Slight population growth in French Polynesia despite an unprecedented migration deficit

At 22 August 2012, French Polynesia had 268,207 inhabitants. In Tahiti, the population is moving from the cities towards outlying towns. In the archipelagos, the population of the Austral and Marquesas Islands grew, while that of Tuamotu stagnated. Since 2007 the population has increased by 8500. Net migration is strongly in deficit: the difference between the number of people leaving French Polynesia and the number of arrivals was 7700 over a 5-year period. Furthermore, the fertility rate has been divided by almost two in twenty-five years, settling at two children per woman. Against the backdrop of the economic crisis, the unemployment rate as measured by the census has almost doubled in five years: from 11.7% in 2007, it stood at 21.8% in 2012. Young and less-qualified people are the most affected. Average household size continued to fall and the comfort of housing improved further, with the more widespread availability of the internet, digital TV and mobile phone networks.