PAPEETE

commune, capital of French Polynesia, lying on the northwest coast of Tahiti. A gracious tropical city with tall palms and abundant flowers, Papeete is one of the largest urban centres in the South Pacific. Its excellent harbour made it, by 1829, a place of trade and a favourite port of call for whalers. After annexation by the French (1880), it was made the seat of the governor, and in 1890 it became a commune. Papeete is now a major stop for transpacific ships and airlines, with modern harbour facilities and, at nearby Faaa, a jet airport. Copra, sugarcane, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, and coffee are exported. It is a major tourist base serving both Tahiti and the other French Polynesian islands. A power plant supplies electricity for the island. The suburbs of Papeete grew rapidly in the early and mid-1970s, with an influx of people from other parts of French Polynesia. The population also includes Chinese and Europeans. Pop. (1983) 23,496.