Administrative divisions of French Polynesia


In French Polynesia, there are two levels of administrative divisions: five administrative subdivisions and 48 communes. Many of the communes are further subdivided into communes associées. The breakdown into administrative subdivisions was as a result of the law #71-1028, dated December 24, 1971. The compositions of the administrative subdivisions and the communes were defined in the decrees #72-408 and #72-407 of May 17, 1972, respectively. These subdivisions were confirmed in the decree #2005-1611 of December 20, 2005. Below are several lists of the divisions, according to different sorting schemes.

Administrative subdivisions

NameFrench nameOfficial French nameNotesAdministrative seatArea Population
Windward IslandsÎles du Ventla subdivision administrative des îles du Ventpart of the Society IslandsPapeete1,194.1207,333
Leeward IslandsÎles Sous-le-Ventla subdivision administrative des îles Sous-le-Ventpart of the Society IslandsUturoa403.535,393
Marquesas IslandsÎles Marquisesla subdivision administrative des îles Marquisesa northeastern Polynesian outlierNuku-Hiva1,049.39,346
Austral IslandsÎles Australesla subdivision administrative des îles Australesincludes the Bass IslandsTubuai147.86,965
Tuamotu-GambierÎles Tuamotu-Gambierla subdivision administrative des îles Tuamotu-GambierPapeete726.516,881
French PolynesiaPapeete3,521.2275,918

By communes

NameSubdivisionINSEE codeAdministrative seatArea Population
Fatu-HivaMarquesas Islands98718Omo'a85.0612
Hiva-OaMarquesas Islands98723Atuona326.52,243
Nuku-HivaMarquesas Islands98731Taiohae387.82,951
TahuataMarquesas Islands98746Vaitahu61.0653
Ua-HukaMarquesas Islands98756Hane83.4674
Ua-PouMarquesas Islands98757Hakahau105.62,213
AnaaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98711Tuuhora55.7811
ArutuaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98713Rautini46.01,664
FakaravaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98716Rotoava110.01,637
FangatauÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98717Teana14.3296
GambierÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98719Rikitea46.01,535
HaoÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98720Otepa65.01,258
HikueruÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98721Tupapati15.2275
MakemoÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98726Pouheva93.01,508
ManihiÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98727Paeua25.21,141
NapukaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98730Tepuka-Maruia12.1284
NukutavakeÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98732Tavava12.3295
Puka-PukaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98737Teone-Mahina8.0163
RangiroaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98740Tiputa144.53,657
ReaoÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98742Rapuarava18.0587
TakaroaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98749Te Havaroa35.01,175
TatakotoÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98751Tumukuru7.3259
TureiaÎles Tuamotu-Gambier98755Hakamaru19.2336
RaivavaeAustral Islands98739Rairua20.4903
RapaAustral Islands98741Ahurei40.6507
RimataraAustral Islands98743Amaru9.1872
RurutuAustral Islands98744Moerai32.82,466
TubuaiAustral Islands98753Mataura45.02,217
Bora-BoraLeeward Islands98714Vaitape40.310,549
HuahineLeeward Islands98724Fare74.86,075
MaupitiLeeward Islands98728Maupiti11.41,286
TahaaLeeward Islands98745Patio90.25,234
TaputapuateaLeeward Islands98750Taputapuatea88.54,792
TumaraaLeeward Islands98754Tumaraa63.23,721
UturoaLeeward Islands98758Uturoa35.13,736
ArueWindward Islands98712Arue20.510,243
FaaaWindward Islands98715Faaa34.229,506
Hitiaa O Te RaWindward Islands98722Tiarei218.210,033
MahinaWindward Islands98725Mahina51.614,763
Moorea-MaiaoWindward Islands98729Afareaitu141.817,816
PaeaWindward Islands98733Paea64.513,021
PaparaWindward Islands98734Papara92.511,680
PapeeteWindward Islands98735Papeete17.426,926
PiraeWindward Islands98736Pirae35.414,209
PunaauiaWindward Islands98738Punaauia75.928,103
Taiarapu-EstWindward Islands98747Afaahiti218.312,701
Taiarapu-OuestWindward Islands98748Vairao104.38,078
Teva I UtaWindward Islands98752Mataiea119.510,254
French PolynesiaPapeete3521.2275,918

Area statistics

The communes of French Polynesia have the following statistical info:
The average size of French Polynesian communes is 78.06 km2, while the median area is 55.4 km2, higher than the average and median areas of metropolitan French communes, but the size of these communes is predominantly dependent on the land area of the islands they occupy.

Population statistics

The communes of French Polynesia have the following statistical info:
The average commune population is 5,725, while the median is 2,268, much higher than the average and median metropolitan French commune.
Sources :
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