French Polynesia Population
French Polynesia had an estimated population of 282,465 in mid-2025 (World Bank), making it the 180th most populous of 217 countries and territories, with 0.00% of everyone alive. The counter above projects that figure forward at the current growth rate of +0.23% a year.
French Polynesia at a glance
How French Polynesia's population is changing
French Polynesia's population is roughly stable: +0.23% a year, which works out to about +659 people per year, or +2 a day. Births (10.7 per 1,000) and deaths (3.8 per 1,000) alone would give +0.69% a year; net migration removes about 1,199 people a year (−0.42%). Roughly one in every 29,085 people on Earth lives in French Polynesia.
Population of French Polynesia since 1960
In 1960, French Polynesia had 83,671 people. By 2025 that was 282,465 — 3.4× larger. The fastest growth came between 1963 and 1973, when the population rose by 40%.
| Year | Population | Change vs previous row |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 83,671 | — |
| 1970 | 114,010 | +36.3% |
| 1980 | 156,471 | +37.2% |
| 1990 | 203,776 | +30.2% |
| 2000 | 240,337 | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 270,580 | +12.6% |
| 2020 | 279,209 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 282,465 | +1.2% |
French Polynesia from 1800 to 2100
Modelled estimates put French Polynesia at about 62,530 people in 1800; the UN estimates 282,468 in 2025 (5× 1800) and projects 186,869 for 2100 in its medium scenario. The population is projected to peak around 2040 at 289,177 and decline afterwards.
| Year | Population | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 62,530 | modelled estimate |
| 1850 | 62,000 | modelled estimate |
| 1900 | 30,000 | modelled estimate |
| 1950 | 64,360 | UN estimate |
| 2000 | 240,346 | UN estimate |
| 2025 | 282,468 | UN projection |
| 2050 | 284,761 | UN projection |
| 2075 | 240,871 | UN projection |
| 2100 | 186,869 | UN projection |
Country live/base figures use World Bank estimates; this historical/future chart uses a separate UN series and need not match the World Bank base in overlapping years. Before 1950: HYDE 3.3 / Gapminder reconstructions via Our World in Data — historical modelling, not censuses. 1950–2023: UN World Population Prospects 2024. 2024–2100: UN medium projection. Open the time machine to see the whole map in any year.
Largest listed places in French Polynesia
10 records sorted by displayed base population. Definitions vary (province/administrative unit, UN urban centre or GeoNames settlement); this is not a harmonised city ranking. Shares use World Bank 2025 country population 282,465. Dates and boundaries may differ. Overlapping entities are not summed.
| # | Place | Population | Definition | Share | Source / reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faaa | 29,851 | GeoNames settlement | 10.57% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 2 | Papeete | 26,357 | GeoNames settlement | 9.33% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 3 | Punaauia | 25,750 | GeoNames settlement | 9.12% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 4 | Pirae | 14,475 | GeoNames settlement | 5.12% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 5 | Mahina | 14,369 | GeoNames settlement | 5.09% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 6 | Paea | 12,084 | GeoNames settlement | 4.28% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 7 | Papao | 10,360 | GeoNames settlement | 3.67% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 8 | Arue | 9,458 | GeoNames settlement | 3.35% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 9 | Vaitoare | 5,946 | GeoNames settlement | 2.11% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 10 | Afaahiti | 5,186 | GeoNames settlement | 1.84% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
How French Polynesia compares
French Polynesia has almost the same population as Barbados (282,623).
| Rank | Country | Population | vs French Polynesia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #178 |  New Caledonia | 295,333 | +5% | compare → |
| #179 |  Barbados | 282,623 | +0% | compare → |
| #181 |  São Tomé and Príncipe | 240,254 | −15% | compare → |
| #182 |  Samoa | 219,306 | −22% | compare → |
Compare French Polynesia with any country →
Same region (East Asia & Pacific): China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand.
Explore around French Polynesia
Nearest countries
French Polynesia has no land border. Closest by distance:
American Samoa 46,029 · 6.1× smaller · compare- Samoa 219,306 · 1.3× smaller · compare
Tonga 103,742 · 2.7× smaller · compare
Fiji 933,154 · 3.3× the population · compare
In its region
French Polynesia is the 26th most populous of the 37 economies in East Asia & Pacific, holding 0.0% of the region's 2,367,527,180 people.
Rankings featuring French Polynesia
Cities
Faaa, Papeete, Punaauia, Pirae, Mahina, Paea, Papao, Arue — all French Polynesia's cities on the map.
World population history · The world when you were born · French Polynesia when you were born · Time machine · Embed this live counter on your site
About these numbers
Population, growth, birth and death rates, migration, density, age structure, life expectancy, fertility and GDP per capita come from the World Bank Indicators API (latest available year shown beside each figure). The live counter applies the annual growth rate continuously from 1 July 2025 — a model, not a measurement. City populations are the latest census or official estimate held by GeoNames and are not projected. Sub-city units are folded into their parent city.
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Read this country carefully
This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.