# Administrative divisions of French Polynesia

In French Polynesia, there are two levels of administrative divisions: five administrative subdivisions (French: subdivisions administratives) and 48 communes. Many of the communes are further subdivided into communes associées. The breakdown into administrative subdivisions was as a result of the law #71-1028, dated December 24, 1971. The compositions of the administrative subdivisions and the communes were defined in the decrees #72-408 and #72-407 of May 17, 1972, respectively. These subdivisions were confirmed in the decree #2005-1611 of December 20, 2005. 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) |
| Windward Islands | Îles du Vent | la subdivision administrative des îles du Vent | part of the Society Islands | Papeete | 1,194.1 | 207,333 |
| Leeward Islands | Îles Sous-le-Vent | la subdivision administrative des îles Sous-le-Vent | part of the Society Islands | Uturoa | 403.5 | 35,393 |
| Marquesas Islands | Îles Marquises | la subdivision administrative des îles Marquises | a northeastern Polynesian outlier | Nuku-Hiva | 1,049.3 | 9,346 |
| Austral Islands | Îles Australes | la subdivision administrative des îles Australes | includes the Bass Islands | Tubuai | 147.8 | 6,965 |
| Tuamotu-Gambier | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | la subdivision administrative des îles Tuamotu-Gambier | | Papeete | 726.5 | 16,881 |
| French Polynesia | | | | Papeete | 3,521.2 | 275,918 |

### Communes

| Name | Subdivision | INSEE code | Administrative seat | Area (km$^2$) | Population (2017) |
| Fatu-Hiva | Marquesas Islands | 98718 | Omo'a | 85.0 | 612 |
| Hiva-Oa | Marquesas Islands | 98723 | Atuona | 326.5 | 2,243 |
| Nuku-Hiva | Marquesas Islands | 98731 | Taiohae | 387.8 | 2,951 |
| Tahuata | Marquesas Islands | 98746 | Vaitahu | 61.0 | 653 |
| Ua-Huka | Marquesas Islands | 98756 | Hane | 83.4 | 674 |
| Ua-Pou | Marquesas Islands | 98757 | Hakahau | 105.6 | 2,213 |
| Anaa | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98711 | Tuuhora | 55.7 | 811 |
| Arutua | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98713 | Rautini | 46.0 | 1,664 |
| Fakarava | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98716 | Rotoava | 110.0 | 1,637 |
| Fangatau | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98717 | Teana | 14.3 | 296 |
| Gambier | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98719 | Rikitea | 46.0 | 1,535 |
| Hao | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98720 | Otepa | 65.0 | 1,258 |
| Hikueru | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98721 | Tupapati | 15.2 | 275 |
| Makemo | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98726 | Pouheva | 93.0 | 1,508 |
| Manihi | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98727 | Paeua | 25.2 | 1,141 |
| Napuka | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98730 | Tepuka-Maruia | 12.1 | 284 |
| Nukutavake | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98732 | Tavava | 12.3 | 295 |
| Puka-Puka | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98737 | Teone-Mahina | 8.0 | 163 |
| Rangiroa | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98740 | Tiputa | 144.5 | 3,657 |
| Reao | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98742 | Rapuarava | 18.0 | 587 |
| Takaroa | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98749 | Te Havaroa | 35.0 | 1,175 |
| Tatakoto | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98751 | Tumukuru | 7.3 | 259 |
| Tureia | Îles Tuamotu-Gambier | 98755 | Hakamaru | 19.2 | 336 |
| Raivavae | Austral Islands | 98739 | Rairua | 20.4 | 903 |
| Rapa | Austral Islands | 98741 | Ahurei | 40.6 | 507 |
| Rimatara | Austral Islands | 98743 | Amaru | 9.1 | 872 |
| Rurutu | Austral Islands | 98744 | Moerai | 32.8 | 2,466 |
| Tubuai | Austral Islands | 98753 | Mataura | 45.0 | 2,217 |
| Bora-Bora | Leeward Islands | 98714 | Vaitape | 40.3 | 10,549 |
| Huahine | Leeward Islands | 98724 | Fare | 74.8 | 6,075 |
| Maupiti | Leeward Islands | 98728 | Maupiti | 11.4 | 1,286 |
| Tahaa | Leeward Islands | 98745 | Patio | 90.2 | 5,234 |
| Taputapuatea | Leeward Islands | 98750 | Taputapuatea | 88.5 | 4,792 |
| Tumaraa | Leeward Islands | 98754 | Tumaraa | 63.2 | 3,721 |
| Uturoa | Leeward Islands | 98758 | Uturoa | 35.1 | 3,736 |
| Arue | Windward Islands | 98712 | Arue | 20.5 | 10,243 |
| Faaa | Windward Islands | 98715 | Faaa | 34.2 | 29,506 |
| Hitiaa O Te Ra | Windward Islands | 98722 | Tiarei | 218.2 | 10,033 |
| Mahina | Windward Islands | 98725 | Mahina | 51.6 | 14,763 |
| Moorea-Maiao | Windward Islands | 98729 | Afareaitu | 141.8 | 17,816 |
| Paea | Windward Islands | 98733 | Paea | 64.5 | 13,021 |
| Papara | Windward Islands | 98734 | Papara | 92.5 | 11,680 |
| Papeete | Windward Islands | 98735 | Papeete | 17.4 | 26,926 |
| Pirae | Windward Islands | 98736 | Pirae | 35.4 | 14,209 |
| Punaauia | Windward Islands | 98738 | Punaauia | 75.9 | 28,103 |
| Taiarapu-Est | Windward Islands | 98747 | Afaahiti | 218.3 | 12,701 |
| Taiarapu-Ouest | Windward Islands | 98748 | Vairao | 104.3 | 8,078 |
| Teva I Uta | Windward Islands | 98752 | Mataiea | 119.5 | 10,254 |
| French Polynesia | | | Papeete | 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.

#### Area statistics

The communes of French Polynesia have the following statistical info: The average size of French Polynesian communes is 78.06 km$^2$, while the median area is 55.4 km$^2$, higher than the average and median areas of metropolitan French communes (14.88 km$^2$ and 10.73 km$^2$, 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. (Feb 1962). "Urbanization in French Polynesia". Land Economics. 1. 38: 71–75. doi:10.2307/3144728. JSTOR 3144728.