The Colony of French Oceania (now the Territory of French Polynesia), comprising of 130 basalt and coral islands scattered among five archipelagoes in the South Pacific, has an area of 1,544 sq, mi. (3,999 sq. km.) and a population of about 185,000, mostly Polynesians. Capital: Papeete. The colony produced phosphates, copra and vanilla. ,Tahiti of the Society Islands, the hub of French Oceania, was visited by Capt. Cook in 1769 and by Capt. Bligh in the Bounty 1788-89. The Society Islands were claimed by France in 1768, and in 1903 grouped with the Marquesas Islands, the Tuamonte Archipelago, the Gambier Islands and the Astral Islands under a single administrative head located at Papeete, Tahiti, to form the colony of French Oceania.,, Rulers:,,, ,French,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Franc = 100 Centimes,,