Capital Area Population Population Language Flag
Papeete 5 million km² 197 000 French and Tahitian inhabitants, Marquisian
Main religion
Christianity, Buddhism.
Political system
French overseas territory of the Pacific.
Provinces
It is made up of 5 archipelagos: Marquesas Islands, Gambier Islands, Society Islands, Southern Islands or Tubuaï, Tuamotu Atolls.
Geography
French Polynesia is in western Chile, eastern Australia and southwestern United States.
Climate
Polynesia enjoys a tropical climate, warmer and more humid from late November to late March (28° to 32°C). This is called the hot season. The best season for the trip is between mid-April and mid-October, and from July to September, when the maaramu, the southeast trade wind, blows. The average temperature is then 24°C except in the Austral, where it is cooler.
The climate of the Marquesas, closer to the equator, is more humid. The rains are later there. Cyclones, relatively rare compared to the rest of the South Pacific, occur mainly between November and March.
Currency
The CFP franc (Pacific franc exchange rate).
Health
No vaccination is required.
We recommend that you consult your doctor before leaving.
Good to know
Bottled mineral water, which can be found everywhere, is recommended.
Paris is 11 hours ahead of Papeete in winter and 12 hours in summer. Thus, when it is noon in Tahiti, it is 11 p.m. in Paris in December and midnight in July.
All the islands are supplied with electricity, the smallest by generator. If in some old hotels there are sometimes 110 Volt plugs, the standard is 220 Volt.