Geography: Tahiti is the largest of the islands of the French Polynesia. It is in an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia.
Currency: Cour de Franc Pacifique (CFP) also known as the Pacific Franc.
National Symbol: Outrigger Canoe
National Anthem: "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui)
Language: French
Area Comparison: The French Polynesia is slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Distance from Pittsburgh: 9,647km or 5,994miles
Terrain: The French Polynesia is a mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Highest Point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Weather You Should Expect: The climate is tropical, but moderate. The daily temperatures are in the 70's and 80's almost all year round! December to February is the hottest, most humid and rainiest time.
What You Must See: hough a fairly young city, Papeete has several places which are a must visit while here. For shopping and collecting artifacts, go to the Marche de Papeete or Papeete Market which is colorful place that covers a whole block and has two floors. There are a number of churches to visit, but the most popular is the Eglise Evangelique de Polynesie Francaise which is a large pink church built in 1818. There is also the Cathedrale de I’Immaculee which is in the center of town and was built with stones imported from Australia and granite from the Gambier Archipelago in 1875. The Pearl Museum or Musee de la Perle, in the Vaima Centre is another must visit place. Built by Robert Wan, a pearl magnate, this museum not only covers the history of pearl cultivation, but also cultivation techniques and the business aspect of pearl trading. Another place is Bain Loti or Loti’s Bath. Described in Pierre Loti’s novel Le Mariage de Loti, this place is a favorite meeting spot for locals as well as a swimming pool. If you are interested in catching up on some of Tahiti’s rich history visit the Tomb of Pomare V, who ceded Tahiti to France. Made from coral boulders, this tomb was originally his mother’s before he exhumed her body to make this tomb his own.
Historical Fact: 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.
Science Trivia: Tahiti is known for Breadfruit, a nutritious starchy melon weighing between two to five pounds. Although it is a fruit, it's light yellow flesh has the starchy consistency of unripe potatoes which makes it seem more like a vegetable. As the breadfruit ripens it softens to about the consistency of a mango but without the sweetness.The reason for the name "breadfruit" is that when eaten before it is ripe, breadfruit not only feels like fresh bread, but also tastes like it.
Interesting Fact: Tahiti is known for handmade crafts such as pandanus baskets, tapa - cloth decorations, tiki statues, ukelales, and hand-painted pareus (a fabric wrap worn as a skirt), and soaps and lotions made from monoi coconut oil.
Fun Fact: Red and white are traditional Polynesian colors
Everything You Need to Know About the Flag:
Currency: Cour de Franc Pacifique (CFP) also known as the Pacific Franc.
National Symbol: Outrigger Canoe
National Anthem: "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui)
Language: French
Area Comparison: The French Polynesia is slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Distance from Pittsburgh: 9,647km or 5,994miles
Terrain: The French Polynesia is a mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Highest Point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Weather You Should Expect: The climate is tropical, but moderate. The daily temperatures are in the 70's and 80's almost all year round! December to February is the hottest, most humid and rainiest time.
What You Must See: hough a fairly young city, Papeete has several places which are a must visit while here. For shopping and collecting artifacts, go to the Marche de Papeete or Papeete Market which is colorful place that covers a whole block and has two floors. There are a number of churches to visit, but the most popular is the Eglise Evangelique de Polynesie Francaise which is a large pink church built in 1818. There is also the Cathedrale de I’Immaculee which is in the center of town and was built with stones imported from Australia and granite from the Gambier Archipelago in 1875. The Pearl Museum or Musee de la Perle, in the Vaima Centre is another must visit place. Built by Robert Wan, a pearl magnate, this museum not only covers the history of pearl cultivation, but also cultivation techniques and the business aspect of pearl trading. Another place is Bain Loti or Loti’s Bath. Described in Pierre Loti’s novel Le Mariage de Loti, this place is a favorite meeting spot for locals as well as a swimming pool. If you are interested in catching up on some of Tahiti’s rich history visit the Tomb of Pomare V, who ceded Tahiti to France. Made from coral boulders, this tomb was originally his mother’s before he exhumed her body to make this tomb his own.
Historical Fact: 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.
Science Trivia: Tahiti is known for Breadfruit, a nutritious starchy melon weighing between two to five pounds. Although it is a fruit, it's light yellow flesh has the starchy consistency of unripe potatoes which makes it seem more like a vegetable. As the breadfruit ripens it softens to about the consistency of a mango but without the sweetness.The reason for the name "breadfruit" is that when eaten before it is ripe, breadfruit not only feels like fresh bread, but also tastes like it.
Interesting Fact: Tahiti is known for handmade crafts such as pandanus baskets, tapa - cloth decorations, tiki statues, ukelales, and hand-painted pareus (a fabric wrap worn as a skirt), and soaps and lotions made from monoi coconut oil.
Fun Fact: Red and white are traditional Polynesian colors
Everything You Need to Know About the Flag:
The flag has two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio. Centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half and a Polynesian canoe rides on the wave pattern. The canoe has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups.
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