How Do People Survive on Tahiti Island?

Water

Unlike a number of islands in the South Pacific, Tahiti is large enough that it has natural, freshwater sources. There are springs and streams on the island, so access to water has never been a survival issue on the island. An example is the fast-moving Papenoo on the north side of the island. This is in stark contrast to some other, smaller islands in the South Pacific, which have no freshwater sources to draw upon. In such places, survival is dependent on the collection and storage of rainwater.

Agriculture

According to the Central Intelligence Agency, modern Tahiti employs 13 percent of its population in agriculture. They raise fruits such as coconuts, breadfruit, lemons, limes, bananas and noni fruit. There also are nuts like almonds. Vegetables grown on Tahiti include taro, sweet potatoes, manioc and yams. Coffee is also grown there, and there are also beef, dairy and poultry industries on the island. As an old volcanically formed island, the soils of Tahiti are quite rich, and so long as there is water to be had, the land is quite productive.

Fishing

As an island, Tahiti is naturally dependent on the sea to provide a major share of the inhabitant's protein consumption. In terms of the economy, fishing ranks behind only tourism and the pearl industry as an earner of hard cash and is perhaps more important to Tahitians for putting food on the table. The local catch includes yellowfin tuna, bonito, barracuda and mahi mahi.

References

• Tahiti Island Guide
• CIA Fact Book: Tahiti
• Tahiti Traveler: Fruits and Vegetables