Autonomy Day is a public holiday in French Polynesia, observed on June 29 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the annexation of the Kingdom of Tahiti in 1880.
French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France in the south-central Pacific Ocean, consisting of 118 small islands and atolls. People started to inhabit the islands about 3,000 years ago. In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan first sighted French Polynesia.
The British explorers first arrived in 1767, and the French arrived in 1768. In 1797, the London Missionary Society permanently settled in the islands and converted King and his subjects to Protestantism. French Catholic missionaries also arrived on the islands in 1834. About 54% of the population currently belongs to Protestant churches, and about 38% belongs to Catholic Churches.
In 1843, Tahiti became a French protectorate. On June 29, 1880, France annexed the island of Tahiti and its dependencies. France later annexed other islands and formed the French Colony of Oceania.
The following is the list of Autonomy Day in French Polynesia from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy Day | Jun 29, 2022 | Wednesday |
| Autonomy Day | Jun 29, 2023 | Thursday |
| Autonomy Day | Jun 29, 2024 | Saturday |
| Autonomy Day | Jun 29, 2025 | Sunday |
| Autonomy Day | Jun 29, 2026 | Monday |
Please check more public holidays in French Polynesia:
