Paea


Paea is a commune in the suburbs of Papeete in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. Paea is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, themselves part of the Society Islands. At the 2017 census it had a population of 13,021.
Tahiti's west coast freeway runs through Paea and ends in Teahupoo down south. Going northbound would take drivers toward Papeete.
The area of Paea was first settled by Polynesian explorers. Captain James Cook had arrived in 1769. Paea was part of the Kingdom of Tahiti until France claimed the islands of French Polynesia. The Faaa International Airport was built in 1962 and opened later on. The now defunct Air Moorea's flight 1121 crashed while it was flying to Moorea. Close to where the crash site is a rock with all the names of the people killed.
Moorea is north of Paea and is seen as a gray mound sticking out of the Pacific Ocean. Mount Orohena is a major mountain nearby measuring 7,330 feet tall.

Population