Share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: Share of population living in urban areas was 61.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia is 61.6%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia peaked at 61.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 37.3%, in 1950.
That places French Polynesia 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 37.3% | — |
| 1955 | 39.3% | +5.2% |
| 1960 | 41.2% | +4.9% |
| 1965 | 43.2% | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 46.0% | +6.6% |
| 1975 | 48.7% | +5.9% |
| 1980 | 52.3% | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 52.2% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 54.1% | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 56.1% | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 56.4% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 56.3% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 58.5% | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 60.8% | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 61.6% | +1.3% |
French Polynesia compared with similar countries
- French Polynesia's 61.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 76.2%, 81% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- French Polynesia's 61.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 70.5%, 87% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 38.3% | 37.3% | 39.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 42.2% | 41.2% | 43.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 47.3% | 46.0% | 48.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 52.2% | 52.2% | 52.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 55.1% | 54.1% | 56.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 56.3% | 56.3% | 56.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 59.6% | 58.5% | 60.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 61.6% | 61.6% | 61.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near French Polynesia
More reference data data for French Polynesia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0148 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0132 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 69.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0603 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 0.0024 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 0.003 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Enteric 22.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0735 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia?
- Share of population living in urban areas in French Polynesia was 61.6% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas recorded in French Polynesia?
- The highest recorded value was 61.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in French Polynesia?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.3% in 1950.
- How does French Polynesia rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- French Polynesia ranks 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in French Polynesia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this French Polynesia data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.