Administrative divisions of French Polynesia explained

In French Polynesia, there are two levels of administrative divisions: five administrative subdivisions (French: subdivisions administratives) and 48 communes.^{[1] [2]} Many of the communes are further subdivided into communes associées.^[2] The breakdown into administrative subdivisions was as a result of the law #71-1028, dated December 24, 1971.^[3] The compositions of the administrative subdivisions and the communes were defined in the decrees #72-408 and #72-407 of May 17, 1972, respectively.^{[4] [5]} These subdivisions were confirmed in the decree #2005-1611 of December 20, 2005.^[6] Below are several lists of the divisions, according to different sorting schemes.

List of division level types

Administrative subdivisions

Name	French name	Official French name	Notes	Administrative seat	Area (km^2)	Population (2017)^[7]
	Îles du Vent	la subdivision administrative des îles du Vent			1,194.1	207,333
	Îles Sous-le-Vent	la subdivision administrative des îles Sous-le-Vent			403.5	35,393
	Îles Marquises	la subdivision administrative des îles Marquises	a northeastern Polynesian outlier		1,049.3	9,346
	Îles Australes	la subdivision administrative des îles Australes			147.8	6,965
	Îles Tuamotu-Gambier	la subdivision administrative des îles Tuamotu-Gambier			726.5	16,881
					3,521.2	275,918

Communes

Name	Subdivision	INSEE code	Administrative seat	Area (km^2)^[8]	Population (2017)
		98718		85.0	612
		98723		326.5	2,243
		98731		387.8	2,951
		98746		61.0	653
		98756		83.4	674
		98757		105.6	2,213
		98711		55.7	811
		98713		46.0	1,664
		98716		110.0	1,637
		98717		14.3	296
		98719		46.0	1,535
		98720		65.0	1,258
		98721		15.2	275
		98726		93.0	1,508
		98727		25.2	1,141
		98730		12.1	284
		98732		12.3	295
		98737		8.0	163
		98740		144.5	3,657
		98742		18.0	587
		98749		35.0	1,175
		98751		7.3	259
		98755		19.2	336
		98739		20.4	903
		98741		40.6	507
		98743		9.1	872
		98744		32.8	2,466
		98753		45.0	2,217
		98714		40.3	10,549
		98724		74.8	6,075
		98728		11.4	1,286
		98745		90.2	5,234
		98750		88.5	4,792
		98754		63.2	3,721
		98758		35.1	3,736
		98712		20.5	10,243
		98715		34.2	29,506
		98722		218.2	10,033
		98725		51.6	14,763
		98729		141.8	17,816
		98733		64.5	13,021
		98734		92.5	11,680
		98735		17.4	26,926
		98736		35.4	14,209
		98738		75.9	28,103
		98747		218.3	12,701
		98748		104.3	8,078
		98752		119.5	10,254
				3521.2	275,918

Notes

For French administrative convenience, Clipperton Island had been attached to French Polynesia until February 20, 2007, but never formed part of any administrative subdivision or commune of French Polynesia. On February 21, 2007, Clipperton Island was transferred from the High Commissioner of the republic in French Polynesia to the Minister of Overseas France.^{[9] [10] [11]}

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 (14.88 km² and 10.73 km², respectively), 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 (1,542 and 380, respectively).

Sources :

• https://web.archive.org/web/20060424072420/http://www.polynesie-francaise.gouv.fr/
• Schmiff. Robert C.. Urbanization in French Polynesia. Land Economics. Feb 1962. 38. 1. 71–75. 3144728. 10.2307/3144728.

See also

• Administrative divisions of France
• Lists of communes of France
• French Polynesia

Sources

• Gov

Notes and References

1. https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2028040#polynesie-francaise Codification des collectivités d'outre-mer (COM)
2. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/loi/2004/2/27/DOMX0300087L/jo/texte Loi n° 2004-193 du 27 février 2004 complétant le statut d'autonomie de la Polynésie française (1)
3. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000693681&categorieLien=id Loi n°71-1028 du 24 décembre 1971 relative à la création at à l'organisation des communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française
4. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000333928 Décret n°72-408 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de subdivisions administratives dans le territoire de la Polynésie française
5. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000695062 Décret n°72-407 du 17 mai 1972 portant création de communes dans le territoire de la Polynésie française
6. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/decret/2005/12/20/DOMA0500013D/jo/texte Décret n° 2005-1611 du 20 décembre 2005 pris pour l'application du statut d'autonomie de la Polynésie française
7. http://www.ispf.pf/docs/default-source/rp2017/repart_poplegale_communes_2017_v3.pdf Répartition de la population en Polynésie française en 2017
8. Web site: R1- Population sans doubles comptes, des subdivisions, communes et communes associées de Polynésie française, de 1971 à 1996. Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française. 2019-03-14. 2012-11-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20121114000509/http://www.ispf.pf/Libraries/RP1996/r1.sflb.ashx. dead.
9. Web site: Ben Cahoon . French Minor Dependencies . Worldstatesmen.org .
10. Web site: France . Themes.
11. Web site: French Polynesia . Data .