Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in United States instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

be 16.7% less likely to be obese

In French Polynesia, 49.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In United States, that number is 41.0% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.3 years less

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In United States, that number is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 64.0% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In United States, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.

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be 23.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In French Polynesia, 19.7% live below the poverty line as of 2009. In United States, however, that number is 15.1% as of 2010.

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make 4.0 times more money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $22,440 as of 2024, while in United States, the GDP per capita is $90,027 as of 2025.

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Life

be 25.0% more likely to die during infancy

In French Polynesia, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In United States, on the other hand, 5.5 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 30.2% more likely to have internet access

In French Polynesia, approximately 72.7% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In United States, about 94.7% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 7.9 times more coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In United States, that number is 19,924 km.

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Environment

emit 3.9 times more CO2

French Polynesia emits 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. United States emits 13.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: French Polynesia vs. United States

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
United States is 19.5% more expensive than French Polynesia overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
French Polynesia is about 2,360 times smaller than United States.
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Moving from French Polynesia to United States · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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United States: At a glance

United States (sometimes abbreviated US or USA) is a sovereign country in North America, with a total land area of approximately 9,147,593 sq km. Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.
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How big is United States compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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