THE COAST OF FAA\'A (TAHITI) IN 1955 AND TODAY

In 1955 the coastline of Faa\'a was bordered by a shallow and still natural lagoon. On Motu Tahiri, an airfield served as a base for the seaplanes that served Tahiti. The motu will serve as a support for the construction of the Tahiti-Faa\'a international airport, inaugurated in 1961. The airport is located on the backfilled lagoon and spreads over almost the entire seaside of the Commune of Faa \'at. Welcoming almost 1.5 million passengers in 2019, it is the main point of entry into Polynesia and domestic service to the islands.

The sector around the airport is now highly urbanized and Faa\'a is the most populated municipality in Polynesia with around 30,000 inhabitants, significantly more than Papeete and Punaauia (INSEE, 2017).