Geographic description
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Map source: Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000, base map: ESRI
French Polynesia is an overseas territory of France in the South Pacific Ocean, located about 3 000 km south of Hawaii and about half way between New Zealand and South America. The territory is made up of more than 120 islands scattered over an area about the size of Western Europe. These islands consist of the Austral, Gambier, Marquesas, Society, and Tuamotu groups. The islands have a combined land area of 3 521 km2.
About 35 islands are of volcanic origin; the rest are low-lying coral atolls. The topography of the volcanic islands is extremely rugged, with high peaks, knife-edged ridges, and near-vertical descents into narrow valleys. Mount Orohena on Tahiti is the highest peak, with an elevation of 2 241 m.
French Polynesia has a mild tropical climate, with an average temperature of 27° C. There is a warm rainy season from November to April and a cooler season from May to October. The Marquesas Islands are the driest archipelago, while the Austral Islands are the wettest. Cyclones occasionally occur throughout the territory but are less common than elsewhere in the South Pacific.