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PEOPLE OF FRENCH POLYNESIA
Name of the People: noun: French Polynesian(s); adjective: French Polynesian.
Ethnic Groups: Polynesian 78 percent, Chinese 12 percent, local French 6 percent, metropolitan French 4 percent. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Languages: French (official) 73.5 percent, Tahitian 20.1 percent, Marquesan 2.6 percent, Austral languages 1.2 percent, Paumotu 1 percent, other 1.6 percent (2017 estimate)
major-language sample(s):
Religions: Protestant 54 percent, Roman Catholic 30 percent, other 10 percent, no religion 6 percent. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population of French Polynesia
Population: 301,488 (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 181. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population Growth: 0.7 percent (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 128; Birth rate: 13.22 births/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 135; Death rate: 5.67 deaths per 1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 173; Net migration rate: -0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 128. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
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 percent of the nation's population. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Demography of French Polynesia
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 20.62 percent (male 31,923/female 30,250); 15-64 years: 68.79 percent (male 106,657/female 100,731); 65 years and over: 10.59 percent (2023 estimate) (male 15,567/female 16,360)
Dependency Ratios: total dependency ratio: 45.6; youth dependency ratio: 31.6; elderly dependency ratio: 14; potential support ratio: 7.1 (2021 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Median Age: total: 33.3 years; male: 33 years; female: 33.5 years (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 99. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Urbanization: urban population: 62.3 percent of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 0.65 percent annual rate of change (2020-25 estimate); Major Urban Areas (population): 136,000 PAPEETE (capital) (2018)
Fertility, Birth Control, Marriage and Sex
Total Fertility Rate: 1.8 children born per woman (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 144; Gross reproduction rate: 0.88 (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Contraceptive Use: NA. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Married Women (ages 15-49): 27.2 percent (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Sex Ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female; 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female; total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Health of the People of French Polynesia
Infant Mortality Rate: total: 4.34 deaths per 1,000 live births; male: 5.23 deaths per 1,000 live births; female: 3.42 deaths per 1,000 live births (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 183. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 78.66 years; male: 76.36 years; female: 81.08 years (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: population 70. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Children Under the Age of Five Years That Are Underweight NA. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Drinking Water Source: improved: urban: NA; rural: NA; total: 100 percent of population; unimproved: urban: NA; rural: NA; total: 0 percent of population (2020 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023