French Polynesia's cities at a glance
French Polynesia has 0 with more than 100,000 (city-proper figures). The largest is Faaa with 29,851 people, followed by Papeete (26,357) and Punaauia (25,750). The three largest cities together hold about 28.9% of the country's 284,000 people.
The capital, Papeete, is the 2nd largest city with 26,357 people — Faaa is 1.1× larger.
By region, the most large cities are in Îles du Vent (3).
Country-level figures — live population, births and deaths, growth, density and history — are on the French Polynesia population page; provinces, terrain, rivers and society maps are in the French Polynesia atlas.
French Polynesia cities by population
| # | City | Region | Population | Share of French Polynesia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faaa | Îles du Vent | 29,851 | 10.5% |
| 2 | PapeeteCapital | Îles du Vent | 26,357 | 9.3% |
| 3 | Punaauia | Îles du Vent | 25,750 | 9.1% |
Cities with 300,000 or more people link to their own page. The list keeps every city of 100,000+ and at least the 30 largest places of the country.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest city in French Polynesia?
Faaa, with about 29,851 inhabitants (city proper). It is larger than the capital, Papeete (26,357).
What is the capital of French Polynesia?
Papeete — population 26,357, the 2nd largest city in the country.
How many cities in French Polynesia have over one million people?
None — the largest, Faaa, has 29,851 people.
Are these metropolitan-area populations?
No. They are city-proper figures (the administrative city) from GeoNames, based on the latest census or official estimate. Metropolitan areas, which include suburbs and satellite towns, are larger — often several times larger for the biggest cities.
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SamoaCite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Largest Cities in French Polynesia 2026: Population Ranking. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/french-polynesia/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/french-polynesia/">Largest Cities in French Polynesia 2026: Population Ranking</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.