French Polynesia:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of French Polynesia:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Location	Definition Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia
Geographic coordinates	Definition 15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references	Definition Oceania
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries	Definition 0 km
Coastline	Definition 2,525 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate	Definition tropical, but moderate
Terrain	Definition mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources	Definition timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards	Definition occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues	Definition NA
Geography - note	Definition includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

French Polynesia: Geography

French Polynesia:
Geography