Island Details: French Polynesia

Name

French Polynesia

Location

Pacific

Number of Islands (approx.)

118*

Island Details

five major island groups: Archipel Des Tuamotu, Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands*

Type of Islands

oceanic, coral, volcanic

Surface Area (km²)

4,000.00*

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs*

Highest Elevation (m)

2,241.0*

Highest Elevation (name)

Mont Orohena - on Tahitit*

Isolation Index

102*

Climate Risk Index Rank (1993-2012)

24*

Mean Sea Level Trends (mm/year)

2.54*

Mean Sea Level (meta)

Time span: 1975-2009; Completeness: 95%; Station ID: 1397*

Population (total)

270,764*

Population Density (p/km²)

74.0*

Population Growth (annual %)

1.144*

GDP (per capita in current US$)

22,000*

Dominant Economic Sector

tourism, french military*

HDI

0.895*

Administration

dependent (overseas lands of France)*

Miscellaneous

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.*