Population & Demography

The large distances separating each island from one another makes it difficult for the development of internal relationships. This geographical disadvantage is strengthened by a demographic imbalance.

Demographic facts

With 268 270 inhabitants in 2012, the population of French Polynesia has doubled on 40 years (see chart below). People are spread on a surface as large as Europe but with only 3,670 km² of emerged land (ie : a density of 74 persons / km²). Out of the 118 islands of French Polynesia, 60 are inhabited and the Society Islands concentrate 87,8% of the total population.
Consequently, most of the economic activity and business relationships with the rest of the world (i.e. mostly USA, New Zealand, Japan and France) is concentrated in this archipelago.

Year
Inhabitants number
1971
119 668
1977
137 382
1983
166 753
1988
188 814
1996
219 521
2002
244 830
2007
259 706
2010
270 764
2012
268 270

Population by archipelagoes (in 2007) :

  • Windward Islands : 194 683 persons (75 %)
  • Leeward Islands : 33 165 persons (12,8 %)
  • Tuamotu & Gambier Islands : 16 896 persons (6,5 %)
  • Marquesas Islands : 8,658 persons (3,3 %)
  • Australs Islands : 6,304 persons (2,4 %)

The most crowded districts are :

  • Faaa (Tahiti) : 29 781 persons
  • Papeete (Tahiti) : 26 050 persons
  • Punaauia (Tahiti) : 25 399 persons

Those 3 districts totalize alone 70 % of the population of Tahiti (178 133 persons).

Key data for France and French Polynesia :

Units
2007
2011
France
F.P.
France
F.P.
Population
63,5 M
260,000
64,9 M
270,800
Birth rate
0/00
12.7
17
12.3
15.5
Death rate
0/00
8.4
4.7
8.8
4.9
Infant death
0/00
3.9
6.8
3.3
7.2
Marriage rate
0/00
4.5
4.4
4.4
4

Life expectancy is 76,9 years for women and 73 years for men. Men represent 51,3% of the population vs. 48,7% of women. The Polynesian population remains young but gets older. Now, people bewteen 20 and 59 are in majority (55%). People older than 60 represent 8.7% of the population and the number of people under 20 decreased to 36%.

Ethnic diversity

The Economical, Social and Cultural Council (CESC) divided the population in 4 different ethnic groups :

  • Maohi community : 65% (Polynesian natives)
  • “Demis” community : 16% (issued from a mix marriage – Euro-Polynesian culture)
  • Chinese community : 5% (immigrated during the first quarter of the 20th century, mostly from the southeast province of Kwantung – China). They officially acquired the French citizenship in 1974 thanks to the January 9th, 1973 Law)
  • Popa’a community : 12% (98% are French. They are strongly represented in Administrative organizations (schools, government…) and the medical sector.

Source :
- Institut Statistique de Polynésie Française (www.ispf.pf)
- INSEE
- DOM TOM – Gérard BELORGEY – Geneviève BERTRAND

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