
French Polynesia


- Fighting social and territorial inequalities
- Supporting Polynesian economic development
- Accelerating the energy transition
Fighting social and territorial inequalities
Supporting Polynesian economic development
Accelerating the energy transition
French Polynesia is a French overseas collectivity more than 17,000 km from mainland France, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is spread over an area as large as Europe but is sparsely populated (fewer than 300,000 inhabitants). The 118 islands that make up French Polynesia, 67 of which are inhabited, are grouped into five archipelagos and are home to exceptional biodiversity.
Between 1962 and 1996, the Centre d’Expérimentation du Pacifique carried out nuclear weapons testing in French Polynesia. This had a profound impact on its economy, which had to reorient itself after the end of nuclear testing and the mass arrival in Papeete, the Tahitian capital, of people from other islands. But the fragmentation of its territory and its geographical distance isolate it from major markets and France, a situation that can penalize its economic activity.
Nonetheless, French Polynesia also has great wealth: a huge area of 5.5 million km² and strong tourist appeal. It also benefits from its blue economy: while fishing (which benefits from a large exclusive economic zone) and pearl farming have already proved their worth, its maritime potential is still insufficiently exploited.
The challenge of French Polynesia is to develop its territories in an equitable way. It must succeed in reducing inequalities and solving the employment and housing crisis.
AFD is a leading partner of French Polynesia. It works in partnership with the private and public sectors to promote economic, social and environmental development, using appropriate tools such as loans, guarantees, and advisory support.
The AFD French Polynesia field office is attached to the Pacific Ocean Regional Office.
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