Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
French Polynesia is 24% bigger than Samoa
French Polynesia: 3,521 km² (2024) · Samoa: 2,840 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
French Polynesia’s coastline is 6.3 times as long as Samoa’s
French Polynesia: 2,525 km (2026 edition) · Samoa: 403 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
French Polynesia’s highest peak towers 384 m above Samoa’s
French Polynesia: 2,241 m (2026 edition) · Samoa: 1,857 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 18% of Samoa, versus 8.1% of French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 8.1% (2024) · Samoa: 17.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
French Polynesia has 29% more people than Samoa
French Polynesia: 282,465 (2025) · Samoa: 219,306 (2025)
How crowded is it?
French Polynesia is 2% more densely populated than Samoa
French Polynesia: 80 per km² (2025) · Samoa: 79 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in French Polynesia are 3.9 cm taller than in Samoa
French Polynesia: 178.3 cm (2019) · Samoa: 174.4 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in French Polynesia are 2.7 cm taller than in Samoa
French Polynesia: 166.5 cm (2019) · Samoa: 163.8 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in French Polynesia is 15 years older than in Samoa
French Polynesia: 34.8 years (2023) · Samoa: 19.9 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Samoa have 2.3 more children on average than in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 1.49 children per woman (2024) · Samoa: 3.8 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
12% of people in French Polynesia are 65 or older, versus 6.1% in Samoa
French Polynesia: 11.9% (2025) · Samoa: 6.1% (2025)
How many official languages?
Samoa has 2 official languages, French Polynesia 1
French Polynesia: 1 (2026) · Samoa: 2 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
French Polynesia’s economy is 4.9 times the size of Samoa’s
French Polynesia: $6.32 billion (2024) · Samoa: $1.29 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: Int$9,319 (2025)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 12% in French Polynesia, versus 5.0% in Samoa
French Polynesia: 11.7% (2025) · Samoa: 5% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 24% (2023)
How expensive is it?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 63% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: $293 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in French Polynesia live 12 years longer than in Samoa
French Polynesia: 84.2 years (2024) · Samoa: 71.8 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 12.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 0.6 per 1,000 (2021)
How common is suicide?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 12.1 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
63% of adults in Samoa are obese, versus 50% in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 49.5% (2024) · Samoa: 63.2% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 23.1% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How much do people drink?
Adults in French Polynesia drink 2.5 times as much alcohol as in Samoa
French Polynesia: 7.4 litres (2023) · Samoa: 2.9 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Samoa has 11% more meat per person than French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 98.5 kg (2023) · Samoa: 109 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Samoa has 72 kcal more food per person per day than French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 3,045 kcal (2023) · Samoa: 3,116 kcal (2023)
How long do people go to school?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 11.3 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
French Polynesia welcomed 3.4 times as many tourists per resident as Samoa (2019)
French Polynesia: 0.78 (2022) · Samoa: 0.23 (2022)
How many World Heritage sites?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 0 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 1 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
73% of people in French Polynesia are online, versus 21% in Samoa
French Polynesia: 73% (2017) · Samoa: 21% (2014)
How fast is home internet?
French Polynesia: 101 Mbps (2026) · Samoa: no data
Who has electricity at home?
French Polynesia and Samoa are practically level
French Polynesia: 100% (2024) · Samoa: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
62% of people in French Polynesia live in cities, versus 18% in Samoa
French Polynesia: 62% (2025) · Samoa: 18% (2025)
How many phones per person?
French Polynesia has 119 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Samoa 62
French Polynesia: 119 (2023) · Samoa: 62 (2022)
How much do they fly?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 0.19 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 58% of Samoa, but only 42% of French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 42.4% (2024) · Samoa: 57.6% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in French Polynesia emits 2.9 times as much CO₂ as someone in Samoa
French Polynesia: 3.3 t (2024) · Samoa: 1.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
44% of Samoa’s electricity is renewable, versus 35% in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 34.7% (2024) · Samoa: 43.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Samoa carries 14% more fine dust than in French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 3.6 µg/m³ (2024) · Samoa: 4.1 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 6.3 per 100k (2018)
How dangerous are the roads?
French Polynesia: no data · Samoa: 12.8 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
French Polynesia and Samoa are practically level
French Polynesia: 25.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · Samoa: 25.5°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Samoa gets 75% more rain than French Polynesia
French Polynesia: 1,719 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Samoa: 3,005 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is French Polynesia bigger than Samoa?
French Polynesia is larger. French Polynesia is 24% bigger than Samoa.
Which has more people, French Polynesia or Samoa?
French Polynesia has 29% more people than Samoa (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, French Polynesia or Samoa?
People in French Polynesia live 12 years longer than in Samoa. Life expectancy at birth is 84.2 years in French Polynesia and 71.8 in Samoa.
Are people taller in French Polynesia or Samoa?
Men in French Polynesia are 3.9 cm taller than in Samoa (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).