| Païta | |
| Commune Status: | Commune |
| Province: | South Province |
| Map Size: | 270px |
| Adjustable Map: | Locator map of Païta 2018.png |
| Map Caption: | Location of the commune (in red) within New Caledonia |
| Insee: | 98821 |
| Postal Code: | 98890 |
| Mayor: | Maryline d'Arcangelo |
| Term: | 2024 - 2026 |
| Coordinates: | -22.1337°N 166.3505°W |
| Elevation M: | 30 |
| Elevation Min M: | 0 |
| Elevation Max M: | 1618 |
| Area Km2: | 699.7 |
| Population: | 24563 |
| Population Date: | 2019 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Ethnic: | Kanaks 22.31% Wallisians and Futunans 19.83% Europeans 19.74% Mixed 15.72% Other 22.4% |
| Ethnic Date: | 2019 census |
Païta (in French pronounced as /pajta/) is a commune in the suburbs of Nouméa in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. New Caledonia's international airport, La Tontouta International Airport, is located there.
Païta features a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw). The average annual temperature in Païta is . The average annual rainfall is with March as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in February, at around, and lowest in July, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Païta was on 4 March 1997; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 8 August 1957.
The Catholic church in the centre of Paita was built in 1875. The modern Cultural Centre in the High Street is used for various exhibitions and cultural performances. The Town Hall (Mairie) is close by.
About one mile from the town centre to the north, is the former railway station of the Nouméa-Païta railway where a small locomotive which was used until 1940 can be seen.[2]
In the southeast of Paita petroglyphs possibly dating from the 13th or 14th century B.C. can be seen on a rock at a small river. Some of the petroglyphs look similar to the sun or to flowers. From the road the place can be reached by cement stairs behind a wooden pavilion.[3]