasons: a warm rainy season from November to April and a cool dry season from May to October. The amount of rainfall varies greatly throughout the territory. The Marquesas Islands are the driest, and the Austral Islands are the wettest. Cyclones occur throughout the territory but with less frequency than elsewhere in the South Pacific.

III

The People of French Polynesia

French Polynesia had a population of 278,633 in 2007, yielding an average population density of 76 persons per sq km (197 per sq mi). Some 52 percent of the territory’s inhabitants live in urban areas, with the largest population concentration in greater Papeete. Other towns include Faaa and Pirae, also on Tahiti.

Polynesians represent about two-thirds of the population of French Polynesia. Of the remainder of inhabitants, about 15 percent are of mixed Polynesian-European or Polynesian-Chinese descent, about 10 percent are of French origin, and about 5 percent are ethnic Chinese. Although French and Tahitian (a language of the Malayo-Polynesian family of Austronesian languages) are both official languages, French is the language used in government and commerce. Various other Malayo-Polynesian dialects are also spoken, particularly in the outer islands. Protestant Christians constitute more than half of the population and are mostly ethnic Polynesians. Roman Catholics constitute about a third of the people and include ethnic French and also Polynesians from the Marquesas and Tuamotu archipelagos.

Education in French Polynesia is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16. The government finances public education and also subsidizes a large number of private schools operated by churches. The literacy rate is high. The French University of the Pacific was founded in Papeete in 1987. A small number of French Polynesians attend colleges in France.

The way of life in French Polynesia varies depending on location. Papeete is a cosmopolitan city with a strong Western influence. Residents of the city enjoy French cuisine and eat mainly imported food. Most clothing and other goods are also imported, largely from France. By Pacific Island standards, the cost of living in Papeete and other urban areas on Tahiti is extremely high. On more remote islands, the lifestyle is much slower in pace. In these areas, people rely more heavily on subsistence activities and materials found locally.

French Polynesia celebrates French national holidays. Canoe racing and other water sports are popular. Tahitian music and dances have enthusiastic audiences.

IV

Economy

Traditional subsistence agriculture—formerly the mainstay of French Polynesia’s economy—was displaced in the mid-1960s by the growth of two very different industries: tourism and nuclear testing. Both of these industries provided new opportunities for high-wage employment in and around Papeete, and many people from the remote islands abandoned subsistence activities and moved to Tahiti. Since then, the economy has become more focused on consumer goods and more concentrated in urban areas. The cultivation of cultured black pearls is another growing industry. Production of these pearls more than doubled between 1990 and 1995, and in the mid-1990s French Polynesia was producing more than 95 percent of the world’s supply. The economy of French Polynesia is also heavily dependent on economic aid from France.

In 2000 French Polynesia had a gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.4 billion, or $14,600 per person. The service sectors provided 78 percent of GDP in 1997, with tourism alone accounting for about 20 percent of the total GDP. Industry supplied about 18 percent of GDP, and agriculture supplied 4.7 percent. Of the workforce in 1997, 68 percent were employed in services, 17 percent in industry, and 5 percent in agricultural activities.

Thermal power provides 84 percent of French Polynesia’s electricity, and hydroelectric power supplies most of the remainder.

Papeete has an international airport, and several international airlines serve the city. The outer island groups have small air terminals. A number of shipping lines connect Papeete with Europe and Asia, as well as with other Pacific Islands. There are paved roads on Tahiti and many of the other Society Islands, and many people in these areas own motor vehicles. Papeete is well served by small local buses, and traffic congestion is common.

The French Polynesian government operates most radio and television stations in French Polynesia. Several other radio stations are privately owned. Print media in the territory include 4 daily newspapers with a combined circulation of 24,000 copies.

The value of imports in French Polynesia is typically several times the value of exports. Most of the territory’s food is imported. Aside from food products, major imports include petroleum products and machinery. Cultured black pearls are French Polynesia’s leading export, accounting for more than 50 percent of export revenues. Other exported products include coconuts, mother-of-pearl, and vanilla. French Polynesia’s principal trade partner for both imports and exports is France, followed by the United States and Australia. The territory’s unit of currency is the CFP franc (96 CFP francs equal U.S.$1; 2005 annual average).

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