Geography and Environment

Geography and Environment of French Polynesia

Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of French Polynesia.

Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Climate: tropical, but moderate
Weather Patterns: http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/FPXX0001?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
Highest Point: 2241 — Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources: Timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower, and cultivated pearls. French Polynesia's most commercially significant natural resource is its vast marine environment, which supports both deep-sea fishing and the world-renowned black pearl cultivation industry centered in the Tuamotu Archipelago. The territory's forests provide limited timber, while its mountainous islands offer hydropower potential that contributes to local energy generation. Cobalt deposits exist within the exclusive economic zone, though large-scale extraction remains undeveloped. The surrounding Pacific Ocean also holds potential mineral wealth in the form of deep-sea polymetallic nodules.
Natural Hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January

Detailed geography