Introduction
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.
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Geographic coordinates
15 00 S, 140 00 W
Area
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
water: 507 sq km
land: 3,660 sq km
Climate
tropical, but moderate
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Environment - current issues
NA
Environment - international agreements
NA
Geography - note
includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 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
Population
266,339 (July 2004 est.)