Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Puerto Rico instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

live 3.2 years longer

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022. In Puerto Rico, that number is 82 years (78 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 2.3 times more money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $18,600 as of 2021, while in Puerto Rico, the GDP per capita is $43,000 as of 2023.

be 49.1% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Puerto Rico, that number is 6.0% as of 2023.

Life

be 37.3% 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 Puerto Rico, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2022.

have 42.1% fewer children

In French Polynesia, there are approximately 13.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Puerto Rico, there are 7.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Geography

see 80.2% less coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In Puerto Rico, that number is 501 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Puerto Rico: At a glance

Puerto Rico is a territory in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 8,959 sq km. Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Christopher COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status with the US, but the results of a 2012 vote left open the possibility of American statehood.
Read more

How big is Puerto Rico compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Puerto Rico.or French Polynesia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.