Population in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: Population was 281,125 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
281,125 people
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
187th
of 239 countries
All-time high
281,125 people
in 2023
All-time low
30,000 people
in 1900
Years of data
83
1700–2023
Population in French Polynesia, 1700–2023
Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in French Polynesia is 281,125 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 83 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in French Polynesia peaked at 281,125 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 30,000 people, in 1900.
That places French Polynesia 187th out of 239 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 83 years of available data.
Population in French Polynesia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1700 | 56,840 people | — |
| 1800 | 62,530 people | +10.0% |
| 1843 | 66,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1850 | 62,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1900 | 30,000 people | -51.6% |
| 1926 | 36,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1931 | 40,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1936 | 44,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1946 | 55,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1950 | 64,360 people | +17.0% |
| 1951 | 65,925 people | +2.4% |
| 1952 | 67,638 people | +2.6% |
| 1953 | 69,505 people | +2.8% |
| 1954 | 71,577 people | +3.0% |
| 1955 | 73,862 people | +3.2% |
| 1956 | 76,343 people | +3.4% |
| 1957 | 78,456 people | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 80,162 people | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 81,912 people | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 83,689 people | +2.2% |
| 1961 | 85,452 people | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 87,278 people | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 89,748 people | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 92,834 people | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 96,033 people | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 99,336 people | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 102,769 people | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 106,369 people | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 110,119 people | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 114,027 people | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 117,959 people | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 121,900 people | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 125,912 people | +3.3% |
| 1974 | 129,974 people | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 134,055 people | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 138,135 people | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 142,321 people | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 146,835 people | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 151,582 people | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 156,485 people | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 161,519 people | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 166,650 people | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 171,758 people | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 176,480 people | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 181,003 people | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 185,685 people | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 190,462 people | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 195,208 people | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 199,650 people | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 203,780 people | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 207,755 people | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 211,570 people | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 215,229 people | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 218,747 people | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 222,128 people | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 225,500 people | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 229,132 people | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 232,898 people | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 236,606 people | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 240,346 people | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 244,107 people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 247,785 people | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 251,650 people | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 255,663 people | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 259,517 people | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 263,234 people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 266,448 people | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 268,390 people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 269,494 people | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 270,590 people | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 271,734 people | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 273,092 people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 274,736 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 276,391 people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 277,877 people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 279,180 people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 280,096 people | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 279,823 people | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 279,040 people | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 279,218 people | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 279,808 people | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 280,388 people | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 281,125 people | +0.3% |
French Polynesia compared with similar countries
- French Polynesia's 281,125 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.98 million people, 9% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- French Polynesia's 281,125 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.38 million people, 20% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population in French Polynesia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -51.6% | 62,000 people | 30,000 people |
| 1946 | +25.0% | 44,000 people | 55,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1700s | 56,840 people | 56,840 people | 56,840 people | 1 |
| 1800s | 62,530 people | 62,530 people | 62,530 people | 1 |
| 1840s | 66,000 people | 66,000 people | 66,000 people | 1 |
| 1850s | 62,000 people | 62,000 people | 62,000 people | 1 |
| 1900s | 30,000 people | 30,000 people | 30,000 people | 1 |
| 1920s | 36,000 people | 36,000 people | 36,000 people | 1 |
| 1930s | 42,000 people | 40,000 people | 44,000 people | 2 |
| 1940s | 55,000 people | 55,000 people | 55,000 people | 1 |
| 1950s | 72,974 people | 64,360 people | 81,912 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 95,363 people | 83,689 people | 110,119 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 132,270 people | 114,027 people | 151,582 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 178,490 people | 156,485 people | 199,650 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 220,334 people | 203,780 people | 236,606 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 256,663 people | 240,346 people | 269,494 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 276,256 people | 270,590 people | 280,096 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 280,135 people | 279,218 people | 281,125 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near French Polynesia
- 184 French Guiana 303,408 people compare
- 185 New Caledonia 289,879 people compare
- 186 Barbados 282,347 people compare
- 188 Sao Tome and Principe 230,882 people compare
- 189 Samoa 216,673 people compare
- 190 Netherlands Antilles 198,009 people compare
More population data for French Polynesia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6605 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8205 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.1% (2100)
- Population density 53.84 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6,044 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.1% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 0.2972 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in French Polynesia?
- Population in French Polynesia was 281,125 people in 2023, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in French Polynesia?
- The highest recorded value was 281,125 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in French Polynesia?
- The lowest recorded value was 30,000 people in 1900.
- How does French Polynesia rank for population?
- French Polynesia ranks 187th out of 239 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in French Polynesia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this French Polynesia data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 83 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Population by country, available from 10,000 BCE to 2023, based on data and estimates from different sources.